Skip to main content

Full text of "The family receipt-book; or, Universal repository of useful knowledge and experience in all the various branches of domestic oeconomy. Including scarce, curious, and valuable, select receipts, and choice secrets, in cookery, medicine ... with specifications of approved patent medicines; all the most srviceable preparations for domestic purposes; and numerous successful improvements in the ornamental as well as useful arts, manufactures, &c. extracted from the records of the Patent Office; and translated from foreign books and journals in all the languages of Europe ... [etc.]"

See other formats 


The  University  Library 
Leeds 


The  John  F.  Preston  Collection 
of  Cookery  Books 
The  Gift  of  Mr.  Preston 
1962 


LEEDS  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


Classmark: 

ml 

l\  | 


! 11  jll! 

III 

I 

|| 

j| 

III 

III 

3 01 

06  01 

23  ‘ 

320 

K-5 


\ 


- 


l-V  ^ ' ..In’  * 

V 

- • '< 


- ■ 

: i * 


4r ' • 


J 


I 


9 


V 


ft 


f/j 


THE 


Family  Receipt-Book; 


OR, 

UNIVERSAL  REPOSITORY 

OF 

Useful  Knowledge  and  Experience  in  all  the  various  Branches  of 

DOMESTIC  (ECONOMY. 

INCLUDING 

Scarce,  Curious,  and  Valuable,  SELECT  RECEIPTS,  and  CHOICE  SECRETS,  in 


COOKERY, 

MEDICINE, 

CONFECTIONARY, 

PASTRY, 

BREWING, 


DISTILLING, 

GILDING, 

PICKLING, 

PAINTING, 

PRESERVING,. 

VARNISHING, 

PERFUMERY, 

AGRICULTURE, 

DYEING, 

FARRIERY, 

GARDENING, 

HUNTING, 

FISHING, 

FOWLING, 

&c.  kc.  icc. 


with 


SPECIFICATIONS  OF  APPROVED  PATENT  MEDICINES ; 

ALL  THE  MOST  SERVICEABLE  PREPARATIONS  FOR 

domestic  purposes; 

AND  NUMEROUS  SUCCESSFUL 

Improvements  in  the  Ornamental  as  well  as  Useful  Arts,  Manufactures,  §c. 

EXTRACTED  FROM  THE 

RECORDS  OF  THE  PATENT  OFFICE; 


TRANSLATED  FROM  FOREIGN  BOOKS  AND  JOURNALS,  IN  ALL  THE  LANGUAGES  OF  EUROPE. 

THE  WHOLE  FORMING 

A Compi.eat  Library  of  Valuable  Domestic  Knowledge,  and  General  (Economy  ; selected  from  the 
Experience  of  Ages,  and  combined  with  all  the  chief  Modern  Discoveries  and  Improvements 
of  our  own  and  other  Countries,  in  those  Useful  and  Elegant  Arts  which  not 
only  contribute  to  the  Happiness,  the  Convenience,  and  the  Comfort, 
of  Civilized  and  Social  Life,  but  even  to  the 
Preservation  and  Prolongation 
of  Life  itself. 


LonDcn : 

PRINTED  FOR  THE  EDITORS, 

AND 

PUBLISHED  BY  ODDY  AND  CO.  27,  OXFORD  STREET;  AND  AV.  ODDY,  103,  OPFOSITE  WARWICK  LANE, 

NEWGATE  STREET. 


* 


•-  J 


V' 


r 1 fTr 

vlimfid 


■sS'Jilln  f 


f i * * r'*  a fe 

* y ' '•  -w  ' V_.  1 (. 


a.  iv  VA 


tCAMA 


r.  w T ZT  / [ 


: . : * 


'5i4‘fA 

V*  # I f 


*4  * \ 


\ 


tiarasm 

ustuir 

l££M 


■ 


'/^  Xf  o 


Jo  > i Ha  T t/.  ’SK,  j 

' . . u/i. 

n»(0  "iJio  ’ > 


' 


I r VVJg  AND  HAMBLIN,  PRINTERS,  PATERNOSTER  ROH% 

. 

■Is..  1 i . J ll  „ 


PREFACE. 


The  idea  of  this  useful  Work,  like  most  other  plans  of  extreme  benefit 
to  mankind,  had  it’s  origin  in  a circumstance  of  the  greatest  simplicity. 

About  twenty  years  ago,  the  Editor  happened  to  become  possessed 
of  a Manuscript  Book  of  Receipts  in  Cookery,  Medicine,  &c.  whicli  had 
descended,  as  an  heir-loom,  through  several  successive  generations.  The 
ready  recurrence  which  this  valuable  assemblage  of  miscellaneous  know- 
ledge and  experience  afforded  himself,  his  family,  and  friends,  on  many 
occasions,  soon  determined  him  to  augment  it’s  utility  by  every  possible 
effort ; with  a view  to  it’s  future  publication,  under  the  plain  but  ex- 
pressive title  which  it  now  bears. 

From  that  period,  therefore,  at  all  convenient  opportunities,  he  en- 
deavoured to  procure  every  Book  or  Manuscript  which  he  could  acquire, 
capable  of  supplying  such  articles  as  are  applicable  to  domestic  purposes ; 
and,  by  engaging  a few  friendly  Coadjutors  of  ability  in  different  branches 
of  professional  knowledge  to  assist  his  researches,  they  are,  together,  most 
probably,  enabled  to  boast  the  possession  of  a larger  Collection  of  such 
Registers,  manuscript  as  well  as  printed,  than  the  same  limited  number 
of  persons  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

From  this  Association,  joined  by  the  recent  Communications  of  intelli- 
gent Travellers,  some  of  them  long  resident  in  various  Foreign  Countries. 


ii  PREFACE. 

and  other  sources  of  genuine  information,  the  following  Selection  has 
been  made,  with  all  the  best  ability  of  the  respective  parties  embarked 
in  this  very  arduous  undertaking. 

That  the  expence  and  trouble  incurred  in  collecting  materials  for 
so  comprehensive  a Work,  can  ever  be  fully  repaid,  without  the  liberal 
Patronage  of  Persons  in  all  Ranks  of  Life,  is  by  no  means  possible. 
Convinced,  however,  of  it’s  obvious  general  utility,  since  there  can  scarcely 
be  any  Individuals  so  humble  ,as  not  to  find  some  information  in  which 
they  must  necessarily  prove  essentially  interested,  the  Proprietors  rely  on  it’s 
being  received  with  as  great  a degree  of  general  approbation  as  any  Work 
whatever,  of  equal  magnitude,  which  has  for  many  years  issued  from  the  press. 

Should  these  hopes  prove  happily  realized,  and  the  public  wish  seem 
to  indicate  equal  success  for  an  augmentation ; the  Editor  may,  possibly, 
at  some  future  opportunity,  publish  another  Volume  of,  perhaps,  nearly  equal 
interest:  particularly  as,  from  the  limits  at  present  prescribed,  the  rapid 
progress  making  in  the  useful  and  elegant  arts,  and  the  vast  fund  of  original 
communications  liberally  furnished  during  the  progress  of  printing — which 
far  surpass,  in  quantity  as  well  as  in  value,  his  most  sanguine  expectations — 
several  branches  of  information  have  been  more  slightly  treated  than  was 
originally  in  the  contemplation  and  will  then  be  in  the  power  of  the  Editor; 
who  must  not  omit  here  making  his  most  grateful  acknowledgments  to  the 
many  highly  respectable  Characters,  Strangers  as  well  as  Friends,  whose 
Original  Communications,  and  Family  Collections,  have  enabled  him  unos- 
tentatiously to  assert,  that  this  Collection  of  Useful  Receipts,  whatever 
may  be  it’s  wants  or  imperfections,  is  absolutely  without  a parallel  in 
any  part  of  the  world. 


THE 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Mock  Venison  Pasty. 

After  boning  a small  rump  of  beef, 
part  of  a sirloin,  or  a loin  or  shoulder  of 
mutton — but  beef  is  to  be  preferred — beat 
the  flesh  very  well  with  a rolling-pin.  Then 
rub  five  pounds  of  this  meat  with  two  ounces 
of  moist  sugar,  and  let  it  remain  twenty- 
four  hours  ; after  which,  wipe  it  clean  oil', 
or  wash  it  away  with  a glass  of  red  port, 
and  season  it  high  with  pepper,  poun- 
ded nutmeg,  and  salt.  Lay  it  in  the  crust, 
and  cover  the  meat  with  clarified  butter. 
Having  put  on  the  top  ^crust,  bake  it  just 
as  much  as  venison.  At  the  same  time, 
set  the  bones  in  the  oven  with  barely  enough 
water  to  cover  them ; which  will  produce 
a little  good  gravy,  to  put  into  the  pasty 
when  drawn. 


Bologna  Sausages,  as  made  in  France. 

Take  four  pounds  of  lean  buttock  of 
beef ; and,  having  cut  it  in  pieces,  put  into 
it  a pound  of  diced  suet,  with  the  same 
quantity  of  diced  bacon.  Season  with  all- 
spice, pepper,  bay-salt,  and  saltpetre,  add- 
ing a little  powder  of  bay  leaves.  Then, 
well  mixing  the  whole  together,  tie  them 
up  in  skins  about  the  thickness  of  the  wrist, 
dry  them  in  the  same  manner  as  tongues, 
and  eat  them  without  boiling. 


Excellent  Keeping  Gravy. 

Burn  an  ounce  of  butter  in  a frying- 
pan  ; always  taking  care  to  do  it  at  such  a 
distance  from  the  fire,  that  while  the  flour 


is  strewing  into  the  butter,  it  may  become 
brown,  but  not  black.  Put  to  it  two  pounds 
of  coarse  lean  beef,  a quart  of  water,  half  a 
pint  of  either  red  or  white  wine,  three  an- 
chovies, two  shallots,  a little  white  pepper, 
a few  cloves,  and  a bit  of  mace,  with  three 
or  four  mushrooms  or  pickled  walnuts. 
After  letting  the  whole  stew  gently  about 
an  hour,  it  may  be  strained  for  use,  when 
it  will  keep  several  days,  and  is  proper  for 
any  savoury  dish. 

German  Method  of  Clarifying  and  Preserving 
Fresh  Butter. 

This  valuable  article  is  the  original  com- 
munication of  aningenioustraveller,  whore- 
sided some  years  at  Vienna;  we  shall,  there- 
fore, give  it  in  his  own  words — “ The  great 
advantage  of  clarified  butter,”  says  this  gen- 
tleman, C£  is  but  little  known  in  England. 
Nothing  is  equal  to  it,  for  most  culinary 
purposes:  it  is  excellent  for  frying  ; and. pe- 
culiarly serviceable  for  general  use  in  long 
sea-voyages,  where  no  fresh  butter  is  to  be 
had,  and  salt  butter  so  greatly  assists  the 
pernicious  effects  of  other  salt  provisions. 
Indeed,  even  with  the  best  fresh  butter,  it  is 
impossible  to  fry  to  any  perfection  of  crisp- 
ness; there  being  always  some  serosity,  to 
bar  that  desideratum:  while  this  purifi- 
ed butter  is  equal  to  the  best  virgin  oils  of 
Florence,  Aix,  or  Lucca,  for  frying  in  per- 
fection. How  it  comes  to  pass,  that  we, 
who  are  reproached  by  foreigners  with 
having  only  one  sauce,  that  of  butter,  for 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


vegetables,  fish,  flesh,  and  fowl,  should  be 
unacquainted  with  the  best  method  of  pre- 
serving it  sweet  and  pure,  is  really  wonder- 
ful ; at  Vienna,  and  in  many  other  parts  of 
Germany,  it  is  sold  in  all  the  shops.  1 he 
best  is  purified  at  the  dairies,  during  the 
cheapest  season,  and  sent  to  market  in  bar- 
rels and  tubs.  The  method  of  clarifying  it  is 
this — They  set  a large  clean  copper  vessel 
on  a trivet,  over  a charcoal  fire  3 and  put  in 
their  new  butter,  before  it  has  taken  any  ill 
taste,  but  not  in  large  portions  at  a time. 
With  the  quantity  of  about  fifty  pounds,  a 
large  onion,  peeled  and  cut  crossway,  is 
thrown  in.  The  whole  is  now  closely 
watched,  and  kept  skimming  the  moment  it 
begins  to  boil ; the  fire  being  then  slacken- 
ed, so  that  it  may  only  simmer  for  five 
minutes  : after  which,  if  it  cannot  be  sud- 
denly removed,  the  fire  is  immediately  ex- 
tinguished. The  onion  being  taken  out,  the 
butter  is  left  standing  a little,  till  every  im- 
purity sink  to  the  bottom  3 as  all  that  has 
not  risen  to  the  skimmer  never  fails  doing. 
They  have,  ready  to  receive  it,  either  large 
tin  cannisters,  stone  jars,  or  wooden  vessels 
made  air-tight,  holding  about  fifty  pounds 
each  j in  which,  while  yet  liquid,  it  is 
poured  otf,  and  closely  covered  up  for 
use.  This  butter  should  be  constantly 
taken  out,  as  it  is  wanted,  with  a wooden 
spoon  ; neither  the  hand,  nor  any  metal, 
being  ever  suffered  td  touch  it.” 

Queen  Elizabeth’s  Cordial  Electuary. 

Boil  a pint  of  the  besttfoney;  and,  having 
carefully  taken  off  all  the  scum,  put  into  the 
clarified  liquid  a bundle  of  hyssop  which 
has  been  well  bruised  previously  to  tying 
it  up,  and  let  them  boil  together  till  the 
honey  tastes  strongly  of  the  hyssop.  Then 
strain  out  the  honey  very  hard  3 and,  put- 


ting into  it  a quarter  of  an  ounce  each 
of  powdered  liquorice  root  and  anniseed, 
half  that  quantity  of  pulverised  elecampane 
and  angelica  roots,  and  one  pennyweight 
each  of  finely  beaten  pepper  and  ginger, 
let  the  whole  boil  together  a short  time* 
being  well  stirred  all  the  while.  After 
which,  pour  it  into  a gallipot,  or  small  jar, 
and  continue  stirring  till  it  is  quite  cold. 
Keep  it  covered  up,  for  use  j and,  whenever 
troubled  with  straitness  at  the  stomach,  or 
shortness  of  breath,  take  some  of  the  elec- 
tuary on  a bruised  stick  of  liquorice,  which 
will  speedily  afford  relief.  This  is  said  to 
have  been  Queen  Elizabeth’s  favourite  re- 
medy for  all  oppression  at  the  stomach,  and 
shortness  of  breath,  with  which  complaints 
her  majesty  had  been  much  afflicted. 

Genuine  Friar’s  Balsam. 

Put  four  ounces  of  sarsaparilla  cut  in 
short  pieces,  two  ounces  oi  China  root 
sliced  thin,  and  an  ounce  of  Virginian 
snake-weed  cut  small,  with  one  quart  of 
spirits  of  wine,  in  a two-quart  bottle.  Set 
it  in  the  sun,  or  any  equal  degree  of  heat, 
shaking  it  two  or  three  times  a day,  till  the 
spirit  be  tinctured  of  a fine  golden  yellow. 
Then  clear  off  the  infusion  into  another 
bottle : and,  putting  in  eight  ounces  of 
gum  guaicum,  set  it  in  the  sun,  or  other 
similar  heat  3 shaking  it  very  often,  till  all 
the  gum  be  dissolved,  except  dregs,  which 
will  generally  he  about  ten  01  twelve  days. 
It  must  now  be  a second  time  cleared  from 
the  dregs  3 and,  having  received  an  ounce 
of  Peruvian  balsam,  be  well  shaken,  and 
again  placed  in  the  sun  for  two  days  : after 
which,  an  ounce  of  balm  of  gilead  being 
added,  it  is  to  be  once  more  shaken  together, 
and  finally  set  in  the  sun  for  fourteen  days, 
when  it  will  be  quite  fit  for  use,  and  keep 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


many  years.  There  were, formerly,  scarcely 
any  complaints,  either  external  or  inter- 
nal, for  which  this  admirable  balsam  was 
•not  considered  as  an  effectual  remedy.  It 
has,  in  truth,  many  virtues,  when  properly 
made  ; but,  as  a mere  vulnerary,  for  com- 
mon flesh  wounds,  the  simpler  and  cheaper 
balsams,  sold  under  the  names  of  Friar’s 
balsam,  Turlington’s  balsam,  and  the  trau- 
matic balsam  of  the  London  Dispensatory, 
are  usually  efficacious.  Neither  of  these, 
however,  nor  any  of  the  other  compound 
balsams,  or  restorative  drops,  formed  on 
the  basis  of  this  true  Friar’s  balsam,  are  so 
well  adapted  for  internal  use  ; and  some  of 
them,  as  commonly  manufactured  for  sale, 
are  quite  unfit  for  any  such  purpose.  The 
dose  of  genuine  Friar’s  balsam,  for  con- 
sumptions, or  any  inward  ulcer,  &c.  is 
about  half  a table-spoonful,  on  a lump  of 
sugar,  or  in  any  liquid  vehicle,  once  or 
twice  a day,  according  to  the  urgency  of 
the  case,  using  moderate  exercise  while  in 
the  habit  of  taking  it.  In  any  soreness  of 
the  stomach,  and  for  some  coughs,  twenty 
or  thirty  drops  occasionally  taken,  often 
give  compleat  relief ; and,  in  almost  every 
weakness  or  debility,  they  may  be  advan- 
tageously resorted  to,  as  well  as  by  persons 
afflicted  with  scorbutic  complaints,  and 
other  taints  or  impurities  of  the  blood. 

Excellent  Lozenges  for  the  Heartburn. 

Take  calcined  oyster-shells,  as  found  on 
the  sea-coast,  where  they  are  so  blanched 
by  time  as  to  appear,  both  within  and 
without,  of  the  whiteness  of  mother  of 
pearl ; dry  them  well  by  the  fire,  and  then 
beat  and  sift  them  as  fine  as  possible.  In 
half  a pound  of  this  powder,  mix  half  a 
pound  of  loaf  sugar  well  beaten  and  sifted  ; 
and  wet  it  with  a spoonful  or  two  of  milk 


and  water,  so  as  to  form  a very  stiff  paste. 
Then  mould  the  whole  into  neat  lozenges, 
of  any  form  or  size,  and  bake  them  very 
dry  in  so  slack  an  oven  as  not  to  discolour 
them  ; this  will  be  best  effected,  after  every 
thing  else  is  drawn.  These  lozenges  so 
effectually  destroy  that  acidity  in  the  sto- 
mach which  causes  this  complaint,  as  not 
only  to  prevent  the  disagreeable  sensation 
it  occasions,  but  greatly  to  promote  diges- 
tion. Their  power  in  neutralizing  acids 
may  be  easily  tried,  by  dissolving  one  oi 
them  in  a glass  of  the  sharpest  vinegar. 

Potted  Cheshire  Cheese. 

Take  a pound  and  a half  of  Cheshire 
cheese,  and  mix  it  in  a marble  mortar, 
with  a quarter  of  a pound  of  the  best  fresh 
butter;  adding,  by  degrees,  while  beating 
them  together,  a glass  of  mountain,  or 
other  rich  and  sweet  wine,  with  a quarter 
of  an  ounce  of  mace,  beaten  and  sifted  so 
as  not  to  be  discernible.  When  the  whole 
is  extremely  well  mixed,  it  must  be  pressed 
down  hard  into  a gallipot  or  small  jar,  co- 
vered over  with  melted  butter,  and  kept  in 
a cool  place.  A slice  of  this  is  considered, 
by  many  persons,  as  far  superior  to  the 
richest  cream  cheese. 

A delicious  Orange  Pudding. 

Grate  the  rind  of  two  Seville  oranges; 
and  beat  it,  in  a marble  mortar,  with  half  a 
pound  of  fine  fresh  butter,  the  same  quan- 
tity of  loaf  sugar,  and  the  yolks  of  sixteen 
eggs,  till  the  whole  mass  become  of  an  even 
colour.  Then  pour  it  into  a baking  dish 
lined  with  puff  paste. 

Persian  Meat  Cakes. 

STRIE  the  fat  and  sinews  from  the  flesh 
of  a leg  of  mutton ; and  beat  it  well,  in  a 
B 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


O' 

marble  mortar,  with  pepper,  salt,  and  juice 
of  onions  or  garlic,  or  with  sweet  herbs, 
according  to  your  taste.  Make  the  meat 
thus  prepared  into  flat  cakes,  and  keep 
them  pressed  between  two  dishes  for  twelve 
hours  ; then  fry  them  with  butter,  in  which 
they  are  to  be  served  up. 

Broth  without  Meat 

Boil  a small  quant  ity  of  ketchup  in  very 
thin  gruel,  with  a few  strewed  leaves  of 
parsley,  and  a little  salt.  By  this  method 
alone,  it  is  said,  an  ingenious  cook  long  de- 
ceived a whole  family,  who  wrere  all  fond  of 
weak  mutton  broth.  The  fact  is,  that  the 
mushroom,  more  than  any  other  vegetable 
substance,  perhaps,  approaches  the  nature 
and  flavour  of  wholesome  animal  flesh. 
Walnut  liquor,  which  is  frequently  sub- 
stituted for  ketchup,  will  by  no  means 
answer  this,  purpose. 

Pickled  Sprats  resembling  Anchovies. 

AFTER  taking  tbe  heads  off  a quantity  of 
the  freshest  and  largest  sprats,  salt  them  a 
little  with  common  salt,  and  let  them  re- 
main till  the  next  morning : then  take  a 
barrel,  or  earthen  pot,  and  put  in  it  a layer 
of  bay-salt,  with  a little  pounded  lemon 
peel  and  bay  leaves,  and  a layer  of  sprats ; 
alternately  placing  a layer  of  the  bay  salt, 
and  another  of  sprats,  till  the  vessel  be 
filled.  It  is  then  to  be  closely  covered  up, 
so  that  no  air  can.  get  in  ; this,  if  it  be  a 
barrel,  is  usually  effected  by  closing  it 
with  pitch.  Being  placed  in  a cellar,  or 
other  cool  place,  and  the  vessel  turned 
upside  down  once  a week,  they  will  in  three 
months  be  fit  for  use.  Though  the  flesh 
of  these  sprats  is  certainly  not  quite  so  de- 
licious as  that  of  the  actual  anchovy,  the 
liquor  is,  for  many  purposes,  almost  equally 


good.  In  truth,  both  fish  and  liquor,  are 
very  generally  sold,  at  most  oil  shops,  for 
the  real  anchovy. 

Irish  Usquebaugh , as  made  at  Paris. 

PUT  into  a large  glass  or  stone  bottle, 
three  pints  of  brandy;  half  an  ounce  each 
of  saffron,  liquorice,  jujubes,  and  raisins 
of  the  sun  ; and  a quarter  of  an  ounce 
each  of  coriander  seeds,  and  cinnamon. 
Then  melt  a pound  and  a half  of  sugar  in  a 
quart  of  water,  put  it  to  the  rest,  and  let 
the  whole  infuse  three  weeks ; after  which 
time,  pour  off  the  clear  liquor.  Tins  is  an 
excellent  cordial,  and  much  esteemed  by 
the  Parisians,  to  whom  it  wras  originally 
introduced  by  a celebrated  general  officer 
in  the  Irish  brigade. 

Salmagundi. 

By  this  name  is  now  chiefly  known  what 
was  formerly  called  a cold  hash,  or  sallad- 
magundy,  afterwards  corrupted  into  Solo- 
mon Gundy,  as  if  it  were  the  Christian  and 
sirnames  of  the  original  contriver.  Salma- 
gundi is  thus  made — Chop  very  small  the 
breast  of  a turkey,  or  fowl,  either  boiled  or 
roasted,  or  even-  a piece  of  fine  white 
roasted  veal ; next  chop,  in  like  manner, 
but  each  article  kept  separate,  the  lean  of 
dressed  ham,  a few  washed  and  boned  an- 
chovies, a handful  of  parsley,  tbe  yolks  of 
four  boiled  eggs,  the  whites  of  the  same,  a 
small  quantity  of  capers,  a few  shallots,  some 
fine  green  pickled  cucumbers  or  French’ 
beaus,  and  a little  boiled  beet-root.  Then  rub 
over  with  butter  a china  bason  or  saucer/ 
and  fix  it  downwards  in  the  centre  of  the 
dish;  placing  round  it,  in  separate  divisions, 
or  rings,  all  the  various  articles  : first,  for* 
example,  a ring  of  shred  parsley ; next,  a 
ring  of  yolks  of  eggs;  then,  of  whites ; and. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


afterwards,  at  pleasure,  of  ham,  fowl, 
pickles,  &c.  till  the  bason  or  saucer  be 
covered.  The  rim  of  the  dish  may  be  gar- 
nished with  a few  slices  of  lemon,  and  any 
thing  ornamental  placed  in  the  centie. 
Pickled  herrings  were  formerly  a chief  in- 
gredient in  salmagundi ; but  they  are  now 
seldom  used  for  this  purpose,  having  very 
properly  yielded  to  the  superior  delicacy 
of  the  anchovy. 

Decoction  of  the  Beards  of  Lceles , for  the 
Stone  and  Gravel. 

Cut  off  a large  handful  of  the  beards  of 
leeks ; and  put  them  in  a pot  or  pipkin 
with  two  quarts  of  waiter,  covered  closely 
up,  where  they  are  to  be  kept  simmering 
till  the  liquor  is  reduced  to  a quart.  It  is 
then  to  be  poured  off;  and  drank  every 
morning,  noon,  and  evening,  about  the 
third  part  of  a pint  each  time.  Half  the 
quantity,  or  less,  may  be  sufficient  for 
children,  according  to  their  respective 
ages,  and  the  violence  of  the  disease.  The 
most  desperate  condition  of  this  painful 
disorder  has  frequently  been  cured,  by  this 
seemingly  simple  remedy,  in  little  more 
than  a month.  It  is  best  to  keep  making  it 
fresh  every  two  or  three  days ; which,  in- 
deed, is  the  case  with  most  other  vegetable 
decoctions. 

Instant  Relief  for  a Pain  ancl  Lax  State  of 
the  Bowels. 

Take  twelve  drops  of  laudanum,  in  half 
a gill  of  spirituous  cinnamon- water ; or,  if 
that  cannot  be  immediately  had,  in  the  best 
brandy.  This  will  seldom  fail  to  give  in- 
stant relief;  but,  where  it  does  so  happen, 
may  be  repeated  in  about  an  hour. 

Macaroni  Cordial. 

This  favourite  French  liqueur  is  very 
little  known  in  England,  The  secret  of 


making  it  is,  even  in  France,  confined  to 
a very  few  persons.  We  have,  however, 
with  great  difficulty,  obtained  the  genuine 
receipt,  which  is  as  follow's — Infuse,  for 
fourteen  days,  in  nine  pints  of  brandy,  one 
pound  of  bitter  almonds,  beaten  with  a 
small  quantity  of  Bohemian  or  Spanish  an- 
gelica root;  shaking,  frequently,  the  ves- 
sel which  contains  all  these  ingredients. 
At  the  expiration  of  this  time,  place  the 
whole  contents  in  a cucurbit;  and,  dis- 
tilling, in  balneo  mariae,  five  pints  of  spirit 
thus  impregnated  wdth  the  flavour  of  the 
almonds  and  angelica,  make  a syrup  with 
five  pounds  of  sugar,  two  quarts  of  eau  de 
mille  fleurs,  and  three  quarts  of  common 
distilled  water.  This  being  mixed  with 
the  spirits,  add  thirty  drops  of  the  essence 
of  lemons ; after  which,  filtre  it  through 
blotting  paper.  This  operation  is  readily 
performed  : and  the  liquor,  having  once 
passed  through,  becomes  a delicious  cor- 
dial, of  the  most  brilliant  clearness;  charm- 
ing, at  the  same  time,  both  the  taste  and 
sight. 

Oxford  Puddings. 

Take  a quarter  of  a pound  each  of  grated 
stale  bread,  picked  currants,  finely  shred 
suet,  and  moist  sugar ; mix  them  together, 
and  grate  in  a good  quantity  of  nutmeg 
and  lemon  peel:  then  break  two  eggs  into 
the  mass,  and  stir  the  whole  well  together. 
Di'\  ide  it  into  five  parts,  tie  each  in  a sepa- 
rate cloth,  and  let  them  boil  halt  an  hour. 

The  true  Driff'j's  Elixir. 

The  popular  medicine  sold  under  this 
name,  is  differently  made  by  different  ven- 
ders. The  foil  own  ng,  however,  is  consi- 
dered as  the  genuine  receipt  for  making 
it — Take  five  ounces  of  anniseeds,  three 
ounces  of  fennel  seeds,  four  ounces  of  par- 


s 


•FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


sley  seeds,  six  ounces  of  Spanish  liquorice, 
live  ounces  of  sena,  one  ounce  of  rhubarb, 
three  ounces  of  elecampane  root,  seven 
ounces  of  jalap,  twenty-one  drams  of  saf- 
fron, six  ounces  of  manna,  two  pounds  of 
raisins,  a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  cochineal, 
and  two  gallons  of  brandy.  Stone  the  rai- 
sins, slice  the  roots,  and  bruise  the  jalap. 
Then  mix  the  whole  together;  and,  after 
letting  them  stand  close  covered  for  fifteen 
days,  strain  out  the  elixir.  So  favourite  a 
remedy  has  Daffy’s  elixir  been,  for  all  clio- 
liclcy  pains,  during  the  last  hundred  years, 
that  many  families  have  been  enriched  by 
it’s  preparation  and  sale ; few  of  whom, 
there  is  reason  to  believe,  have  used  half 
the  ingredients  above  enumerated.  The 
cheap  stuff  commonly  sold  as  Daffy’s  elixir, 
is  little  more  than  an  infusion  of  anniseeds, 
liquorice,  and  jalap,  in  the  coarsest  and 
most  fiery  malt  spirit,  lowered  with  com- 
mon water. 

Fine  French  Bread. 

In  France,  bread  is  made  of  many  dif- 
ferent descriptions,  while  in  England  we 
have  scarcely  any  other  sorts  than  the  com- 
mon wheaten  or  white,  and  the  ordinary 
houshold  or  brown  bread.  French  bread 
is,  indeed,  to  be  had  in  London,  and 
other  populous  places,  where  there  are 
eminent  bakers ; but  it  is  seldom  well 
made,  and  it’s  use  chiefly  confined  to  the 
breakfast  table,  where  it  is  far  from  gene- 
ral. The  following  is  one  of  the  best  me- 
thods of  making  it ; and  few  persons  there 
are,  who  would  not  always  greatly  prefer 
such  French  bread  to  any  bread  made  in 
the  common  way,  though  attended  by  very 
little  more  trouble  or  expence.  Take  half 
a peek  of  the  finest  flour ; and,  having  well 
sifted  it  into  the  kneading  trough,  form  a 


centrical  cavity,  into  which  strain  about 
half  a pint  each  of  warm  milk  and  the 
choicest  yeast,  mixing  some  of  the  sur- 
rounding flour  so  as  to  form  a light  sponge. 
Then,  having  covered  it  well  up  with  a linen 
and  a flannel  cloth,  place  it  before  the  fire 
to  rise  for  about  three  quarters  of  an  hour ; 
and,  having  warmed  a pint  and  a half  of 
milk  with  half  a pint  of  water,  a quarter  of 
a pound  of  fresh  butter,  a spoonful  of  pow- 
dered loaf  sugar,  and  a little  salt,  knead  it 
to  a proper  consistence,  and  place  it  again 
over  the  fire  for  the  same  time  as  before. 
After  once  more  kneading  it,  and  again 
placing  it  to  rise,  form  the  dough  into 
loaves,  bricks,  or  rolls,  of  any  shape  or 
size,  lay  them  on  tin  plates  ; set  them  be- 
fore the  fire  to  rise  for  about  twenty  mi- 
nutes; and,  having  baked  them  in  a quick 
oven,  let  them  be  rasped  while  hot.  Some 
persons,  with  the  butter,  &c.  put  in  an 
egg,  leaving  out  half  the  white.  This  fine 
French  bread  will  be  found  a less  expen- 
sive luxury  than  any  other  article  of  food 
which  is  at  all  so  considered,  and  greatly 
adds  to  the  pleasurable  comfort  of  a meal, 
or  any  repast. 

Excellent  Ketchup,  which  will  keep  good  more 
than  Twenty  Years. 

Take  two  gallons  of  stale  strong  beer,  or 
ale,  the  stronger  and  staler  the  better;  a 
pound  of  anchovies,  washed  and  cleansed 
from  the  guts ; half  an  ounce  each  of  mace 
and  cloves;  a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  pep- 
per; six  large  races  of  ginger;  a pound 
of  shallots  ; and  two  quarts,  or  more,  of  flap 
mushrooms,  well  rubbed  and  picked.  Boil 
all  these  over  a slow  fire  one  hour ; 
then  strain  the  liquor  through  a flan- 
nel bag,  and  let  it  stand  till  quite  cold, 
when  it  must  be  bottled  and  stopped  very 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


9 


close,  with  cork  and  bladder,  or  leather. 
One  spoonful  of  this  fine  ketchup  to  a pint 
of  melted  butter,  gives  such  admirable  taste 
and  colour,  as  a fish-sauce,  that  it  is  by 
many  persons  preferred  to  even  the  best 
Indian  soy. 

Dutch  Method  of  dressing  a Jozd  of  Salmon. 

Scale  and  wash  clean  a jowl  of  sal- 
mon; and,  having  put  a kettle  with  a little 
water  on  the  fire,  lay  the  salmon  on  the 
fish-plate,  and  place  it  in  the  kettle.  Sea- 
son with  salt,  sliced  onions,  and  bunches 
of  thyme,  sweet  basil,  and  parsley  : then, 
having  boiled  some  vinegar  in  a stewpan, 
pour  it  hot  over  the  whole;  and,  when 
done,  make  a sauce  with  butter,  flour  and 
water*  a very  little  vinegar  and  nutmeg,  a 
few  anchovies,  and  a few  picked  shrimps. 
Put  the  sauce  on  the  salmon,  and  serve  it 
up  hot,  as  the  first  dish. 

A very  rich  Twelfth  Cake. 

Put  into  seven  pounds  of  fine  flour,  two 
pounds  and  a half  of  fresh  butter,  and  seven 
pounds  of  nicely  picked  and  cleansed  cur- 
rants; with  two  large  nutmegs,  half  an 
ounce  of  mace,  a quarter  of  an  ounce  of 
cloves,  and  a pound  of  loaf  sugar,  all  finely 
beaten  and  grated  ; sixteen  eggs,  leaving 
out  four  whites ; and  a pint  and  a half  of  the 
best  yeast.  Warm  as  much  cream  as  will 
wet  this  mass,  and  pour  Tnountain  wine  to 
make  it  as  thick  as  batter;  beat,  grossly,  a 
pound  of  almonds*  with  mountain  and 
orange-flower  water,  and  put  in  a pound 
and  a half  of  candied  orange,  lemon,  and 
citron  peel.  Mix  the  whole  well  to- 
gether ; and  put  the  cake  into  a hoop  with 
paste  under  it,  to  save  the  bottom  while  it 
is  baking. 


Fine  Iccing  for  Twelfth  Cake. 

Take  the  whites  of  five  eggs,  whipped 
up  to  a froth,  and  put  to  them  a pound  of 
double-refined  sugar  powdered  and  sifted, 
and  three  spoonfuls  of  orange-flower  water. 
Beat  it  up  all  the  time  the  cake  is  in  the  oven; 
and,  the  moment  it  comes  out,  ice  over  the 
top  with  the  spoon.  Some  also  put  into  the 
iceing  a grain  of  amber-grease,  but  that 
perfume  is  too  powerful  for  many  tastes. 
A little  lemon  juice  is  often  used  instead 
of  the  orange-flower  water. 

Infallible  Rcmedi)  for  the  Ague. 

Mix  a quarter  of  an  ounce  each  of 
finely  powdered  Peruvian  bark,  grains  of 
paradise,  and  long  pepper,  in  a quarter  of 
a pound  of  treacle;  of  which  mixture,  take 
a third  part  immediately  as  the  cold  fit 
commences,  washing  it  down  with  half  a 
quartern  of  the  best  French  brandy.  As 
the  cold  fit  goes  off,  and  the  fever  ap- 
proaches, take  a second  third  part,  with 
the  like  quantity  of  brandy;  and,  on  the 
following  morning,  fasting,  swallow  the  re- 
mainder, and  the  same  quantity  of  brandy 
as  before.  This  excellent  electuary,  which 
is  said  never  to  fail,  perfectly  cured  the 
present  writer,  when  a boy,  after  being 
most  grievously  afflicted  for  the  greater  part 
of  four  years,  havingalmost  every  fit  accom- 
panied by  delirium,  and  during  which  time 
innumerable  other  remedies  had  been  tried 
in  vain.  The  person  from  whom  it  was 
obtained,  declared  that  he  had  cured  many 
hundred  persons,  and  never  met  with  but 
a single  instance  where  the  three  doses  did 
not  immediately  effect  a cure,  and  even 
then  a second  three  compleatly  prevailed. 
To  children  under  nine  years  of  age,  only 
half  the  above  quantities  must  be  given. 

C 


10 


FAMILY  "RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Baijlcy's  Patent  Cakes  for  Liquid  Blacking. 

Tins  blacking  has  been  the  source  of  an 
ample  fortune  to  the  patentee,  the  celebra- 
ted Mr.  Bay  ley,  ofCockspurStrect, Charing 
CroSk,  whose  exclusive  right  is  now  ex- 
pired. It  is  made,  according  to  the  specifi- 
cation in  the  patent-office,  with  one  part  of 
the  gummous  juice  which  issues  from  the 
shrub  called  goat’s  thorn,  during  the  months 
of  June,  July,  and  August ; four  parts  of 
river-water, ; two  parts  of  neat’s  foot,  or 
some  other  softening  and  lubricating  oil  ; 
two  parts  of  superfine  ivory-black ; two 
parts  of  a deep  blue  colour,  prepared  from 
iron  ad  copper  ; and  four  parts  of  brown 
sugar-can dy.  The  water  is  then  evapora- 
ted, till  the  composition  become  of  a pro- 
per consistence,  when  it  is  formed  into 
cakes  of  such  a size  as  to  produce,  when 
dissolved  in  hot  water,  a pint  of  liquid 
blacking. 

German  Method  of  Blackening  Leather. 

Take  two  pounds  of  the  bark  of  elder, 
and  the  same  quantity  of  the  filings  of 
rust  of  iron  ; steep  them  in  two  gallons  of 
river  water,  and  put  them  in  a cask  or 
earthen  vessel  closely  stopped.  After  it 
has  thus  stood  two  months,  put  to  the 
liquid,  when  well  pressed  out,  a pound  of 
powdered  nut-galls,  and  a quarter  of  a 
pound  of  copperas  : and  then,  after  stirring 
it  over  a good  fire,  press  out  the  liquid, 
with  which  the  leather  is  to  be  three  or 
four  times  brushed  over,  when  it  becomes 
of  an  excellent  and  most  durable  black. 

A curious  and  usefid  Glue. 

Take  an  ounce  of  isinglass,  beat  it  to 
shreds,  and  put  it  into  a pint  of  brandy ; 
when  gradually  dissolved,  which  it  soon  is 


with  a gentle  heat,  strain  the  solution 
through  a piece  of  fine  muslin,  and  this 
glue  will  be  obtained,  which  is  to  be  kept 
in  a glass  closely  stopped.  On  being  dis- 
solved, in  a moderate  heat,  it  is  thin,  trans- 
parent, and  almost  limpid.  When  used  in 
the  manner  of  common  glue,  it  joins  toge- 
ther the  parts  of  wood  stronger  than  the 
wood  itself  is  united;  so  that  the  pieces 
thus  joined  will  break  in  any  other  part 
sooner  than  where  they  are  glued  together. 
It  is  also  remarkable  that,  if  saw-dust,  or 
powdered  wood,  be  made  into  a ball  with 
this  glue,  the  ball  will  prove  solid  and 
elastic ; so  that  it  may  be  turned,  and  used 
as  a bowl,  without  breaking.  As  the  glue 
thus  made  with  brandy  will  keep  long 
without  corrupting,  it  is  by  no  means  an 
improper  form  to  preserve  isinglass  ready 
dissolved,  for  fining  wines  and  other  pur- 
poses. Another  use  of  this  curious  glue  is, 
that  of  it’s  serving  excellently  for  taking  off 
impressions  of  medals  or  coins  : thus,  if  a 
little  of  it,  when  melted,  be  poured  thinly 
on  a new  guinea,  &c.  so  as  to  cover  the 
whole  surface  of  the  piece,  and  suffered  so 
to  remain  a day  or  two,  till  it  become  tho- 
roughly dry,  it  will  appear  hard,  and  trans- 
parent, like  a piece  of  Muscovy  glass,  with 
the  impression  of  the  guinea  in  intaglio,  as 
it  is  denominated,  on  one  side,  and  in  re- 
lievo on  the  other.  This  glue  dries  into  a 
very  strong,  tough,  and  transparent  sub- 
stance; not  easily  damaged  by  any  thing 
but  aqueous  moisture,  which  would  soon 
dissolve  it.  This  last  reason  renders  it 
unfit  for  any  use  where  it  would  be  much 
exposed  to  wet  or  damp  air.  Common 
glue,  dissolved  with  linseed  oil,  is  admi- 
rably calculated  to  stand  the  weather;  a 
secret  little  known  by  those  who  would  be 
most  benefited  by  it’s  adoption. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


11 


Norfolk  Milk  Punch. 

Steep  the  thin  parings  of  seven  lemons, 
and  as  many  Seville  oranges,  in  a pint  of 
brandy,  for  three  days.  Then  squeeze  all 
the  juice  of  these  oranges  and  lemons  into 
the  brandy ; and  add  three  pints  of  rum, 
three  pints  more  of  brandy,  and  six  pints  of 
water.  Grate  a nutmeg  into  two  quarts  of 
milk ; and,  having  made  it  boiling  hot, 
pour  it  into  the  above  ingredients,  carefully 
keeping  the  whole  well  stirred  till  com- 
pleatly  mixed  : then  add  two  pounds  of  fine 
loaf  sugar,  which  must  also  be  well  stirred. 
Let  the  punch  thus  made  stand  twelve 
hours,  then  strain  it  through  a flannel  bag 
till  it  appear  perfectly  bright.  It  may, 
probably,  require  to  be  three  or  four  times 
strained ; according  to  the  fineness  or 
coarseness  of  the  sugar,  and  other  circum- 
stances. When  quite  clear,  this  charming 
liquor  is  immediately  fit  to  drink;  or  will 
keep,  if  bottled,  any  length  of  time,  and  in 
all  climates. 

Pest  Brunswick  Sausages. 

Take  five  pounds  of  prime  lean  of  pork, 
the  same  quantity  each  of  pig’s  flair  and 
liver,  and  half  a pound  of  the  best  bacon  : 
let  the  pork  and  lean  of  the  bacon  be  chop- 
ped fine,  but  the  flair  and  bacon  fat  should 
be  diced,  or  cut  in  square  pieces  of  about 
a quarter  of  an  inch  each.  Season  with 
two  ounces  of  common  salt,  an  ounce  of 
ground  long  pepper,  and  half  an  ounce  of' 
finely  ground  saltpetre;  with  a shallot 
or  two,  more  or  less,  according  to  the 
taste,  minced  very  small : a little  dried  and 
sifted  marjoram,  and  winter  savory,  may 
also  be  added,  where  such  flavour  is  de- 
sired. Mix  the  whole  together,  with  a 
quart  of  strong  mild  ale,  in  a deep  pan ; 
and  let  it  stand  a day  or  two,  till  the  ale  be 


well  absorbed.  Then  procure  some  large 
skin,  or  gut  of  the  ox,  and  fill  them  with 
this  meat ; leaving  sufficient  room  to  allow 
for  the  enlargement  by  boiling.  If  smoking 
the  sausages  be  preferred,  they  should  be 
so  cured  while  raw.  They  must  be  kept  in 
a dry  place  ; and,  if  wanted  to  be  preserved 
any  length  of  time,  they  should  be  occa- 
sionally, examined,  and  wiped  over  with  a 
clean  cloth  slightlv  wetted  in  the  best 
sweet  oil. 

An  Incomparable  Fumigation , or  Vapour,  for 
a Sore  Throat. 

Take  a pint  of  vinegar,  and  an  ounce  of 
myrrh;  boil  them  well  together  about  half 
an  hour,  and  then  pour  .the  liquid  into  a 
bason.  Place  over  the  bason  the  large  part 
of  a funnel  which  fits  it;  and,  the  small 
end  being  taken  into  the  mouth  of  the  pa- 
tient, the  fume  will  be  inhaled,  and  de- 
scend to  the  throat.  It  must  be  used  as 
hot  as  it  can  possibly  be  borne  ; and  should 
be  renewed  every  quarter  of  an  hour,  till 
a cure  is  effected.  This  excellent  remedy 
will  seldom  or  never  fail,  if  resolutely  per- 
sisted in,  only  for  a day  or  two,  and  some- 
times a very  few  hours,  in  the  most  dan- 
dangerous  state  of  either  an  inflammatory 
or  putrid  sore  throat,  or  even  a quinsy. 

Dr.  Fuller’s  Vapour  for  a Quinsy. 

Take  powdered  pepper,  an  ounce ; 
milk,  a quart;  and  boil  them  to  a pint  and 
a half.  Put  the  whole  into  a glass  bottle 
with  a small  neck,  and  let  the  vapour  be 
received  as  hot  as  can  be  endured  with 
open  mouth.  “ This  euporiston,”  says 
that  learned  physician,  “ more  powerfully 
than  any  gargle  whatsoever,  attenuates, 
melts  down,  and  draw’s  forth,  tough  phlegm; 
which,  by  obstructing  the  glands  and 
spungy  flesh,  and  hindering  the  free  pas- 


V2 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


sage  of  blood  and  humours  through  them, 
occasioned  the  inflammation  and  tumour  : 
and,  therefore,  it  more  effectually  takes  off 
this  perilous  distemper  than  any  of  them.” 
T his,  it  is  to  be  remarked,  is  only  recom- 
mended for  a quinsy.  It  affords  good  pro- 
fessional authority,  however,  for  the  prefe- 
rable use  of  such  vaporous  inhalements 
over  common  gargles  and  other  medicines, 
in  dangerous  complaints,  of  the  throat, 
lungs,  &c. 

Superlative  Orange  Wine. 

To  ten  gallons  of  water,  put  twenty- 
eight  pounds  of  loaf  sugar,  and  the  whites 
of  six  eggs.  Boil  them  together  for  three 
quarters  of  an  hour,  keeping  the  liquor 
well  scummed  all  the  time,  and  then  pour 
it  hot  into  a tub  or  large  pan,  over  the 
peels  of  fifty  Seville  oranges.  When  it  is 
nearly  cold,  take  three  spoonfuls  of  yeast, 
spread  on  a piece  of  toasted  bread,  and  put 
in  the  liquor,  to  make  it  ferment.  After 
it  has  stood  two  or  three  days,  pour  it  from 
the  peels  into  the  cask,  with  a gallon  of 
orange  juice  ; which  takes  about  a hun- 
dred and  twenty  Seville  oranges.  Let  it 
remain  in  the  cask  till  it  has  done  hissing, 
when  the  fermentation  will  have  ceased. 
Endeavour  to  proportion  the  size  of  the 
cask  to  the  quantity  ; as  it  must  be  kept 
filled,  so  as  to  work  out  at  the  bung-hole. 
When  the  fermentation  is  over,  draw  off 
as  much  of  the  wine  as  will  admit  one 
quart  of  brandy  for  every  five  gallons  of 
wine.  It  M ill  be  fit  to  bottle  off,  or  drink 
from  the  cask,  in  four  or  five  months.  This 
wine,  if  carefully  made,  according  to  these 
plain  directions.  M ill  be  found  exquisitely 
delicious;  and,  Mere  it  to  be  kept  four  or 
five  years.  M ould  far  surpass  most  of  the 
best  foreign  wines  as  they  are  usually 
sold  in  England. 


Brighton  Hunting  Beef. 

Tins  admirable  article  affords  a most  ex- 
cellent standing  dish,  to  eat  with  tea  intlic 
morning,  and  for  Sandwiches,  side  dishes. 
See.  as  well  as  for  the  peculiar  purpose 
from  which  it  has  derived  it’s  name.  The 
genuine  method  of  curing  this  famous 
beef,  hitherto  confined  to  a few  private  fa- 
milies, chiefly  at  Brighthelmstone,  and  in 
the  neighbouring  country,  is  as  follows — 
Take  a fine  round  of  beef — of.about  twenty- 
five  pounds  weight,  for  example — let  it  lay 
in  spring  water,  turn  hours ; then  drain  it, 
and  rub  in  wrell  two  or  three  ounces  of  salt- 
petre, according  as  the  salting  may  be  re- 
quired. It  is  thus  to  remain  twenty-four 
hours;  during  M'hicli  period,  the  saltpetre 
must  be  three  or  four  times  u’eli  rubbed  in. 
Then  add  a pound  of  common  salt ; a little 
more,  or  less,  as  the  degree  of  saltness  may 
be  desired:  this, also, isto  be  well  rubbed  in 
three  or  four  times  during  the  next  twenty- 
four  hours;  after  which  are  to  be  added,  a 
quarter  of  a pound  of  ground  allspice,  two 
ounces  of  ground  white  pepper,  and.  one 
ounce  of  finely  powdered  long  pepper.  In 
the  brine  thus  made,  let  the  beel  remain  ten 
days;  rubbing  it  well,  twice  a day,  during 
that  time,  and  turning  it  once  daily.  It  is 
now  to  be  taken  out;  washed  in  spring 
water ; and  placed  on  a stand,  in  a deep 
pan,  large  enough  to  contain  the  beef,  u ith 
a space  of  about  two  inches  left  all  round. 
In  this  pan  must  be  poured  about  two 
quarts  of  Mater,  Which  will  cover  the  bottom 
to  some  depth.  A quarter  of  a pound  of 
beef  suet,  chopped  very  small,  is  next  to  be 
strewed  over  the  top  of  the  beef,  which 
should  rather  be  under  the  level  of  the  brim 
of  the  pan  ; then  make  a thin  crust  of  flour 
and  water  to  cover  the  pan,  put  it  into  an 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


13 


oven  hot  enough  for  bread,  and  bake  it  four 
hours.  When  taken  from  the  oven,  and 
the  crust  removed,  pour  over  some  of  the 
liquor  in  which  it  was  baked,  to  carry  off 
the  spice,  pepper,  and  suet.  Then  put  it 
bv,  till  cold,  when  it  may  be  served  up. 
The  liquor  should  be  carefully  saved,  as  it 
will  be  found  an  excellent  substitute  for 
gravy  in  made  dishes,  and  will  keep  a great 
length  of  time.  The  pickle  will  also  serve 
for  tongues,  &c.  Before  putting  this  beef 
into  the  oven,  it  should  be  tied  tightly  round, 
with  tape  or  packthread,  to  preserve  it’s  form. 

Genuine  Syrup  of  Capillaire,  as  made  in  France. 

Take  an  ounce  of  maidenhair,  put  it  in 
a kettle  of  boiling  water;  and,  instantly 
slackening  the  fire,  leave  it  infusing,  for 
at  least  two  hours,  on  the  warm  embers. 
Then,  passing  it  through  the  sieve,  pour 
it  into  a syrup  which  has  been  already  pre- 
pared in  the  following  manner — Put  a 
pound  of  finely  powdered  loaf  sugar  into 
a saucepan  with  a quarter  of  a pint  of 
water;  scum  it  carefully  as  it  boils,  and 
continue  the  boiling  and  scumming,  till 
it  appears  that,  on  wetting  two  fingers, 
first  in  cold  water,  then  in  the  liquid,  and 
instantly  again  in  cold  water,  the  sugar 
which  adhered  to  the  fingers  breaks  clean- 
ly olf.  The  decoction  of  maidenhair  is  now 
to  be  poured  in ; and,  after  being  well  mix- 
ed with  the  syrup,  but  not  suffered  to  boil, 
must  be  poured  into  a closely  covered  earth- 
en vessel,  placed  in  hot  ashes,  and  so  re-  j 
main  for  about  three  days.  It  will  be  i 
known  that  the  process  is  compleated,  by  i 
finding  that,  when  a little  of  the  syrup  is 
taken  on  one  finger,  rubbed  against  the  j 
next,  and  the  two  are  gently  expanded,  the 
thread  formed  between  them  is  sufficiently 
tenacious  not  readily  to  break.  The  syrup  j 


being  then  made,  is  to  be  immediately  bot- 
tled; but  the  bottles  must  not  be  closed 
with  cork  and  bladder  till  it  is  entirely 
cold.  This  is  the  genuine  French  method 
Our  English  capillaire-makers,  take  a short- 
er way,  and  find  it  a thriving  trade.  They 
merely  boil  up  about  a pint  of  orange- 
flower  water  in  a gallon  of  common  syrup, 
sometimes  coloured  with  saffron,  &e.  ac- 
cording to  fancy,  which  is  sold  as  syrup  of 
capillaire,  the  French  name  for  the  maid- 
enhair plant  or  moss,  though  not  a single 
particle  of  that  fine  pectoral  herb  ever  en- 
ters into  the  composition.  This,  though 
a great  absurdity,  is  the  less  a crime,  in 
England,  since  it  is  here  seldom  used  me- 
dicinally; and  the  orange-flower  svrup, 
as  it  ought  to  be  called,  makes  a very  plea- 
sant and  delicate  liquor,  on  being  simply 
mixed  with  spring  water.  Our  dealers, 
however,  will  not  hastily  part  with  the 
merchantable  name  of  capillaire : for  they 
constantly  paste  labels  printed  in  the  French 
language  on  their  bottles,  asserting  it,  with 
the  same  contempt  of  truth,  to  be  actually 
made  at  Montpellier;  where,  as  a fine  bal- 
samic syrup,  for  the  numerous  valetudinari- 
ans who  resort  to  that  salubrious  part  of 
France,  the  genuine  capillaire  syrup  first 
acquired  it’s  very  great  reputation. 

Fine  Red  Ink. 

Boil  four  ounces  of  best  raspings  of 
Brazil-wood,  and  one  ounce  each  of  crystals 
of  tartar  and  powdered  alum,  in  a quart  of 
the  clearest  river-water,  till  half  the  fluid 
be  evaporated.  While  it  is  yet  sufficient- 
ly warm,  dissolve  in  it  an  ounce  each  of 
double-refined  sugar,  and  the  whitest  gum 
arabic.  This  fine  ink  is  said  to  preserve 
it’s  lively  red  hue  much  longer  than  any 
other  known  preparation  for  the  same  pur- 
D 


14 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


pose.  The  common  red  ink,  which  is  cer- 
tainly far  cheaper,  and  will  do  very  well 
for  most  occasions,  is  made  by  infusing 
four  ounces  of  Brazil-wood  raspings,  with 
two  drams  of  powdered  alum,  in  a pint  each 
of  vinegar  and  rain-water,  for  two  or  three 
da}-s,  and  afterwards  boiling  them  over  a 
moderate  fire  till  a third  part  of  the  fluid 
has  evaporated.  It  is  then  to  stand  two 
or  three  days;  and,  being  filtred  through 
blotting  paper,  tj  be  preserved  in  closely 
corked  bottles  for  use. 

Method  of  Cleaning  and  Polishing  Rusty  Steel. 

AFTER  well  oiling  the  rusty  parts  of  the 
steel,  let  it  remain  two  or  three  days  in 
that  state ; then  wipe  it  dry  with  clean  rags, 
and  polish  with  emery  or  pumice-stone,  on 
hardwood.  Frequently,  however,  a little 
unslacked  lime,  finely  powdered,  will  be 
sufficient,  after  the  oil  is  cleaned  off. 
Where  a very  high  degree  of  polish  is  re- 
quisite, it  will  be  most  effectually  obtained 
by  using  a paste  composed  of  finely  levi- 
gated blood-stone  and  spirits  of  wine. 
Bright  bars,  however,  are  admirably  clean- 
ed, in  a few  minutes,  by  using  a small  por- 
tion of  fine  corn  emery,  and  afterwards  fi- 
nishing with  flour  of  emery  or  rotten-stone; 
all  of  which  may  be  had  at  any  ironmon- 
ger’s. This  last  very  simple  method  will, 
perhaps,  reqder  any  other  superfluous. 

Beef  and  Veal  Stock  for  Fricassees , Soups}  Sgc. 

In  all  families  where  much  cooking  is 
required,  it  is  indispensably  necessary  to 
have  in  constant  readiness  what  is  deno- 
minated, in  culinary  language,  store  or 
stock,  without  which  few  of  the  most  deli- 
cate made-dishes,  &c.  can  be  prepared. 
This  necessary  provision,  which  must  be 
considered  as  the  grand  and  universal  basis 
»>f  all  good  cookery,  is  of  two  descriptions. 


beef  and  veal,  respectively  prepared  in 
the  following  manner.  For  beef  store  or 
stock — Take  twenty  pounds  of  coarse  lean 
beef  cut  in  small  pieces,  and  put  it  into  a 
pot,  or  preferably  a digester,  with  water 
sufficient  to  cover  it.  As  it  begins  to  sim- 
mer, take  particular  care  to  keep  it  well 
skimmed.  In  the  mean  time,  add  three 
or  four  large  onions,  a few  leeks,  well 
pared  carrots  and  turnips,  and  a little  ce- 
lery, parsley,  and  thyme,  with  other  pot- 
herbs suitable  to  the  desired  flavour.  Sea- 
son with  salt  and  ground  white  pepper; 
and  keep  it  simmering  till  the  meat  become 
quite  tender.  Skim  it  well,  strain  the 
liquor  through  a fine  hair  sieve,  and  keep  it 
in  a covered  pan  for  use.  For  the  veal  store 
or  stock — Take  ten  or  twelve  pounds  of  the 
coarser  parts  of  veal,  such  as  the  leg,  neck, 
&c.  to  which  add  about  a pound  of  lean  ham, 
with  the  addition  of  the  bone  where  it  hap- 
pens to  be  at  hand.  Cut  the  meat  into 
small  pieces,  chopping  or  breaking  the 
bones,  and  putting  the  whole  into  two 
quarts  of  water,  with  herbs,  &c.  to  suit 
the  palate,  as  directed  in  the  preparation 
of  the  beef  stock.  Let  these  ingredients 
simmer  till  the  meat  be  nearly  tender,  but 
the  liquid  not  discoloured,  that  it  may  be 
fit  for  white  soups,  &c.  then  add  as  much 
of  the  beef  stock  as  will  cover  the  veal, 
which  may  afterwards  be  kept  simmering 
half  an  hour  longer.  Skim  it  free  from  fat, 
strain  it  through  a sieve,  and  keep  it  for 
use  in  the  same  manner  as  is  directed  for 
the  beef  stock.  Thus  there  are  always  in 
compleat  readiness  these  excellent  assis- 
tants of  the  cook,  for  the  various  pur- 
poses to  which  they  are  applicable.  The 
numerous  stocks,  formerly  called  cullises, 
are  in  modern  cookery  judiciously  reduced 
to  a very  few. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


Haricot  Mutton. 

CUT  a loin  of  mutton  into  thick  chops, 
dredge  a little  flour  over  them,  and  fry 
them  till  they  are  half  done,  and  of  a nice 
brown  colour,  in  a little  butter;  then  put 
them  into  a stewpan,  and  cover  them  with 
gravy.  Add  an  onion,  and  a turnip,  cut 
in  slices,  and  stew  them  till  the  meat  be 
quite  tender.  Take  out  the  chops,  strain 
the  liquor  through  a sieve,  and  skim  off 
all  the  fat.  Put  a little  butter  into  the 
stewpan,  and  thicken  it  well  with  flour ; 
keeping  it  carefully  stirred  while  you  add 
the  liquor  previously  strained,  to  prevent 
it’s  getting  into  lumps.  Then  put  in  the 
chops,  with  a glass  of  white  wine,  let  them 
stew  gently  for  a quarter  of  an  hour,  take 
the  chops  out  separately,  pour  the  sauce 
over  them,  and  serve  them  up  hot.  A 
pleasing  garnish  may  be  made  for  this  dish, 
with  some  boiled  carrot  or  turnip  cut  in 
a scoop,  and  laid  alternately  round  the 
dish. 

Fine  Potted  Beef. 

Take  four  pounds  of  tender  lean  beef, 
and  one  pound  of  fine  streaky  bacon,  two 
ounces  of  lump  sugar,  and  half  an  ounce 
of  saltpetre.  Let  them  lay  twenty-four  hours 
in  a pan,  seasoned  with  a little  finely  beat- 
en mace,  white  pepper,  and  common  salt; 
then  cut  the  meat  in  small  pieces,  put  it 
in  an  earthen  pot,  with  six  ounces  of  but- 
ter, and  place  it  over  a moderate  fire  for 
three  hours,  stirring  it  so  as  to  prevent  it’s 
burning.  It  must  now  betaken  out;  and, 
should  there  be  any  outward  hardness, 
cut  it  off,  and  beat  the  remainder  in  a 
marble  mortar  ; adding  a little  more  mace, 
pepper,  or  salt,  according  to  palate,  with 
six  ounces  of  clarified  butter  gradually 
mixed  in.  The  whole  being  pounded  ex- 
ceedingly fine,  must  be  put  into  pots,  press- 


15 

ed  closely  down,  covered  over  with  clarifi- 
ed butter,  and  kept  in  a dry  situation.  The 
convenience,  of  having  such  articles  as 
potted  beef,  and  other  ready  dressed  keeping 
provisions,  always  in  the  house,  is  much 
greater  than  might  be  imagined ; especial- 
ly, to  such  persons  as  are,  by  the  nature 
of  their  professional  engagements,  frequent- 
ly obliged  to  return  home,  fatigued,  at 
uncertain  hours. 

Simple  but  useful  Method  of  Preserving 
Shrimps  for  Sauce. 

Pick  any  quantity  of  the  finest  shrimps 
to  be  procured ; add,  to  every  pint  of  them, 
a gill  of  vinegar  well  impregnated  with 
salt,,  two  or  three  cloves,  and  a little  Cay- 
enne pepper;  put  them  into  small  bottles, 
cork  them  close,  and  keep  them  for  use. 

A Dutch  Baked  Pudding. 

Take  two  pounds  of  flour,  one  pound 
of  butter  melted  in  half  a pint  of  milk,  and 
a pound  of  picked  currants,  eight  eggs, 
and  a little  grated  loaf  sugar.  Mix  the 
whole  together,  with  two  spoonfuls  of  yeast, 
and  let  it  stand  an  hour  to  rise.  An  hour 
will  bake  it,  in  a hot  oven. 

Excellent  Instructions  for  Broiling  Beef  Steaks. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  this  very  common 
article  of  wholesome  British  food,  and  which 
every  person  is  supposed  capable  of  dress- 
ing, is  nevertheless  seldom  served  up  in 
any  degree  of  perfection.  The  following 
instructions,  it  is  presumed,  will  in  future 
prevent  the  general  reproach  of  what  may 
be  denominated  simple  cookery,  so  far  as 
relates  to  a beef  steak.  From  a fine  ox 
rump,  let  each  steak  be  cut  three  quarters 
of  an  inch  thick.  Be  careful  the  fire  is 
very  clear,  and  the  gridiron  perfectly  clean. 
When  the  gridiron  is  hot.  lay  on  the  steaks, 
and  broil  them  till  they  just  begin  to  brown. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


! 6 

seasoned  with  a little  pepper  and  salt.  Then 
turn  them;  and,  when  the  other  side  is 
brown,  but  not  more  than  halt  done,  lay 
them  on  a hot  dish  before  the  tire,  with 
a slice  of  butte?  between  every  two  steaks, 
and  a little  more  seasoning  of  pepper  and 
salt.  Let  them  remain  in  this  state  two 
or  three  minutes;  and,  mincing  or  shred- 
ding a shallot  as  tine  as  possible,  add  two 
spoonfuls  of  good  gravy,  with  a little 
ketchup.  Put  the  steaks  again  on  the  fire, 
after  having  drained  them  of  their  gravy, 
and  keep  turning  them  till  they  are  suf- 
ficiently done.  Place  them,  then,  on  the 
dish,  add  the  gravy  with  the  shallot,  &c.  to 
them,  garnish  with  horse-vaddish  finely 
scraped,  and  serve  them  up  as  hot  as  pos- 
sible. Where  the  taste  of  shallots  or  ket- 
chup is  not  approved,  either  or  both  may 
be  omitted. 

Force-Meat  Balls. 

Take  the  lean  of  mutton,  veal,  or  beef; 
pickoff  the  skin  and  fat ; and,  to  every  pound 
of  meat,  add  two  pounds  of  beef  suet. 
Shred  them  together  very  fine,  with  chop- 
ped parsley,  grated  nutmeg,  finely  powder- 
ed mace,  a shallot  or  two,  a little  marjoram, 
thyme,  sage,  and  lemon-peel,  the  yolks  of 
three  eggs,  and  some  bread  crumbs.  Mix 
them  together;  season  with  pepper  and 
salt,  an  anchovy,  ora  few  oysters,  to  palate; 
let  the  whole  be  well  pounded,  in  a marble 
mortar;  and  put  it  in  a jar  for  use,  covered 
with  a little  Hour.  The  hands  must  be 
floured  when  the  balls  arc  rolled  up;  which 
should  be  boiled  or  fried  previously  to  be- 
ing used,  according  to  the  different  pur- 
poses for  which  they  are  wanted. 

Mock  Hare  made  with  a Bullock’s  Heart. 

Wash  the  heart  of  a bullock  very  clean ; 
cut  off  the  deaf-ears;  and  stuff  it  with  force- 


meat, in  the  same  manner  as  for  ahare.  Cover 
the  top  with  paper,  or  a piece  of  caul,  to 
keep  in  the  stuffing.  Then  roast  it  in  an  up- 
right position,  either  with  strings  or  a ver- 
tical jack;  baste  it  with  milk,  adding  a 
small  piece  of  butter;  dredge  over  it,  oc- 
casionally, a little  flour,  to  give  it  a coat- 
ing; and,  on  it’s  being  thoroughly  done, 
put  half  a pint  of  red  wine  to  the  same 
quantity  of  good  gravy,  with  the  addition, 
when  heated,  of  a few  lumps  of  red  currant 
jelly.  Pour  this  hot  into  the  dish;  serve 
it  up;  and  send  in  with  it  slices  of  red  cur- 
rant jelly,  placed  on  a saucer.  This  ex- 
cellent mock  dish  not  only  has  the  taste 
of  hare ; but  is,  by  some  persons,  even 
preferred  to  the  reality. 

French  Method  of  making  and  improving  the 
celebrated  Hungary  Water. 

This  fine  scented  water,  well  known  by 
the  name  of  the  water  of  the  Queen  of  1 lun- 
gary, for  whose  use  it  was  originally  contri- 
ved, is  generally  made  with  the  flowers  and 
leaves  of  rosemary  infused  an  hour  in  spirits 
of  wine,  and  drawn  off,  by  dist  illation,  in  a 
refrigatory.  A readier  and  much  improv- 
ed method,  however,  has  been  adopted 
in  France,  where  it  is  made  without  distil- 
lation, in  the  greatest  perfection.  They 
take  a large  handful  of  the  flowers  and  ten- 
der leaves  of  rosemary,  with  a few  of  thyme, 
lavender,  and  sage;  then,  putting  all  of 
them  into  a thick  glass  bottle,  pour  in  a 
quart  of  spirits  of  wine  : afterwards,  mere- 
ly to  give  it  colour,  they  put  in  a few  pieces 
of  alkanet  root ; instantly  recork  the  bot- 
tle ; and  shake  it  briskly,  till  the  water  ob- 
tains a purple  tinge.  This  water  is  far 
preferable  to  any  other  Hungary  waters 
and  particularly  so,  if  it  be  placed,  for  at 
least  a month,  exposed  on  sand  or  gravel 
to  the  heat  of  the  sun. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


17 


A fine  Balsamic  Elixir  for  confirmed  Coughs 

and  Consumptions. 

Take  a pint  of  the  finest  old  rum,  two 
ounces  of  balsam  of  Tolu,  an  ounce  and 
a half  of  Strasburgh  turpentine,  an  ounce 
of  powdered  extract  of  Catechu,  formerly 
called  Japan  earth,  and  half  an  ounce  each 
of  gum  guaicum  and  balsam  of  copaiva. 
Mix  them  well  together  in  the  bottle  ; and 
keep  it  near  the  fire,  closely  corked,  for 
ten  days,  frequently  well  shaking  it  during 
that  time.  Afterwards  let  it  stand  two 
days  to  settle,  and  pour  off  the  clear  for 
use.  Half  a pint  of  rum  may  then  be 
poured  over  the  dregs ; and,  being  treated 
for  twelve  days  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
first,  will  produce  more  elixir,  and  equally 
good.  The  dose  may  be  from  fifty  to  a 
hundred,  or  even  two  hundred  drops,  ac- 
cording to  the  urgency  of  the  case,  taken 
twice  or  thrice  a day,  in  a wine  glass  of 
water. 

Admiral  Gascoigne’s  Tincture  of  Rhubarb. 

Take  half  an  ounce  each  of  powdered 
rhubarb,  myrrh,  cochineal,  and  hiera-picra, 
and  put  them  in  a bottle  with  one  quart 
of  the  best  double-distilled  anniseed  water. 
When  it  has  stood  four  days,  it  is  fit  for 
immediate  use;  and  may  be  taken,  a small 
wine-glassful  at  a time,  for  any  pains  in 
the  stomach  or  bowels.  In  the  valuable 
old  manuscript  collection  from  which  this 
is  extracted,  is  the  following  memorandum 
— “ There  is  not  a better  receipt  in  the 
world  !” 

Rest  India  Pickle . 

Take  half  a pound  of  ginger,  and  soften  it 
by  soaking  it  all  night  in  water ; then  scrape 
it,  cut  it  in  thin  slices,  and  keep  it  ready 


in  a pan  with  dry  salt.  At  the  same  time, 
take  a quarter  of  a pound  of  garlic,  and  a 
handful  of  shallots,  peeled  and  cut  in  pieces, 
with  some  sliced  horse-radish,  and  let  them 
also  remain  in  salt  for  three  days.  Then  wash 
and  again  salt  these  articles,  leaving  them 
three  days  longer  in  salt ; after  which,  once 
more  wash  them,  and  dry  them  in  the  sun. 
Having,  in  the  mean  while,  picked  in  pieces 
some  fine  cauliflowers,  taken  celery  as  far 
as  the  white  is  good  without  cutting  through 
the  stalks,  and  divided  into  quarters  or 
rather  half  quarters,  the  heart  of  a white 
cabbage,  with  any  other  proper  articles 
intended  to  be  first  pickled,  and  let  them 
likewise  lay  three  days  covered  with  plenty 
of  salt  in  a pan,  squeeze  out  all  the  water, 
and  dry  them  well  in  the  sun.  Put  all 
these  ingredients  into  a stone  jar,  with  two 
ounces  of  mustard  seed,  half  an  ounce  of 
bruised  turmeric,  and  a little  Cayenne  and 
whole  long  pepper.  Then  boil  two  quarts 
of  good  vinegar,  and  pour  it  hot  into  the 
jar,  covering  it  up  till  next  day;  when  the 
vinegar  is  to  be  poured  off,  boiled,  and 
returned  again  hot  on  the  pickles.  This 
may  be  repeated  with  advantage,  even  a 
third  time,  on  the  day  following.  The 
jar  being  filled,  is  to  be  kept  closely  cover- 
ed up  with  bladder  and  white  leather,  and 
kept  in  a dry  place.  To  the  pickle  thus 
made,  may  be  added,  at  pleasure,  and  as 
they  come  in  season,  when  duly  prepared 
by  salting  and  drying,  pickling  melons 
peeled  thin  and  cut  into  the  form  of  Indian 
mangoes,  radishes  scraped  white  but  hav- 
ing their  green  tops  left,  cucumbers,  whole 
French  beans,  plumbs,  peaches,  apples,  and 
onions  whole  or  sliced;  in  short,  almost 
any  thing,  except  walnuts  and  red  cabbage, 
which  would  too  greatly  interfere  with  the 
taste  and  colour  of  this  most  serviceable 


E 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ia 

family  pickles.  It  will  be  proper  to  keep 
the  jar  constantly  filled  by  fresh  pickles  or 
vinegar. 

The  Duke  of  Buckingham's  Pudding. 

Take  a pound  of  finely  shred  suet,  a 
quarter  of  a pound  of  raisins  stoned  and 
chopped,  two  eggs,  with  a little  nutmeg 
and  ginger,  and  sugar  to  the  palate : tie  it 
close  ; boil  it  four  hours ; and  serve  it  up 
with  melted  butter,  mountain  wine,  and 
sugar. 

. Tonquin  Remedy  for  the  Bite  of  a Mad 
Dog,  §c. 

Take  of  native  and  factitious  cinnabar, 
levigated  as  finely  as  possible,  each  twenty- 
four  grains  ; then  rub  them  well  together 
with  sixteen  grains  of  musk,  till  that  also 
is  reduced  very  fine.  Give  the  whole  at 
a single  dose,  in  a small  tea-cupful  of  ar- 
rack or  brandy,  as  soon  as  possible  after 
the  bite  has  been  received,  and  let  the 
party  take  another  dose  on  the  thirtieth 
day  following.  Should  any  symptoms  of 
canine  madness  have  been  apparent  in  the 
patient,  previously  to  taking  this  medicine, 
the  second  dose  must  be  administered  an 
hour  and  a half  after  the  first.  This  is  con- 
sidered, in  China  and  the  East  Indies,  as 
an  infallible  remedy  for  that  most  dread- 
ful of  all  human  maladies,  and  for  which  the 
medicinal  science  of  Europe  seems  to  of- 
fer no  positive  cure.  Washing  the  wound 
with  salt  and  water,  and  rubbing  it  violently 
at  the  same  time,  with  a brush;  and  cutting 
away,  or  burning  with  the  actual  cautery, 
the  surrounding  flesh  ; are  two  of  those  ex- 
pedients at  which  humanity  must  shudder, 
if  they  be  not,  after  all,  sufficiently  poten- 
tial : yet  these,  or  a free  use  of  the  mer- 
curial ointment,  so  as  to  excite  a salivation. 


which  last  seems  to  have  been  originally 
recommended  by  Tissot,  and  still  holds 
the  first  station  in  modern  regular  prac- 
tice, are  almost  the  only  methods  by  which 
medical  men  now  attempt  the  cure  of 
hydrophobia.  Innumerable  prescriptions 
are  given  in  books,  and  several  medicines 
advertised  for  sale ; but,  it  is  feared,  none 
of  them  are  to  be  entirely  relied  on.  In 
a good  collection  of  miscellaneous  manu- 
script receipts,  is  one  for  this  dreadful  ma- 
lady, there  said  “ to  have  been  found  a 
never-failing  remedy.”  The  singular  re- 
medy thus  strongly  recommended  is  as  fol- 
lows— Drink,  immediately  after  receiving 
the  bite,  a pint  of  white  wine  vinegar;  and 
wash  the  part,  well  and  often,  with  like 
vinegar.  Next  morning,  drink  another  pint 
of  vinegar;  and  then,  having  first  lost  eight 
ounces  of  blood,  take  alarge  spoonful  of  the 
juice  of  rue:  repeating  the  vinegar,  as  well 
as  the  juice  of  rue,  the  two  next  mornings 
fasting. 

German  Cure  for  a Consumption. 

Take  a pound  of  pure  honey,  and  let  it 
boil  gently  in  a stewpan ; then,  having 
washed,  scraped  clean,  and  finely  grated 
with  a sharp  grater,  two  large  sticks  of  fresh 
horse-radish,  stir  into  the  honey  as  much 
as  you  possibly  can.  It  must  remain  in  a 
boiling  state  about  five  minutes,  but  stir- 
red so  as  not  to  burn ; after  which,  put  it 
into  small  earthen  pots,  or  ajar,  and  keep 
it  covered  up  for  use.  Two  or  three  table- 
spoonfuls a day,  or  more,  according  to 
the  strength  of  the  patient,  and  some  time 
persisted  in,  is  said  to  perform  wonders, 
even  where  there  is  a confirmed  phthisis 
pulmonalis,  or  consumption  ol  the  lungs. 
It  is  also  serviceable  in  all  coughs  where 
the  lungs  are  greatly  aflected. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


19 


A capital  Method  of  obtaining  and  preserving 
the  fragrant  Essences  from  the  fresh  Rinds 
of  Citrons,  Oranges,  Lemons,  §c. 

Having  procured  as  many  fresh  citrons, 
or  cedraties,  by  which  last  name  they  are 
usually  called  at  the  Italian  warehouses,  as 
will  supply  the  stock  of  essence  for  which 
there  may  be  occasion  ; after,  cleaning  off 
or  cutting  out  any  impurity  or  speck  in 
the  outer  rinds  of  the  fruit,  break  off  a 
large  piece  of  loaf  sugar,  and  rub  the  citron 
on  it  till  all  the  yellow  rind  is  compleatly 
absorbed.  Those  parts  of  the  sugar  which 
are  in  this  manner  impregnated  with  the 
essence,  are  from  time  to  time  to  be  cut  away 
with  a knife,  and  deposited  in  an  earthen 
dish.  The  whole  being  thus  taken  off,  the 
sugared  essence  is  to  be  closely  pressed, 
and  put  up  in  pots ; where  it  is  to  be 
squeezed  down  hard,  have  a bladder  over 
the  paper  by  which  it  is  covered,  and  be  tied 
tightly  up.  It  is,  then,  at  any  time  fit  for 
use,  and  will  keep  so  many  years.  Exactly 
in  the  same  manner,  may  be  obtained  and 
preserved,  at  the  proper  seasons,  from  the 
fresh  fruits,  the  respective  essences  of  the 
rinds  of  Seville  or  sweet  oranges,  lemons 
or  limes,  bergamots,  &c.  some  of  which  are 
often  unattainable,  in  a fresh  state,  at  any 
price,  however  desirable  the  essence  may 
be  for  many  useful  purposes.  This  mode 
of  extracting  and  preserving  these  essences 
is  far  superior,  in  many  respects,  to  the 
common  practices  of  peeling,  rasping,  or 
grating  off  the  rind,  and  afterward  mixing 
it  up  with  powdered  sugar,  &c. 

Carp  finely  Stewed,  with  little  Trouble  or  Ex- 
pence. 

TAKEabrace  of  middling  sized  carps,  and 
bleed  them  into  a little  claret  or  red  port ; 
stirring  the  wine  all  the  time,  to  prevent 


curdling.  'When  the  fish  are  cleansed  and 
scalded,  but  not  washed,  put  them  into  a 
stewpan,  with  as  much  water  as  will  cover 
them.  Throw  in  a handful  of  salt,  some 
whole  pepper,  a bunch  of  sweet  herbs,  a 
large  onion,  a little  horse-radish  and  le- 
mon peel,  with  some  white  wine  vinegar, 
and  stew  them  slowly  till  enough.  Then, 
taking  them  up,  and  setting  a cover  over 
them,  to  some  of  the  liquor  in  which 
they  were  stewed,  add  two  anchovies,  a 
little  whole  pepper,  powdered  mace,  horse- 
radish, lemon  peel,  and  a small  onion, 
for  sauce.  Boil  these  till  the  anchovies 
are  dissolved,  and  then  put  in  the  blood 
and  red  wine,  with  two  spoonfuls  of  good 
gravy.  Give  them  a boil  up:  strain  the 
liquid  ; and,  thickening  it  with  a bit  of 
flour  and  butter,  pour  the  sauce  over  the 
carp.  Garnish  the  dish  with  slices  of 
lemon,  fried  sippets  of  bread,  and  a few 
barberries.  A little  ale  or  beer,  with  a 
small  quantity  of  grated  gingerbread,  and 
any  thing  to  colour,  if  required,  may  be 
substituted  for  the  red  wine,  with  very 
good  effect.  This  is  often  done  in  Ger- 
many. 

Delicate  White  Sauce  for  Carp. 

Take  half  a pint  of  cream,  an  onion  or 
a few  shallots,  a little  lemon  peel,  and  three 
anchovies.  After  boiling  them  up  toge- 
ther, put  in  three  ounces  of  butter,  with  the 
yolks  of  three  eggs,  and  a little  elder 
or  white  wine  vinegar,  according  to  pa- 
late ; stirring  it  continually  while  over  the 
fire,  to  prevent  curdling.  This  sauce  is 
preferred,  by  many  persons,  to  that  made 
with  red  port,  or  even  with  claret. 

Norfolk  Dumplings. 

Make  a good  thick  batter,  in  the  same 
manner  as  for  pancakes,  but  somewhat 


20 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


stifTer,  with  half  a pint  of  milk,  two  eggs,  a 
little  salt,  and  asulficient  quantity  of  flour. 
Drop  this  batter,  by  small  portions  at  a 
time,  into  fast-boiling  water,  and  take  care 
that  it  continues  to  boil  for  two  or  three 
minutes,  by  which  time  they  will  be  enough 
done.  Drain  the  dumplings  in  a sieve, 
then  put  them  into  a dish,  and  stir  some 
fresh  butter  into  them.  If  well  managed, 
according  to  these  plain  directions,  they 
are  exceedingly  good,  and  please  most 
palates. 

Curious  Method  of  Roasting  a Pig. 

The  pig  is  nottobe  scalded  ; but,  being 
drawn  and  washed,  must  be  spitted  with 
the  hair  on,  and  put  to  the  fire,  yet  not  so 
as  to  scorch.  When  it  is  about  a quarter 
roasted,  and  the  skin  appears  blistered  from 
the  flesh,  the  hair  and  skin  is  to  be  pulled 
clean  away  with  the  hand,  leaving  all  the 
fat  and  flesh  perfectly  bare.  Then,  with  a 
knife,  the  flesh  is  to  be  scotched  or  scored 
down  to  the  bones,  and  exceedingly  well 
basted  with  fresh  butter  and  cream  very 
moderately  warm,  and  dredged  plentifully 
with  fine  bread  crumbs,  currants,  sugar, 
and  salt,  mixed  up  together.  Thus  basting 
on  dredging,  and  dredging  on  basting,  must 
be  constantly  applied,  in  turns,  till  the  en- 
tire flesh  is  covered  a full  inch  deep;  when, 
the  meat  being  fully  roasted,  the  pig  is  to 
be  served  up  whole,  with  the  usual  sauce 
for  a pig  roasted  in  the  common  way. 
This  is  taken  from  a very  old  manuscript 
collection,  in  which  it  is  stated  to  be  a 
peculiarly  delicious  as  well  as  a curious 
dish. 

Manner  of  Destroying  Caterpillars  on  Goose- 
berry Bushes,  in  Scotland. 

FAKE  any  quantity  of  tobacco  water, 
such  as  is  sold  by  the  snuff  manufacturers 


for  destroying  bugs,  &.c.  and  mix,  in  every 
pint  about  half  an  ounce  of  alum.  When 
the  alum  is  dissolved,  put  the  mixture  in- 
to a vessel  sufficiently  long  and  wide  to  ad- 
mit being  dipped  into  by  a weaver’s  brush; 
and,  as  soon  as  the  leaves  of  the  goose- 
berry bushes  are  per-ceived  to  be  in  the  least 
eaten,  or  even  the  eggs  appear  on  the 
leaves,  in  the  veins  of  the  undersides  of 
which  they  are  commonly  found  in  great 
numbers  before  the  end  of  May,  dip  the 
brush  into  the  prepared  liquor,  holding  it 
toward  the  underside  of  the  bush,  which 
must  be  raised  and  supported  by  the  hands 
of  another  person;  when,  by  drawing  one 
hand  gently  over  the  hairs  of  the  brush, 
the  liquor  is  sprinkled,  and  thrown  in  small 
drops  on  the  leaves:  the  consequence  of 
which  is,  that  if  the  eggs  are  there,  they 
never  come  forward ; and,  if  they  have  al- 
ready produced  worms,  they  either  die  in 
a minute  or  two  after  the  liquor  touches 
them,  or  so  sicken  as  to  fall  off  the  bush 
on  giving  it  a little  shake.  If,  on  their 
thus  falling  off,  they  should  appear  not 
compleatly  dead,  a little  boiling  water 
may  be  thrown  on  them,  but  not  over  the 
bush,  with  a watering-pot;  or  they  may  be 
bruised  with  a spade,  or  earthed  over  with 
a hoe.  This  receipt  was  communicated 
,to  the  Highland  Society  of  Scotland  by  Mr. 
Henderson,  of  Baldridge  Burn,  near  Dum- 
fermline;  who  rewarded  his  ingenuity,  and 
certified  that  it  not  only  kills  such  of  these 
caterpillars  as  are  wetted  with  it,  in  a very 
few  minutes,  but  was  also  found  to  de- 
stroy a kind  of  green  fly  which  is  hurtful 
to  the  leaves  of  plum  and  other  fruit-trees. 
“ It  has,”  adds  this  certification,  “ been 
very  generally  known,  that  the  smoke  and 
the  juice  of  tobacco  were  pernicious  to 
diflerent  kinds  of  insects  and  worms;  but 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  M 


it  has  not,  so  far  as  we  know,  been  em- 
ployed in  Mr.  Henderson’s  manner:  and, 
as  this  has  the  advantage  of  not  hurting 
either  the  leaves  or  the  fruit,  we  consider 
it  as  a useful  and  material  improvement.” 
It  maybe  necessary  to  remark  that,  if  the 
original  juice  or  essence  of  the  tobacco 
should  be  purchased,  it  will  be  pro- 
per to  mix  it  with  four  or  five  times  the 
quantity  of  water.  It  is,  however,  common- 
ly to  be  had  already  lowered  in  about  that 
proportion. 

Easy  and  effectual  Cure  for  J Fens. 

Put  a quantity  of  salt  and  water  into  a 
saucepan,  and  boil  it  for  four  or  five  mi- 
nutes ; with  which,  while  tolerably  hot, 
bathe  the  entire  surface  of  the  wen,  how- 
ever large;  and  continue  so  to  do,  even 
after  it  is  cold.  Every  time,  before  apply- 
ing it,  stir  up  the  salt  deposited  at  the 
bottom  of  the  bason,  and  incorporate 
it  again  with  the  water.  In  this  manner 
the  wen  must  be  rubbed  well  over  at  least 
ten  or  twelve  times  every  twenty-four  hours; 
and,  frequently  in  less  than  a fortnight,  a 
small  discharge  takes  place,  without  any 
pain,  which  a gentle  pressure  soon  assists 
to  empty  the  whole  contents.  In  particu- 
lar instances,  it  is  necessary  to  continue 
the  application  several  weeks,  or  even 
months:  but  it  is  said  always  finally  to 
prevail,  where  resolutely  persisted  in,  and 
that  without  occasioning  pain  or  incon* 
venience  of  any  kind,  there  being  not  the 
smallest  previous  notice  of  the  discharge. 
A person  who  had,  for  many  years,  been 
an  object  of  attraction  in  the  streets  of 
London,  from  having  a most  enormous 
wen  hanging  on  his  neck  and  breast,  being 
suddenly  seen,  with  astonishment,  eom- 
pleatly  divested  of  it,  by  a friend  of  the 


present  writer,  was  asked  how  he  had  lost 
it,  without  the  appearance  of  any  scar  or 
other  disfigurement ; when  lie  declared, 
that  he  had  been  happily  relieved  o(  his 
incumbrance,  in  a very  few  months,  by 
simply  rubbing  it  with  the  old  rusty  fat  and 
brine  of  bacon.  1 bis  undoubted  fact  may 
serve  as  a hint,  should  the  still  simpler 
preparation  of  salt  and  water  ever  seem 
likely  to  prove  insufficiently  powerful. 

Delicate  Rice  Cheesecakes. 

Boil  a quarter  of  a pound  of  rice  in 
about  three  pints  of  milk,  till  it  becomes 
quite  tender ; then  put  in  four  eggs  well 
beaten,  half  a pound  of  butter,  half  a pint 
of  cream,  six  ounces  of  sugar,  and  a little 
rose  water,  with  some  grated  nutmeg,  and  a 
small  quantity  of  powdered  cinnamon. 
Beat  the  whole  well  together,  put  it  into 
proper  raised  crusts  for  cheesecakes,  and 
bake  them  on  tin.  A few  cleanly  picked 
currants  may  be  blended  with  the  other 
ingredients,  and  some  also  put  in  a glass 
of  brandy,  but  neither  of  these  additions  is 
at  all  necessary. 

Pleasant  Emulsion  for  a Cough , Cold,  or 
Hoarseness. 

MiX  half  a pint  of  hyssop  water,  half  an 
ounce  of  oil  of  almonds,  two  ounces  of 
powdered  loaf  sugar,  and  a tea  spoonful  of 
hartshorn.  Take  a table-spoonful  every 
night  and  morning.  If  there  be  any  raw- 
ness or  soreness  of  the  throat  or  breast,  add 
two  tea-spoonfuls  of  Friar’s  balsam  or  Tur- 
lington’s drops. 

Potted  Chair. 

Cut  off  the  heads,  fins,  and  tails,  of  these 
fish;  cleanse  them,  and  wipe  them  with  a 
dry  cloth.  Then  season  them  well  with 

F 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


22 

bay-salt,  powdered  long  pepper,  grated 
nutmeg,  and  beaten  mace,  all  well  mixed 
together.  Put  them  in  a large  stevvpan, 
with  a layer  of  clarified  butter  between 
each  layer  of  fish,  and  let  them  stand  in  a ; 
good  soaking  oven,  or  other  moderate 
heat,  all  night.  Take  them  out  in  the 
morning;  lay  them  on  a large  pan,  with 
their  bellies  downward,  till  the  gravy  be 
well  drained  out;  then  place  them  in  the 
pots,  closely  put  together,  sideways,  with 
their  bellies  downward  ; and  cover  them 
first  with  salt,  and  lastly  with  clarified  but- 
ter. In  a similar  manner  may  be  potted 
carp,  tench,  trout,  and  several  other  sorts 
of  fish ; only  cutting  the  larger  fish  into 
pieces  suited  to  the  size  of  the  pots,  and 
taking  out  the  chine  bones.  The  flesh  of 
the  charr  is  very  red;  and,  when  potted, 
delicious  eating.  Charrs  are  not  found  in 
many  parts  of  Great  Britain,  though  in 
great  abundance,  and  very  generally,  in  all  ! 
the  colder  lakes  of  the  Lapland  Alps. 
Considerable  numbers  of  them,  however,  are 
frequently  caught  in  our  most  famous  Eng-  | 
iish  northern  lakes,  and  sometimes  in  those  I 
of  Wales,  See.  whence  they  are  chiefly  sent 
potted  to  the  metropolis, 

jirt  of  making  the  Curious  Sympathetic  Ink. 

Tilts  curious  ink  has  been  long  known 
in  the  world;  but  the  manner  of  prepar- 
ing it,  and  means  of  procuring  the  mate- 
rials, as  described  in  various  chemical  books, 
rendered  the  task  too  discouraging  to  be 
often  attempted.  By  the  following  easy 
method,  however,  it  is  readily  accomplish- 
able— Take  an  ounce  and  a half  of  zaflfre, 
which  may  be  obtained  at  any  colour-shop, 
and  put  it  into  a glass  vessel  with  a narrow 
and  long  neck,  pouring  over  it  an  ounce 
measure  of  strong  nitrous  acid  diluted  with 


five  times  the  quantity  of  water.  Keep  it 
in  a warm  situation,  but  not  too  hot,  for 
about  ten  or  twelve  hours,  and  then,  de- 
cant the  clearest  part  of  the  liquor.  Hav- 
ing so  done,  pour  nearly  as  much  more  di- 
luted nitrous  acid  on  the  residuum;  which 
is  to  remain  in  the  same  situation,  and  for 
as  long  a time  as  before,  and  then  be  de- 
canted and  mixed  with  what  was  obtained 
by  the  first  operation.  This  being  done, 
dissolve  in  it  two  ounces  of  common  salt, 
and  the  sympathetic  ink  is  compleatly 
made.  The  property  of  this  ink  is,  that  the 
writing  made  with  it,  on  common  paper, 
is  legible  only  while  the  paper  is  hot  and 
dry:  so  that,  by  exposing  it,  alternately,  to 
the  ambient  air,  and  to  the  heat  of  a fire 
or  burning  sun,  whatever  is  written  may 
be  caused  to  appear  and  disappear  at  plea- 
sure. The  universal  knowledge  of  this 
secret,  rather  diminishes  than  increases  the 
security  of  guilt  in  using  it  for  any  im- 
proper purpose ; since  detection  is  cer- 
tain, from  the  moment  suspicion  takes 
place,  by  simply  holding  every  letter  or 
other  doubtful  paper  to  the  fire,  or  in  the 
warm  rays  of  the  sun. 

Best  Dutch  Gingerbread. 

Take  four  pounds  of  flour,  and  mix 
with  it  two  ounces  and  a half  of  beaten  ein- 
ger.  Then  rub  in  a quarter  of  a pound 
of  butter;  and  add  two  ounces  of  carrawav- 
«eeds,  two  ounces  of  dried  orange-peel  rub- 
bed to  powder,  a few  bruised  coriander- 
seeds,  a little  candied  citron,  and  two  eggs. 
Make  the  whole  into  a stiff  paste  with  two 
pounds  and  a quarter  of  treacle;  beat  it 
very  well  with  a rolling-pin,  and  make  it 
up  into  thirty  cakes.  Prick  them  with  a 
fork;  butter  papers,  three  double,  one  white 
and  two  brown,  to  place  them  on;  wash 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


23 


them  over  with  the  white  of  an  egg ; and 
put  them  into  a very  moderately  heated 
oven  for  three  quarters  of  an  hour.  In  a 
country  like  Holland,  where  the  success 
of  a lover  with  his  mistress  is  said,  by  a 
late  celebrated  tourist,  to  depend  on  the 
quantity  of  gingerbread  which  he  carries 
in  his  pocket,  this  may  be  supposed  to 
form  no  inconsiderable  article  of  manufac- 
ture ! 


Baked  Rump  of  Beef. 


Bonk  a rump  of  beef;  beat  it  well  with 
a rolling-pin;  cut  olf  the  sinews;  and  lard 
it  with  large  pieces  of  bacon,  rolled  in  a 
seasoning  of  beaten  white  or  long  pepper, 
salt,  and  cloves.  Lard  athwart  the  meat, 
that  it  may  cut  handsomely.  Then  plen- 
tifully season  the  meat,  all  over,  with  pep- 
per and  salt;  tie  it  tightly  with  packthread, 
cross  and  cross,  breaking  all  the  bones,  and 
putting  the  top  under  the  bottom.  Place 
it  in  a deep  earthen  pan,  fastened  so  as  not 
to  stir ; and  add  half  a pound  of  butter,  and 
a few  bav -leaves,  with  some  whole  pepper, 
shallots,  and  sweet  herbs.  Lastly,  cover 
the  top  of  the  pan  with  a coarse  paste,  set 
it  in  the  oven,  and  let  it  remain  there  eight 
hours.  When  done,  serve  it  up  with  it’s 
own  liquor,  and  some  slightly  toasted  sip- 
pets. 

Genuine  Lozenges  for  the  Piles , as  used  in  the 
West  Indies. 

Take  four  ounces  of  fine  powdered 
loaf  sugar,  two  ounces  of  flour  of  sulphur, 
and  a sufficient  quantity  of  mucilage  of 
gum  tacamahaca  dissolved  in  red  rose  wa- 
ter to  form  the  whole  into  a paste  for  lo- 
zenges. Llaving  made  it  up  in  lozenges 
of  the  desired  form,  dry  them  before  the 
fire,  or  in  an  oven  after  every  thing  has 


i 


I 


been  drawn.  Take,  of  these  lozenges,  about 
the  weight  of  a dram  daily.  This  is  a most 
valuable  medicine  for  that  disagreeable 
and  dreadful  complaint;  which  prevails 
much,  and  is  a peculiarly  grievous  and 
even  dangerous  disease  in  the  West  India 
Islands,  as  well  as  in  most  other  hot  cli- 
mates. It  is,  however,  generally  found 
compleatly  efficacious,  even  there. 

An  invaluable  Remedy  for  curing  the  Eyes , 
when  the  Rheum  is  most  violent,  and  even 
when  they  have  Specks. 

The  three  receipts  which  compose  this 
remedy,  are  said  to  have  cost  a ^gentleman 
fifteen  hundred  pounds!  They  were  pur- 
chased at  that  price,  of  a famous  Jesuit; 
who  had  been  sent  for,  from  Rome,  to  cure 
the  gentleman’s  daughter.  In  the  collec- 
tion from  which  they  are  extracted,  printed 
about  the  beginning  of  the  last  century,  it  is 
also  asserted,  that  they  have  been  often  tried 
with  great  success,  and  are  to  be  valued  as 
choice  receipts.  “ The  sum  is  so  consider- 
able,” says  the  editor,  “that  I should  not 
have  mentioned  it, had  I notthus  received  it, 
word  for  word,  from  a most  generous  contri- 
butor, whose  veracity  and  goodness  make  it 
quite  unquestionable.”  These  receipts  are  as 
follow — 1.  Pound  two ouncesof  hemlock, in 
a wooden  bowl,  or  rather  in  a marble  mor- 
tar • and  add  a thimbleful  of  bay-salt,  with 
as  much  bole-armoniac  as  will  serve  to 
spread  it  on  a thick  cloth.  Lay  it  to  the 
wrists;  and  renew  it  every  twelve  hours, 
as  long  as  there  may  be  occasion:  if  only 
one  e3re  be  affected,!  ay  it  to  the  contrary  wrist. 
2.  Take  one  ounce  each. of  red  rose  water, 
tutty,  and  double-refined  loaf  sugar  finely 
powdered  ; shake  them  well,  let  it  settle,  and 
wash  the  eyes  with  some  of  the  clear  liquor 
on  a fine  rag  three  or  four  times  a day.  3. 


24 


FAMILY  RFC 

Take  a pint  or  pound  of  sweet  oil,  and  twelve 
ounces  of  yellow  wax;  put  them  on  the 
fire  in  a new  pipkin,  stirring  the  wax  till 
it  be  melted : then  add  half  a pound  of 
corns,  or  white  lead,  and  let  it  boil  half 
an  hour;  after  which,  putin  two  ounces 
each  of  finely  powdered  myrrh,  olibanum, 
and  mastich.  These  articles  are  to  be  se- 
parately prepared,  and  used  in  the  same 
order  as  they  are  here  mentioned,  each  be- 
ing well  stirred  in,  and  perfectly  mixed, 
before  the  next  is  added.  Let  the  whole 
boil  gently,  till  it  becomes  blackish;  and 
it  must  not  only  be  stirred  all  the  time  it  ! 
remains  on  the  fire,  but  after  it  is  taken 
off,  and  even  till  it  gets  cold  enough  to  j 
work  up  with  the  hands,  like  dough,  into 
regular  rolls  for  use.  Great  care  is  ne-  i 
cessary  to  be  taken,  that  it  is  well  mixed,  j 
and  neither  under  nor  over  boiled.  This  j 
fine  salve,  which  is  said  to  be  alone  stiff  j 
ficient  for  curing  the  eyes,  when  the  rheum 
is  not  excessively  violent,  is  to  be  applied  to  | 
the  temples,  and  behind  the  ears;  where  it 
must  remain  till  it  grows  moist,  and  falls  off. 

It  is  not  only  thus  excellent  for  the  eyes,  but 
makes  a sweet  and  clean  plaister  for  many 
other  purposes.  It  is  particularly  admirable 
as  a dissolvent  nr  discutient;  and,  therefore, 
very  proper  for  swellings  or  tumours.  It 
speedily  cures  cuts,  and  heals  almost  any 
sore  where  much  drawing  is  not  necessary : 
and,  as  it  will  retain  all  it’s  virtues  fora 
long  time,  it  may  be  considered,  inde- 
pendently of  it’s  incomparable  efficacy  for 
the  eyes,  as  one  of  the  most  generally  use- 
ful of  all  family  salves.  These  three  ar- 
ticles, when  fairly  tried,  are  said  never 
to  fail  curing  the  worst  state  of  such  com- 
plaints  in  the  eyes  ; and,  if  that  be  the  case, 
though  the  receipts  might  really  cost  fifteen  j 
hundred  pounds,  they  were  well  worth  all 
the  money. 


JEIPT-BOOK. 

Soup  an  Bourgeois , or  French  Citizen’s  Soup. 

Take  ten  heads  of  endive,  and  four 
bunches  of  celery ; cut  them  in  small  piece*, 
wash  them,  drain  them  dry,  put  them  into 
a large  pan,  and  pour  over  them  a gallon 
of  boiling  water.  Then  set  on,  in  a large 
saucepau,  three  quarts  of  beef  stock  : strain 
the  herbs  dry ; and,  when  the  gravy  boils, 
put  them  in,  cut  off  the  crust  of  a couple  of 
French  rolls,  break  them,  and  put  them  to 
the  rest.  When  the  endive  and  celery 
are  boiled  sufficiently  tender,  the  soup 
may  be  served  up.  If  white  citizen  soup 
be  preferred,  veal  stock  must  be  used  in- 
stead of  beef. 

Easy  Method  of  Cleaning  Paper  Hangings. 

CUT  into  eight  half  quarters,  a quartern 
loaf  two  days  old,  it  must  neither  be  newer 
nor  staler.  With  one  of  these  pieces,  after 
having  blown  off  all  the  dust  from  the 
paper  to  be  cleaned  by  means  of  a good 
pair  of  bellows,  begin  at  the  top  of  the 
room  ; holding  the  crust  in  the  hand,  and 
wiping  lightly  downward  with  the  crumb, 
about  half  a yard  at  each  stroke,  till  the 
upper  part  of  the  hangings  is  compleatly 
cleaned  all  round.  Then  go  again  round, 
with  the  like  sweeping  stroke  downwaVdj 
always  commencing  each  successive  course 
a little  higher  than  the  upper  stroke  had 
extended,  till  the  bottom  be  finished.  This 
operation,  if  carefully  performed,  will  fre- 
quently make  very  old  paper  look  almost 
equal  to  new.  Great  caution  must  be  used 
not  by  any  means  to  rub  the  paper  hard, 
nor  to  attempt  cleaning  it  the  cross  or  ho- 
rizontal way.  The  dirty  part  of  the  bread, 
too,  must  be  each  time  cut  away,  and 
the  pieces  renewed  as  soon  as  at  all  ne- 
cessary. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


25 


Genuine  Turlington’s  Balsam. 

This  is  a very  good  vulnerary  balsam 
for  common  uses  ; and  may  be  safely  taken 
internally,  where  the  genuine  friar’s  bal- 
sam is  not  at  hand.  The  receipt  for  making 
this  true  Turlington’s  balsam,  or  drops,  is 
as  follows — Take  an  ounce  of  the  Peruvian 
balsam}  two  ounces  of  the  best  liquid 
storax}  three  ounces  of  gum  Benjamin, 
impregnated  with  almonds } and  half  an 
ounce  each  of  the  best  aloes,  myrrh,  frank- 
incense, angelica  roots,  and  the  flowers  of 
St.  John’s  wort.  Beat  all  these  ingredients 
in  a mortar,  and  put  them  into  a large 
glass  bottle  ; adding  a pint  and  a quarter 
of  the  best  spirits  of  wine.  Let  the  bottle 
stand  by  the  kitchen  fire,  or  in  the  chim- 
ney corner,  two  days  and  nights;  then  de- 
cant it  off,  in  small  bottles,  well  corked 
and  sealed,  to  be  kept  ready  for  use.  The 
same  quantity  of  spirits  of  wine  poured 
on  the  ingredients,  well  shaken  up,  and 
placed  near  the  fire,  or  in  some  other  warm 
situation, about  six  or  eight  days  andnights, 
will  serve  for  slight  occasions,  on  being 
bottled  in  a similar  manner. 

Kentish  Method  of  making  Red  Cherry  Wine. 

The  county  of  Kent  being  the  chief 
cherry  country  of  England,  may  be  sup- 
posed to  have  had  most  practice  in  the 
free  use  of  cherries.  Those  who  have  tasted 
some  of  the  best  old  wine  made  there 
have  extolled  it  bejmnd  all  bounds  of  mo- 
deration, placing  it  even  before  the  choicest 
vinous  productions  of  the  grape.  Though 
this  is  not  to  be  credited,  it  is  sufficiently 
certain  that  the  natives  of  Kent  have,  by 
long  and  repeated  experience,  arrived  at 
the  art  of  making  cherry  wine  with  a 
wonderful  degree  of  perfection;  and  the 


following  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  best  as 
well  as  simplest  receipts  for  that  purpose 
— Strip,  when  full  ripe,  any  quantity  of  the 
finest  red  or  Kentish  cherries  from  their 
stalks;  and  stamp  them,  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  apples  for  cyder,  till  the  stones  are 
broken.  Put  the  whole  into  a tub,  and 
cover  it  closely  up  for  three  days  and 
nights.  Then  press  it  in  a cyder  press, 
put  the  liquor  again  into  a tub,  and  let  it 
stand  covered  as  before  two  days  longer. 
Carefully  take  off  the  scum,  without  in  the 
smallest  degree  disturbing  the  l iquor,  which 
is  to  be  poured  off  the  lees  into  a diffe- 
rent tub.  After  it  has  thus  stood  to  clear 
another  two  days,  it  must  be  again  cau- 
tiously scummed,  and  the  clear  poured  oft 
as  before.  If  the  cherries  were,  as  they 
ought  to  be,  quite  ripe  and  sweet,  a pound 
and  a half  of  good  sugar  will  be  sufficient 
for  each  gallon  of  juice;  which  is  to  be 
well  stirred  in,  and  the  liquor  again  close- 
ly covered  up,  without  being  any  more 
disturbed  till  next  day.  It  is  now  to  be 
poured  carefully  off  the  lees,  as  before; 
put  to  stand  in  the  same  manner  another 
day;  and  then,  with  the  like  care,  poured 
oft’  into  the  cask  or  casks  where  it  is  in- 
tended to  be  kept.  The  above  process 
may  be  oftener  repeated,  should  the  lees 
appear  gross,  and  likely  to  make  the  liquor 
fret.  When  it  is  entirely  settled,  stop  it 
up  for  at  least  seven  or  eight  months. 
Then,  if  it  be  perfectly  fine,  put  it  in  bot- 
tles ; if  not,  drain  it  off  into  another  vessel, 
and  stop  it  up  for  six  months  longer,  be- 
fore it  is  ventured  to  be  bottled:  “ when,  ’ 
adds  the  communicator  of  this  receipt,  “ it 
will  want  only  age,  to  equal,  if  not  exceed, 
all  foreign  wines!”  It  will  be  best,  how- 
ever, not  to  drink  it  till  at  least  ten  or 
twelve  months  old. 


G 


96 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Incomparable  Ointment  for  the  Back  of  a 
• Rickety  Child. 

Pick  a quantity  of  snails  clean  out  of 
the  shells,  and  prick  them  full  of  holes; 
then  hang  them  up  in  a cloth,  and  place 
a bason  beneath  to  catch  the  liquor  which 
drops  from  them.  . This  is  to  be  boiled  up, 
when  sufficient  is  obtained,  with  an  ounce 
of  spermaceti,  and  half  an  ounce  of  pow- 
dered mace;  with  this  ointment,  rub  all 
along  the  back-bone  of  the  child,  and  even 
round  the  neck,  wrists,  and  ancles,  night 
and  morning;  chafing  it  well  in  by  the 
fire  every  time.  The  use  of  this  admirable 
ointment,  especially  when  accompanied  by 
the  rickety  drink  described  in  the  follow- 
ing receipt,  has  recovered  innumerable 
weak  children  from  sickness,  lameness,  and 
deformity. 

Rickety  Diet  Drink. 

'Take  three  ounces  each  of  China,  sas- 
safras, and  eringo  roots;  two  ounces  each 
of  roots  of  Osmond  royal,  and  raisins  of 
the  sun  stoned  ; an  ounce  of  powdered  rhu- 
barb ; two  handfuls  of  the  herb  hart’s 
longue;  and  three  hundred  live  millepedes 
or  wood-lice.  Put  the  whole  into  six  quarts 
of  mild  ale ; and  let  the  child  drink,  in 
spring  and  autumn,  no  other  table  liquor. 
This  excellent  diet  drink  is  alone  almost 
infallible  for  rickety  children. 

German  Method  of  making  Elm  and  Maple 
IVood  resemble  Mahogany. 

Having  very  smoothly  planed  whatever 
boards  of  the  elm  or  maple  tree  are  in- 
tended to  be  used  for  the  purpose  of  ap- 
pearing like  mahogany,  wash  them  well 
with  a little  aqua  fortis  diluted  in  com- 
mon water.  Then  take  a few  drams  of 
dragon’s  blood,  according  to  the  quantity 
which  may  be  wanted  in  the  whole,  with 


half  as  much  alkanet  root,  and  a quarter 
of  as  much  aloes,  and  digest  these  ingre- 
dients in  four  ounces  of  proof  spirit  to  every 
dram  of  the  dragon’s  blood.  As  soon  as 
the  boards  are  dry,  varnish  them  over 
with  this  tincture,  by  means  of  a sponge 
or  soft  painter’s  brush;  and  they  will,  it 
is  said,  ever  after  so  wear  the  appearance 
of  mahogany  as  to  deceive  the  eye  of  any 
indifferent  observer. 

Cephalic  Snuff. 

Take  half  an  ounce  each  of  sage,  rose- 
mary, lilies  of  the  valley,  and  the  tops  of 
sweet  marjoram,  with  a dram  each  of  asara- 
bacca  root,  lavender  flowers,  and  nutmeg. 
Reduce  the  whole  to  a fine  powder;  and 
take  it  like  common  snuff,  as  often  as 
may  be  necessary  for  the  relief  of  the  head, 
&c.  There  are  many  more  powerful  ce- 
phalic snuffs,  for  particular  medicinal  pur- 
poses, but  few  so  generally  useful,  agree- 
able, and  innocent,  to  be  used  at  pleasure. 

, Pancake  Pudding. 

Take  a quart  of  milk,  four  eggs,  and  two 
large  spoonfuls  of  flour,  with  a little  salt 
and  grated  ginger.  Beat  them  up  into  a 
good  smooth  batter;  and  put  it  into  a but- 
tered baking-dish.  When  it  comes  out  of 
the  oven,  pour  over  it  some  melted  butter. 
This  is  a very  cheap  and  acceptable  pud- 
ding, being  less  offensive  to  the  stomach 
than  even  the  best  fried  pancakes. 

Birch  Wine. 

The  wine  made  of  the  sap  or  juice  of 
the  birch  tree  was  formerly  considered  as 
a sovereign  remedy  for  nephritic  com- 
plaints ; and,  though  not  relied  on  by  mo- 
dern practice,  is  certainly  a rich  and  salu- 
tary cordial  wine.  It  has,  also,  been  high- 
ly extolled,  and  that  by  medical  men,  for 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


27 


it’s  virtues  in  consumptive  and  scorbutic 
cases.  The  season  for  obtaining  the  birch 
tree  sap  is  about  the  end  of  February,  when 
the  buds  first  swell ; for,  if  it  be  delayed  till 
the  leaves  open,  the  juice,  which  should  be 
thin  and  clear,  becomes  thick  and  disco- 
loured. The  method  of  extracting  it  is,  by 
boring  holes  in  the  body  of  the  tree;  and 
putting  in  tubes,  or  fossets,  generally  made 
with  elder  divested  of  the  pith.  If  a tree  be 
large,  it  may  be  tapped  in  four  or  five  places 
at  once;  so  as,  from  a number  of  trees,  to 
collect  several  gallons  in  a day.  The  lowest 
place  tapped,  should  be  not  more  than  a 
foot  from  the  ground;  and  some,  who  think 
this  sufficient,  recommend  it  to  be  on  the 
south-west  side  of  the  tree : others,  however, 
are  of  opinion  that  the  sap  drawn  from  the 
higher  parts  of  the  trunk,  and  even  from 
some  of  the  larger  branches,  is  generally  of 
a purer  quality.  The  sap  may  be  kept  run- 
ning two  or  three  days,  without  injury  to  the 
trees ; and,  these  holes  being  then  stopped 
with  pegs,  as  much  more  may  be  drawn  from 
the  same  places  next  year.  The  bottles 
in  which  the  sap  is  received  as  it  distils 
from  the  trees,  if  there  be  not  sufficient  im- 
mediately to  commence  making  the  desir- 
ed quantity  of  wine,  must  be  corked  close, 
and  even  rosined  or  waxed,  to  prevent  it’s 
fermentation ; and,  after  all,  it  is  best  to 
lose  no  time  in  making  a beginning.  The 
common  process,  in  Sussex,  one  of  the  first 
counties  in  the  united  kingdom  for  pro- 
ducing excellent  birch  wine,  is  merely  this — 
Boil  the  fresh  sap  as  long  as  any  scum  arises; 
and,  to  every  gallon  of  liquor,  put  two 
pounds  of  sugar.  Boil  it  half  an  hour, 
scumming  it  very  clean : and,  when  almost 
cold,  set  it  with  a little  yeast  spread  on  a 
toast,  and  let  it  remain  five  or  six  days  in 
an  open  vessel;  stirring  it,  however,  very 


frequently  during  that  time.  Then  take 
such  a cask  as  the  liquor  will  fill;  light  a 
large  match,  dipped  in  brimstone;  and, 
putting  the  match  into  the  cask,  stop  up 
the  smoke  till  the  match  be  extinguished  : 
immediately  on  which,  with  the  utmost 
possible  haste,  pour  in  a pint  of  mountain, 
old  hock,  or  any  other  wine,  the  flavour 
of  which  may  be  most  desirable,  as  it  will 
be  imparted  to  that  about  to  be  put  in  the 
cask.  Rinse  it  well  with  the  wine  most 
approved,  then  take  it  out,  pour  in  the 
birch  wine,  and  stop  the  barrel  close.  Let  it 
so  remain  for  six  months;  after  which  time, 
if  perfectly  fine,  it  may  be  bottled  off  for  use. 
This  is  simply  the  old  Sussex  method:  but 
some  put  the  outer  rind  of  alemon  or  Seville 
orange  into  the  cask;  and  others  add,  also, 
a few  cloves,  and  even  substitute  honey  for 
sugar.  There  are  many  persons,  too,  who 
bottle  birch  wine  as  soon  as  the  yeast  has 
settled,  without  ever  putting  it  into  a bar- 
rel. It  is  not  uncommon,  however,  such  is 
the  strength  of  this  liquor,  to  see  it  burst 
the  stone  bottles  in  which  it  is  usually  kept. 

Fine  Ginger  Cakes  for  Cold  Weather . 

Break  three  eggs  in  a bason;  beat  them 
well,  and  add  half  a pint  of  cream,  which 
must  also  be  well  beaten  with  them,  and  the 
whole  put  into  a saucepan  over  the  fire, 
to  be  stirred  till  it  gets  warm.  Then  add 
a pound  of  butter,  with  half  a pound  of 
loaf  sugar,  and  two  ounces  and  a half  of 
ginger,  both  powdered;  carefully  stirring 
the  different  ingredients  together,  over  a 
very  moderate  fire,  just  to  melt  all  the  but- 
ter. This  being  done,  pour  it  into  the 
centre  of  two  pounds  of  fine  flour,  and 
make  it  into  a good  paste.  Roll  it  out 
without  any  flour  beneath  on  the  dresser, 
of  whatever  thickness  may  be  thought  pro- 


2S 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


per,  and  cut  the  cakes  to  shape  with  the 
top  of  a small  bason  or  large  breakfast 
cup.  They  are  usually  made  about  a quar- 
ter of  an  inch  thick,  laid  on  three  papers, 
and  baked  in  a hot  oven.  These  cakes  are 
not  only  very  pleasant  to  the  palate,  par- 
ticularly in  the  winter,  but  really  service- 
able to  a cold  stomach. 

Ready  Method  of  Roasting  Eels. 

Having  skinned  and  washed  some  of 
the  finest  large  eels,  cut  them  in  three,  four, 
or  five  pieces,  according  to  their  respec- 
tive sizes.  Make  a seasoning  of  grated  nut- 
meg, beaten  white  or  long  pepper,  and 
salt ; with  a little  thyme,  sage,  and  lemon- 
peel,  all  well  beaten  or  shred,  and  mixed 
plentifully  with  crumbs  of  bread.  Strew 
this  well  on  the  eels,  stick  them  across  on 
skewers,  tie  the  skewers  to  the  spit,  baste 
them  continually,  and  let  them  roast  till 
they  begin  to  crack  and  appear  white  at 
the  bone.  When  taken  up,  send  them  to 
table  with  melted  butter  and  lemon  juice; 
which  will  make  the  best  sauce  they  can 
have,  as  the  seasoning  gives  them  an  incom- 
parable l'elish.  Eels  may  also  be  fried  or 
broiled,  thusseasoned,with  very  good  effect. 

Shrimp  Pie. 

Take  a quart  of  shrimps  cleanly  picked 
from  the  shells,  and  shred  with  them  two  or 
three  anchovies.  Season  them,  if  well  salted 
when  first  boiled,  only  with  a few  cloves 
and  a little  mace,  finely  beaten.  Having 
made  a good  substantial  crust,  as  they  do 
not  want  much  baking,  put  a tolerable 
quantity  of  butter  under  and  over  them, 
■with  one  glass  of  any  w hite  wine,  and  set 
the  pie  thus  made  into  the  oven.  Where 
shrimps  are  plentiful,  this  is  by  no  means 
a dear  article  of  cookery,  and  it  certainly 
forms  a very  delicious  dish. 


A cleanly  and  easily  made  Mixture  for  effec- 
tually Destroying  Bugs. 

Take  half  a pint  each  of  the  best  spirits 
of  wine,  and  oil  or  spirits  of  turpentine; 
mix  them  together;  and,  breaking  into 
small  pieces  half  an  ounce  of  camphor,  put 
that  also  into  the  bottle,  w here  it  w ill  dis- 
solve in  a few  minutes.  Shake  the  mixture 
well  together;  and,  with  a piece  of  sponge 
or  a brush  dipped  in  it,  wet  very  well  the 
bed  or  furniture  where  the  bugs  harbour 
and  breed.  This  will  infallibly  destroy 
both  them  and  their  nits,  though  they 
swarm  ever  so  much.  It  is,  however,  ne- 
cessary that  the  bed  or  furniture  should  be 
well  and  thoroughly  wet  with  it,  the  dust 
being  all  first  brushed  and  shook  off;  by 
which  means,  also,  the  mixture  will  be  pre- 
vented from  in  the  smallest  degree  staining, 
soiling,  or  injuring,  even  the  richest  silk 
or  damask  bed,  &c.  The  above  quantity 
will  entirely  free  any  bed  whatever  from 
these  vermin,  though  it  swarms  with  them. 
On  touching  a live  bug  with  one  drop,  it 
will  be  found  instantly  to  die.  Should, 
after  once  using  this  mixture,  any  bugs 
happen  to  appear,  it  will  only  be  for  wrant 
of  having  well  wetted  the  lining,  &.c.  of  the 
bed,  the  foldings  of  the  linings  or  curtains 
near  the  rings,  or  the  joints  or  holes  in  and 
about  the  bed  or  head-board,  in  which 
places  these  vermin,  with  their  nits,  nestle 
and  breed:  so  that,  on  those  parts  being 
well  wetted  with  more  of  the  mixture,  which 
dries  in  as  fast  as  it  is  used,  and  pouring  it 
into  the  joints  and  holes  where  the  sponge 
or  brush  cannot  reach,  they  never  fail  be- 
ing all  absolutely  destroyed.  Some  beds, 
which  have  much  wood  work,  can  hardly 
be  thoroughly  cleared  without  being  first 
taken  down;  but  others,  capable  ol  being 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


29 


drawn  out,  or  readily  got  at  behind,  so  as 
to  admit  a proper  application  of  the  re- 
medy, certainly  may.  The  smell  of  this 
mixture,  though  powerful,  is  extremely 
wholesome;  and,  to  many  persons,  very 
agreeable.  It  goes  off,  however,  in  two 
or  three  days.  The  mixture,  it  is  to  be 
remembered,  must  be  well  shaken  together 
every  time  of  it’s  being  used  ; and  it  should 
never,  by  any  means,  be  applied  at  candle- 
light, lest  the  spirits  should  catch  the  flame, 
and  occasion  serious  damage.  As  it  is 
necessary  that  the  spirits  of  wine  used  for 
this  purpose  should  be  highly  rectified,  it’s 
goodness  is  easily  proved  by  the  old  test 
of  firing  a small  quantity  in  a silver  spoon, 
where  it  will  burn  quite  dry  if  really  good. 

Cheap  and  excellent  Composition  for  preserving 

Weather-Boarding,  Paling,  and  all  other 

Works  liable  to  be  injured  by  the  Weather. 

Lime,  it  is  well  known,  however  well 
burnt,  will  soon  become  slacked  by  expo- 
sure in  the  open  air,  or  even  if  confined  in 
a situation  not  remarkably  dry,  so  as  to 
crumble  of  itself  into  powder.  This  is 
called  air-slacked  lime,  in  contradistinction 
to  that  which  is  slacked  in  the  usual  way 
by  being  mixed  with  water.  For  the  pur- 
pose of  making  the  present  useful  compo- 
sition to  preserve  all  sorts  of  wood  work 
exposed  to  the  vicissitudes  of  the  weather, 
take  three  parts  of  this  air-slacked  lime, 
two  of  wood  ashes,  and  one  of  fine  sand; 
pass  them  through  a fine  sieve,  and  add  as 
much  linseed  oil  to  the  composition  as  will 
bring  it  to  a proper  consistence  for  work- 
ing with  a painter’s  brush.  As  particular 
care  must  be  taken  to  mix  it  perfectly,  it 
should  be  ground  on  a stone  slab  with  a 
proper  muller,  in  the  same  manner  as  pain- 
ters grind  their  white  lead,  &c.  but,  where 


these  conveniences  are  not  at  hand,  the 
ingredients  may  be  mixed  in  a large  pan, 
and  well  beat  up  with  a wooden  spatula. 
Two  coats  of  this  composition  being  ne- 
cessary, the  first  may  be  rather  thin ; but 
the  second  should  be  as  thick  as  it  can  con- 
veniently be  worked.  This  most  excel- 
lent composition  for  preserving  wood  when 
exposed  to  the  injuries  of  the  w'eather,  is 
highly  preferable  to  the  customary  method 
of  laying  on  tar  and  ochre.  It  is,  indeed, 
every  way  better  calculated  for  the  pur- 
pose: being  totally  impenetrable  to  water; 
and,  so  far  from  liable  to  injury  by  the  ac- 
tion of  the  weather,  or  heat  of  the  sun,  that 
the  latter,  a most  powerful  enemy  to  tar 
and  ochred  palings,  &c.  even  hardens,  and 
consequently  increases  the  durability  of, 
the  present  proposed  composition;  which 
forms  an  article  of  public  utility,  not  only 
much  cheaper  than  paint,  but  prodigiously 
more  lasting. 

Art  of  making  Brillau's  incomparable  Liquid 

for  changing  the  Colour  of  the  Hair,  S?c. 

The  inventor  of  this  once  most  famous 
liquid  for  the  hair,  acquired  a large  fortune 
by  the  sale  of  it ; and  that  with  much  re- 
putation, on  account  of  it’s  acknowledged 
excellence.  It  is  said  to  be  the  best  liquid 
in  the  world  for  making  the  hair  curl, 
as  well  as  for  changing  that  wrhich  is  dis- 
agreeably sandy  to  a very  pleasing  colour. 
The  method  of  preparing  it  is  as  follows — 
Take  two  ounces  of  scrapings  of  lead,  an 
ounce  of  hartshorn  shavings,  a quarter  of 
an  ounce  of  litharge  of  gold,  and  a dram 
of  camphor;  put  them  into  a pint  of  soft 
water,  and  let  them  boil  for  half  an  hour. 
When  cold  and  fine,  pour  the  liquid  off, 
and  add  to  it  a dram  each  of  the  sugar  of 
lead  and  rosemary  flowers.  Boil  these  up 
H 


30 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


together;  pour  off the  liquor;  and,  when 
fine,  it  is  fit  for  immediate  use.  This  liquid, 
■which  is  neither  difficult  nor  very  expen- 
sive to  make,  was  sold  in  bottles  at  half  a 
guinea  each,  being  after  the  rate  of  two 
guineas  a pint. 

Cure  for  ihc  Distemper  in  Geese , called  the 
G argil. 

This  is  the  chief  disease  with  which 
geese  are  subject  to  be  afflicted;  and  not 
unfrequently  proves  fatal,  where  no  relief 
is  administered.  It  appears  in  a violent 
stoppage  of  the  head,  and  is  readily  cured 
by  pounding  a few  cloves  of  garlic  in  a 
mortar,  mixed  with  fresh  butter,  and  form- 
ed into  little  balis.  A few  of  these  given 
to  each  distempered  goose  fasting,  without 
allowing  any  other  food  till  two  or  three 
hours  after,  will  speedily  effect  a perfect 
cure,  and  can  never  do  the  smallest  injury. 

Dutch  Method  of  extracting  beautiful  Colours 
from  Flowers,  Leaves,  Roots,  &;e. 

By  aver}*  simple  process,  the  Dutch  con- 
trive to  extract  the  most  beautiful  colour- 
ing matter  found  to  reside  in  almost  every 
flower,  as  well  as  in  the  leaves,  roots,  &c. 
of  numerous  vegetables.  Their  method  is 
this — They  take  the  flowers,  leaves,  or 
roots,  of  whatever  quantity  they  wish,  and 
bruise  them  nearly  to  a pulp;  then,  put- 
ting it  into  a glazed  earthen  vessel,  pour 
filtered  water  sufficient  to  cover  it,  adding- 
a table-spoonful  of  a strong  solution  of 
pure  pot-ash  to  every  pint  of  water.  After 
boiling,  in  a proper  vessel,  the  whole  over 
a moderate  fire,  till  the  liquor  has  obvious- 
ly imbibed  as  much  of  the  colour  as  can 
possibly  be  obtained  from  the  pulp,  they 
decant  the  fluid  part  through  a cloth  or 


blotting  paper,  and  gradually  drop  into  it 
a solution  of  alum,  which  precipitates  the 
colouring  matter  to  the  bottom.  Having 

O 

secured  the  powder,  they  continue  to  wash 
it  in  several  fresh  waters;  and,  at  length, 
filtering  it  again  through  blotting  paper, 
dry  the  remaining  powder;  from  which 
they  prepare  the  finest  pigments,  for  water- 
colours, by  trituration  on  marble,  with 
clarified  gum-water,  and  then  form  them 
into  cakes,  cones,  &c.  for  sale.  A fine  vio- 
let colour,  is  in  this  manner  prepared  by 
the  Dutch  from  that  flower  ; the  most 
delicately  rosaceous  red,  from  the  small 
French  rose  and  other  beautiful  red  roses; 
and  a most  brilliant  azure,  from  the  blos- 
soms of  the  corn  blue-bottle. 

Excellent  Remedy  for  the  Dropsy. 

Take  sixteen  large  nutmegs,  eleven 
spoonfuls  of  broom  ashes  dried  and  burnt 
in  an  oven,  an  ounce  and  a half  of  bruised 
mustard  seed,  and  a handful  of  scraped 
horse-radish;  put  the  whole  into  a gallon  of 
strong  mountain  wine,  and  let  it  stand 
three  or  four  days.  A gill,  or  half  a pint, 
according  to  the  urgency  of  the  disease  and 
strength  of  the  patient,  is  to  be  drank  every 
morning  fasting,  taking  nothing  else  for  an 
hour  or  two  after.  To  the  original  receipt, 
from  a most  respectable  manuscript  col- 
lection, the  following  singularly  curious 
anecdote  is  added — “ A remarkable  in- 
stance of  the  good  effects  of  this  remedy 
is,  that  one  of  the  performers  at  Vauxhall, 
who  had  been  given  over  by  all  his  friends 
and  physicians,  and  whose  legs  were  so 
swelled  and  insensible  as  not  to  feel  any 
pain  when  immersed  in  a kettle  of  boiling 
water,  on  taking  the  above  medicine,  was 
cured  in  a few  weeks,  to  the  astonishment 
of  all  his  acquaintance.” 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


31 


Easy  Method  of  Drying  and  Preserving  Cur- 
rants in  Bunches. 

Beat  well  up  the  whites  of  eggs,  or  a 
little  gum  arabic  dissolved  in  water;  and, 
after  dipping  in  the  bunches,  and  letting 
them  get  a little  dry,  roll  them  in  finely 
powdered  loaf  sugar.  Lay  them  on  a sieve, 
in  a stove,  to  dry;  and  keep  turning  them, 
and  adding  sugar,  till  they  become  per- 
fectly dried.  Not  only  red,  white,  and  black 
currants,  but  even  grapes  in  bunches,  may 
be  thus  dried  and  preserved.  They  should 
be  carefully  kept  dry,  in  boxes  neatly  lined 
with  paper. 

Everlasting  Whipped  Syllabub. 

Take  a quart  of  cream,  half  a pint  of  old 
hock,  half  a pint  of  sack,  three  lemons,  and 
a pound  of  double  refined  sugar.  Having 
beat  and  sifted  the  sugar,  and  put  it  to  the 
cream,  grate  off  the  yellow  rind  from  the 
lemons,  and  the  rind  of  a Seville  orange, 
or  some  preserved  essence,  to  improve  the 
flavour  ; add  them  also,  and  squeeze  the 
juice  of  the  three  lemons  into  the  wine,  with 
a little  orange-flower  water.  These  being 
mixed  with  the  cream,  beat  the  whole  to- 
gether for  half  an  hour,  with  a whisk,  and 
fill  it  into  the  glasses  with  a spoon.  It 
will  keep  good  a fortnight;  and  is  even 
better  three  or  four  days  old,  than  when 
fresh  made.  On  these  accounts,  it  is  call- 
ed, by  comparison,  the  everlasting  whipped 
syllabub. 

Dr.  Stoughton’s  celebrated  Stomachic  Elixir. 

Pare  off  the  thin  yellow  rinds  of  six 
large  Seville  oranges;  and  put  them  in  a 
quart  bottle,  with  an  ounce  of  gentian  root 
scraped  and  sliced,  and  half  a dram  of  co- 
chineal. Pour  over  these  ingredients  a pint 


of  the  best  brandy;  shake  the  bottle  well, 
several  times,  during  that  and  the  follow- 
ing day;  let  it  stand  two  days  more  to  set- 
tle; and  clear  it  off  into  bottles  for  use. 
Take  one  or  two  tea-spoonfuls,  morning 
and  afternoon,  in  a glass  of  wine,  or  even 
fn  a cup  of  tea.  This  is  an  elegant  but 
simple  preparation,  little  differing  from 
the  compound  tincture  of  gentian  either  of 
the  London  or  Edinburgh  Dispensatories; 
the  former  adding  half  an  ounce  of  canella 
alba;  and  the  latter  only  substituting  for 
the  cochineal  of  Stoughton,  half  an  ounce 
of  husked  and  bruised  seeds  of  the  lesser 
cardamom.  In  deciding  on  their  respec- 
tive merits,  it  should  seem,  that  Stough- 
ton’s elixir  has  the  advantage  in  simplicity; 
and,  perhaps,  altogether,  as  a general  and 
elegant  stomachic.  Indeed,  for  some  par- 
ticular intentions,  both  the  London  and 
Edinburgh  compositions  may  have  their 
respective  claims  to  preference:  in  a cold 
stomach,  the  cardamom  might  be  useful ; 
and,  in  a laxative  habit,  the  canella  alba. 
As  a family  medicine,  however,  to  be  at  all 
times  safely  resorted  to,  we  need  not  hesi- 
tate to  recommend  Dr.  Stoughton’s  elixir. 

Cure  for  a Pimpled  Face. 

Take  an  ounce  each  of  liver  of  sulphur, 
roch-alum,  and  common  salt;  and  two  drains 
each  of  sugar-candy,  and  spermaceti.  Pound 
and  sift  these  articles;  then  put  the  whole 
in  a quart  bottle,  and  add  half  a pint  of 
brandy,  three  ounces  of  white  lily  water, 
and  the  same  quantity  of  pure  spring 
water.  Shake  it  well  together,  and  keep  it 
for  use.  With  this  liquid,  the  face  is  to  be 
freely  and  frequently  bathed;  remember- 
ing, always,  first  to  shake  the  bottle:  and, 
on  going  to  bed,  lay  all  over  the  face  linen 
which  has  been  dipped  iu  it.  In  ten  or 


32 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


twelve  days,  at  farthest,  it  is  said,  a per- 
fect cure  will  be  effected  of  this  very  un- 
pleasant complaint.  Certain  it  is,  that 
nothing  in  this  composition  can  possibly 
prove  prejudicial. 

Curious  Experimental  Hint  for  increasing  the 
Culture  of  Potatoes  by  Planting. 

The  following  well  ascertained  fact  is 
at  once  curious  and  useful  in  a very  high 
degree — Early  in  the  month  of  Decem- 
ber, three  large  potatoes  were  put  into  a 
small  cask,  and  placed  in  a cellar.  On  the 
10th  of  March,  the  succeeding  year,  fifteen 
shoots  were  taken  from  them,  and  planted 
with  a dibble  or  setting  stick,  in  the  same 
manner  as  cabbage  plants,  about  fifteen 
inches  distant  from  each  other.  On  the 
1 6th  of  April,  twenty-one  more  shoots  were 
taken  from  the  same  three  potatoes,  and 
planted  as  before  ; and,  on  the  22d  of  May, 
twenty-five  additional  shoots  were  also  ta- 
ken and  planted  in  like  manner.  These 
three  potatoes  were  afterwards  washed  and 
boiled,  and  are  said  to  have  proved  very 
good  eating.  When  the  plants  from  the 
sixty-one  shoots  thus  cultivated,  were  dug 
up,  the  quantity  which  they  produced  prov- 
ed to  be  ninety-two  pounds  weight  of  ex- 
cellent potatoes.  To  procure  plants  for 
the  purpose  of  thus  instantly  augmenting 
the  growth  of  this  grand  article  of  human 
subsistence,  on  examining  the  ground  where 
potatoes  have  grown  the  preceding  year, 
there  will  constantly  be  found,  after  a mild 
winter,  numerous  shoots  produced  by  po- 
tatoes left  in  the  ground,  however  carefully 
it  might  seem  to  have  been  cleared.  Dig 
up  those  shoots,  plant  them  as  above  direct- 
ed, and  depend  on  being  enabled  to  gather 
a very  plentiful  harvest. 


Rich  Sweetmeat  Gingerbread  Nuts. 

Put  a pound  of  good  treacle  in  a bason, 
and  pour  over  it  a quarter  of  a pound  of 
clarified  butter,  or  fresh  butter  melted  so 
as  not  to  oil.  Stir  the  whole  well,  while 
mixing;  and  then  add  an  ounce  each  of 
candied  orange  peel,  and  candied  angelica, 
a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  preserved  lemon 
peel,  all  cut  into  very  minute  pieces,  but 
not  bruised  or  pounded ; with  half  an  ounce 
of  pounded  coriander  seeds,  and  half  an 
ounce  of  whole  carraw'ay  seeds.  Having 
mixed  them  thoroughly  together,  break  in 
an  egg,  and  work  the  whole  up  with  as 
much  flour  as  may  be  necessary  to  &)rm 
a fine  paste;  which  is  to  be  made  into  nuts 
of  any  size,  put  on  the  bare  tin  plate,  and 
set  in  rather  a brisk  oven. 

Rice  Pancakes. 

Put  three  spoonfuls  of  the  flour  of  rice, 
with  a grated  nutmeg,  into  a pint  of  milk 
and  a pint  of  cream,  and  let  them  boil  till 
the  whole  be  as  thick  as  pap;  stirring  in, 
while  boiling,  half  a pound  of  butter.  Then 
pour  it  out  into  an  earthen  pan  ; and,  w'hen 
cold,  put  in  three  or  four  spoonfuls  more 
of  rice  flour,  a little  salt,  some  sugar,  and 
nine  well  beaten  eggs.  Mix  all  together, 
and  fry  them,  with  very  little  butter,  in  a 
small  pan.  They  are  to  be  served  up  four 
or  five  in  a dish,  and  are  very  delicate. 

Orange  and  Lemon  Chips. 

Pare  quite  thin  as  many  oranges  or  le- 
mons as  may  be  required,  leaving  very  lit- 
tle white  on  the  peel;  and,  as  the  rinds  are 
pared  off,  throw  them  into  spring  w^ater. 
Boil  them  in  this  wrater  till  they  are  tender; 
still  pouring  in  fresh  water,  as  the  former 
boils  aw'ay.  Then  make  a thin  syrup,  with 


FAMILY  IlECEIPT-BOOK. 


33 


part  of  the  water  they  were  boiled  in;  and, 
when  made,  add  the  rinds,  letting  them 
just  boil  therein.  They  are  now  to  be 
taken  off,  and  suffered  to  remain  in  this 
syrup  three  or  four  days:  after  which,  they 
must  be  again  boiled  in  it,  till  the  syrup 
begins  to  draw  in  threads  between  the  fin- 
gers ; when  they  must  immediately  be  taken 
off  the  fire,  and  drained  in  a colander.  A 
few  only  must  be  taken  out  at  a time;  be- 
cause, if  they  cool  too  fast,  it  will  be  dif- 
ficult to  get  the  syrup  from  them:  this, 
however,  is  best  done,  by  passing  every 
piece  of  peel  through  the  fingers,  and  laj"- 
ing  them  all  singly  on  a wire  sieve,  with  the 
rind  uppermost.  The  sieve  may  be  set 
in  a stove,  or  before  the  fire,  if  the  weather 
be  not  warm ; but,  in  summer,  the  sun  is 
sufficiently  hot  to  dry  them.  About  three 
pounds  of  sugar  will  make  syrup  enough 
for  the  peels  of  twenty-five  large  Seville 
oranges. 

Excellent  English  Frontiniac. 

Take  six  pounds  of  raisins  of  the  sun; 
and,  cutting  them  small,  pour  over  them 
six  gallons  of  water  in  which  twelve  pounds 
of  white  sugar  has  been  dissolved,  and  let  it 
boil  for  an  hour  before  it  is  suffered  to 
cool.  Then,  having  ready  half  a peck  of 
elder  flowers,  gathered  at  the  time  of  fall- 
ing, when  they  will  readily  shake  off  the 
branches,  put  them  in  the  liquor  as  soon  as 
it  grows  almost  cold  • and,  next  day,  add 
six  spoonfuls  of  syrup  of  lemons,  and  four 
of  ale  yeast.  After  it  has  fermented  two  days, 
put  it  into  a fit  cask  ; and,  when  it  has  stood 
two  months,  bottle  it  off.  This,  when  pro- 
perly made,  and  of  a good  age,  is  a very 
pleasant  and  agreeable  wine;  highly  re- 
sembling, in  flavour,  the  genuine  frontiniac. 
Asa  salutary  cordial  wine,  this  artificial 


frontiniac,  it  can  hardly  be  doubted,  from 
the  known  virtues  of  elder  flowers,  even 
surpasses  it’s  original. 

New  College  Puddings. 

Grate  the  crumb  of  a stale  two  penny 
loaf,  and  put  to  it  about  the  same  weight 
of  finely  shred  beef  suet,  a grated  nutmeg, 
a little  salt,  and  two  ounces  of  nicely  pick- 
ed currants:  then  beat  up  a few  eggs  in  a 
little  mountain  wine  and  sugar;  mixall  toge- 
ther; knead  it  into  a stiff  paste;  and,  after 
letting  it  stand  a quarter  of  an  hour,  make 
it  up  in  the  form  and  size  of  turkey’s  eggs, 
but  somewhat  flatter.  Over  a clear  fire, 
in  a chafling-dish  or  stove,  put  a pound  of 
fresh  butter  in  a dish;  rub  it  about  the 
dish  till  melted,  then  put  in  the  puddings, 
and  cover  them  up.  They  must,  however, 
be  frequently  turned,  till  all  appear  brown 
alike;  and,  when  quite  enough,  are  to  be 
served  up  hot,  for  a side  dish,  with  grated 
sugar  over  them.  These  puddings,  which 
first  obtained  their  name,  as  w ell  as  their 
celebrity,  at  the  university,  are  very  ge-> 
ne rally  admired. 

Dutch  Beef. 

Take  the  lean  part  of  a round  of  beef; 
rub  it  well,  all  over,  with  brown  sugar,  and 
let  it  so  remain  five  or  six  hours,  turning  it 
as  many  times,  in  the  pan  or  tray  where  it 
is  placed.  Then  salting  it  well,  with  com- 
mon salt  and  saltpetre,  let  it  remain  a 
fortnight,  only  turning  it  once  every  day. 
At  the  end  of  that  time,  roll  it  up  verv 
tightly  in  a coarse  cloth,  set  it  in  a cheese  or 
other  press  fora  day  and  a night,  and  hang 
it  to  dry  in  the  smoke  of  a chimney  where 
a wood  fire  is  kept.  It  should  be  boiled 
in  a cloth;  and,  when  cold,  is  to  be  cut  out 
in  shivers  or  slices  for  use. 


I 


34 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Carrot  Pudding. 

Grate  well  scraped  raw  carrots,  with 
a circular  grater;  and,  to  half  a pound 
of  carrot,  take  a pound  of  grated  bread,  a 
nutmeg,  a little  cinnamon,  half  a pound  of 
sugar,  a very  small  quantity  of  salt,  half  a 
pint  of  mountain,  eight  eggs,  a pound  of 
melted  or  clarified  butter,  and  iis  much 
cream  as  will  mix  the  whole  well  together. 
Having  sufficiently  stirred  and  beaten  it 
up,  put  it  in  a baking  dish  with  puff  paste 
at  the  bottom,  and  serve  it  up  hot. 

Art  of  making  the  best  Red  Sealing-  Wax. 

To  every  ounce  of  shell-lac,  take  half 
an  ounce  each  of  resin  and  vermilion,  all 
reduced  to  a fine  powder.  Melt  them  over 
a moderate  fire;  and,  when  thoroughly  in- 
corporated, and  sufficiently  cool,  form  the 
composition  into  what  are  called  sticks,  of 
any  length  or  thickness,  and  either  flat  or 
round,  as  may  be  thought  best?.  On  ac- 
count of  the  dearness  of  shell-lac,  seed-lac 
is  usually  substituted,  even  in  what  is  deno- 
minated the  best  Dutch  sealing-wax.  Boil- 
ed Venice  turpentine  may  be  used,  with 
good  effect,  instead  of  resin.  Thus  may 
be  made  a fine  red  sealing-wax;  which  will 
not  only  do,  what  is  often  falsely  impress- 
ed, in  the  Dutch  language,  on  very  bad 
wax — “ Burn  well,  and  hold  fast;”  but, 
look  well  also.  A more  ordinary  sort,  but 
sufficiently  good  for  most  occasions,  may 
be  made  by  mixing  equal  parts  of  resin 
and  shell-lac  with  two  parts  of  red  lead  and 
one  of  vermilion,  instead  of  all  vermilion,  j 
according  to  the  proportion  above  directed 
for  the  best  wax,  and  to  be  made  up  in  a 
similar  way.  In  a still  commoner  sort,  the 
vermilion  is  often  entirely  omitted ; and 
even  a very  large  proportion  of  whitening. 


strange  as  it  may  seem,  is  actually  intro- 
duced. 

Black  Sealing-  Wax , 8$c. 

This  sealing-wax  is  made  by  stirring  in- 
to any  quantity  of  melted  gum-lac,  or  shell- 
lac,  half  it's  weight,  or  less,  of  finely  levigat- 
ed ivory-black;  adding,  to  improve  the 
beauty  of  the  wax,  as  to  well  as  prevent  it’s- 
becoming  too  brittle,  half  their  united 
weight  of  Venice  turpentine.  When  the' 
whole  is  properly  melted,  and  incorporated 
by  sufficient  stirring,  over  a slow  fire,  it 
is  poured  on  a stone  or  iron  plate  which 
has  been  previously  oiled  over;  and,  while 
soft,  rolled  into  sticks.  The  sticks,  both  of 
red  and  black  wax,  are  lastly  exposed  to  a 
proper  degree  of  heat  for  acquiring  an 
agreeably  glossy  surface.  In  a similar  way, 
substituting  verditer,  Prussian  blue,  and 
other  proper  powders,  for  ivory-black,  may 
easily  be  made  sealing-wax  of  any'  desired 
colour. 

Soft  Sealing-Wax,  for  Impressing  Seals  of 
Office,  &$c. 

This  sealing-wax,  which  is  seldom  used 
for  anyr  other  purpose  than  that  of  receiv- 
ing the  impressions  of  seals  of  office  to  char- 
ters, patents,  proceedings  in  chancery,  & c. 
is  prepared,  when  to  be  used  white,  or  ra- 
ther uncoloured,  by  mixing  half  a pound 
ofbees-wax,  an  ounce  and  a half  of  turpen- 
tine, and  half  an  ounce  of  sweet  oil;  and 
carefully  boilingthem together, till  the  com- 
pound becomes  of  a fit  consistency  for 
moulding  into  rolls,  cakes,  or  balls,  for 
use.  Where  colour  is  wanted,  it  is  readily 
obtained  by  stirring  into  the  melting  mass 
about  half  an  ounce  of  a proper  pigment, 
as  in  making  the  red  or  other  coloured  hard 
sealing-wax. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


35 


Curious  Method  of  separating  Gold  or  Silver 
from  Lace,  without  burning  it. 

Cut  in  pieces  the  gold  or  silver  lace  in- 
tended to  be  divested  of  any  thing  but  the 
pure  metal ; tie  it  up  tightly  in  linen ; and  boil 
it  in  soap  ley,  till  the  size  appear  consider- 
ably diminished:  then  take  the  cloth  out 
of  the  liquid;  and,  after  repeatedly  rinsing 
it  in  cold  water,  beat  it  well  with  a mallet, 
to  extract  all  the  alkaline  particles.  On 
opening  the  linen,  to  the  great  astonishment 
of. those  who  have  never  before  witnessed 
the  process,  the  metallic  part  will  be  found 
pure  and  undiminished,  in  all  it’s  natural 
brightness,  without  a single  thread. 

Permanent  Red  Ink  for  marking  Linen. 

This  useful  preparation  was  contrived 
by  the  late  learned  and  ingenious  Dr.  Smel- 
lie,  of  Edinburgh,  who  was’  originally  a 
printer  in  that  city;  and  may  be  used  either 
with  types^  a hair  pencil,  or  even  a pen. 
Take  half  an  ounce  of  vermilion,  and  a 
dram  of  salt  of  steel ; let  them  be  finely 
levigated  with  linseed  oil,  to  the  thickness 
or  limpidity  requiredfor  the  occasion.  This 
has  not  only  a very  good  appearance,  but 
will,  it  is  said,  be  found  perfectly  to  resist 
the  effects  of  acids,  as  well  as  of  all  alkaline 
leys.  It  may  be  made  of  other  colours,  by 
substituting  the  proper  articles  instead  of 
vermilion. 

Portable  Balls  for  taking  out  Spots  from 
Cloaths. 

Spots  of  grease,  &c.  are  in  general  easily 
removed  from  woollen  cloth  of  all  descrip- 
tions by  means  of  portable  balls  prepared  in 
the  following  manner— -Take  fullers-earth, 
dried  so  as  to  crumble  into  powder,  and 
moisten  it  well  with  lemon  juice;  then  add 


[ a small  quantity  of  pure  pulverised  pearl- 
j ashes,  and  work  up  the  whole  into  a thick 
paste.  Roll  this  paste  into  small  balls, 
let  them  compleatly  dry  in  the  heat  of  the 
sun,  and  they  are  then  fitfor  immediate  use. 
The  manner  of  using  them  is,  by  moisten- 
ing with  water  the  spots  on  the  cloth,  rub- 
bing the  ball  over  them,  and  leaving  it  to 
dry  in  the  sun;  when,  on  washing  the  spots 
with  common  water,  and  often  with  brush- 
ing alone,  the  spots  instantly  disappear. 

Art  of  preparing  a ncwljj- discovered  Perma- 
nent Green  Pigment , both  for  Oil  and  Water 

Colours. 

A GREEN  colour,  at  once  beautiful  and 
durable,  was  long-wanted  by  painters;  which 
at  length  has-been  discovered,  by  an  inge- 
nious gentleman,  named  Kinnman,  mem- 
ber of  the  Swedish  Academy.  The  process 
by  which  it  is  produced  is  thus  described — 
Dissolve,  in  aqua  fortis,  a small  quantity  of 
zinc;  and,  in  aqua  regia,  some  strongly 
calcined  cobalt:  each  solution  to  be  made 
in  a different  vessel,  and  to  remain  till  the 
respective  liquids  be  compleatly  saturated. 
When  they  are  both  ready,  mix  one  part 
of  the  former  with  two  parts  of  the  latter; 
and,  having  prepared  a hot  and  clarified 
solution  of  pot-ash,  pour  in  a quantity  ex- 
actly equal  to  the  whole  of  both  the  other 
solutions,  for  the  purpose  of  precipitating 
the  mixture.  After  it  has  subsided,  the 
fluid  part  should  be  decanted,  and  the  sedi- 
ment evaporated  to  dryness  over  the  fire, 
till  it  assume  a green  colour.  It  is  necessary, 
however,  that  it  should  be  repeatedly  wash- 
ed with  filtered  water,  before  it  can  be  used ; 
but,  this  being  effected,  it  becomes  fit  lor 
both  oil  and  water  colours,  as  it  is  suf- 
ficiently fixed  to  withstand  all  the  effects  of 
the  air  and  the  sun ; which  the  inventor 


36 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


has  fully  ascertained,  by  an  experience  of 
more  than  ten  years,  so  as  perfectly  to 
establish  it’s  superior  durability.  By  means 
of  this  preparation,  too,  the  ingenious  in- 
ventor adds,  painters  may  readily  combine 
their  yellow  and  ultramarine,  so  as  to  form 
a most  beautiful  and  permanent  green. 

Slewed  Oysters  in  French  Falls. 

Take  any  quantity  of  oysters,  and  wash 
them  in  their  own  liquor.  Then,  straining 
it,  put  it  again  with  them,  and  add  a little 
salt,  ground  pepper,  beaten  mace,  and 
grated  nutmeg.  Let  them  stew  a little  to- 
gether, and  thicken  them  up  with  a great 
deal  of  butter.  In  the  mean  time,  cut  the 
tops  off  a few  French  rolls,  and  take  out 
sufficient  crumb  to  admit  some  of  the 
oysters,  which  must  be  filled  in  boiling 
hot,  and  set  over  a stove,  or  chaffing-dish 
of  coals,  till  they  are  quite  hot  through; 
filling  them  up  with  more  liquor,  or  some 
hot  gravy,  as  the  former  soaks  in.  When 
they  are  sufficiently  moistened,  serve  them 
up  in  the  manner  of  puddings. 

Delicate  Sponge  Biscuits. 

Break  the  whites  of  six  eggs  in  a pan, 
and  the  yolks  of  them  in  another.  Beat 
up  the  yolks  with  six  ounces  of  powdered 
loaf  sugar,  and  a very  little  orange-flower 
water,  with  a wooden  spoon,  till  the  mass 
blows  up  in  wind  bladders.  Whisk  the 
whites  excessively;  and,  with  a large  spoon, 
lightly  put  them  to  the  yolks  and  sugar, 
stirring  the  latter  as  little  as  possible,  con- 
sistently with  the  necessity  of  properly 
uniting  them  together.  Then  mix  well 
with  the  whole  five  ounces  of  fine  flour; 
and  put  the  batter  thus  made  intotinmoulds 
thoroughly  buttered,  or  they  will  stick  too 
fast  to  be  removed  when  baked.  Before 


setting  them  in  the  oven,  sift  over  the  tops 
a little  powdered  sugar,  to  give  them  a de- 
licate ice.  They  must  be  baked  in  a mo- 
derately heated  oven;  and,  when  done, 
taken  from  the  tins  while  hot,  or  will  not 
so  readily  be  gotten  out. 

Best  and  easiest  Methods  of  making  Genuine 

Syrup  of  Clove  Gilliflowers , Violets,  and 

other  odoriferous  F lowers. 

Though  these  syrups  are  by  no  means 
without  their  respective  uses  in  medicine, 
as  the  beauty  of  colour  is  an  object  in  pre- 
paring most  of  them,  their  juices  are  not 
to  be  forcibly  expressed.  The  manner  of 
preparing  the  syrup  of  clove  gilliflowers, 
with  some  slight  and  obvious  deviations, will 
serve  as  a good  general  guide  for  making 
syrups  of  most  other  flowers — Take  a pound 
of  fresh-gathered  clove  gilliflowers,  or  July 
flowers,  as  they  are  often  but  less  familiarly 
called;  and,  having  taken  off  their  white 
heads,  pour  over  them  six  pints  of  water, 
cover  them  closely  up,  and  let  them  stand 
all  night  to  macerate.  Next  morning  strain 
off  the  tinctured  liquor  without  pressing, 
and  dissolve  in  it  three  pounds  of  fine  pow- 
dered and  sifted  loaf  sugar,  by  placing  it 
in  a very  gentle  heat,  over  a stove  or  slow 
fire,  so  as  to  form  a syrup  ; but  not  suffer- 
ingitto  boil,  or  even  to  grow  very  hot,  which 
would  infallibly  destroy  the  whole  inten- 
tion. It  must,  in  fact,  be  well  stirred  the 
little  time  it  remains  on  the  fire,  as  the 
sifted  sugar  is  gradually  put  in ; and,  when 
all  becomes  compleatly  melted,  the  syrup 
is  made,  and  should  be  immediately  cover- 
ed up,  and  bottled  as  soon  as  it  grows  suf- 
ficiently cold.  This  fine  and  very  grateful 
syrup  is  of  most  general  use,  and  can  never 
be  misapplied.  It  is  perscribed  in  almost 
every  cordial  julep;  and,  on  that  account. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


37 


not  always  to  be  obtained  genuine.  A 
counterfeit  sort  is  very  readily  made,  by  in- 
fusing an  ounce  of  cloves,  for  about  a week, 
in  a pint  and  a half  of  white  wine;  then 
straining  the  liquor,  adding  twenty  ounces 
of  sugar,  and  boiling  it  to  the  consistency 
of  a syrup,  with  a little  cochineal  to  give 
it  a colour  exactly  similar  to  the  genuine 
clove  gilliflower  syrup;  which  it  also  some- 
what resembles  in  flavour,  though  far  less 
agreeable.  The  spu  rious  sort  is  easily  detect- 
ed, by  adding  some  alkaline  salt,  or  ley,  to  a 
little  of  the  genuine  syrup, which  will  change 
it  to  a green  colour  ; but  makes  no  such  al- 
teration in  the  counterfeit,  and  only  varies 
the  shade  of  the  red.  The  syrup  of  violets, 
which  may  be  made  exactly  in  the  same 
manner  as  that  of  gilliflowers,  though  ge- 
nerally left,  double  the  time  to  macerate  in 
water,  is  also  often  counterfeited ; as  well 
on  account  of  the  great  demand  for  it,  in 
consequence  of  being  much  prescribed  for 
infants,  to  whom  it  proves  gently  laxative, 
as  because  it  is  apt  to  lose  it’s  elegant  blue 
colour  by  long  keeping.  They,  therefore, 
easily  contrive  to  give  common  syrup  a 
more  permanent  imitative  colour;  which 
practice,  however,  is  soon  detected,  by  add- 
ing any  acid  or  alkaline  liquid  to  a little 
of  the  suspected  syrup.  If  it  be  really 
genuine  violet  syrup,  the  acid  will  imme- 
diately change  it  to  red,  and  the  alkali  to 
green;  but,  if  counterfeit,  these  changes  i 
will  not  take  place.  “ From  this  muta-  ! 
bility  of  the  colour  of  the  violet,”  says  the 
Edinburgh  Dispensatoiw,  “ it  forms  an  ex- 
cellent test  of  the  presence  of  acids  and  al- 
kalies; and  it  is  also  obvious,  that  a pre- 
scriber  would  be  deceived,  if  he  should  ex- 
pect to  give  any  blue  tinge  to  acidulated 
or  alkalized  juleps  or  mixtures,  by  the  ad- 
dition of  the  biue  syrup.” 


Dr.  Anderson’s  admirable  Improvement  on  the 
common  Mode  of  Salting  Butter. 

This  ingenious  gentleman,  in  his  celebrat- 
ed Recreations,  first  published  the  following 
directions  for  an  improved  mode  of  preserv- 
ing salt  butter;  which  he  had  experienced 
as  not  only  more  effectually  to  preserve  it 
from  any  taint  of  rancidity  than  the  gene- 
ral old  method  of  using  common  salt  only, 
but  also  to  make  it  look  better,  and  taste 
sweeter,  richer,  and  more  marrowy,  than  if 
it  had  been  cured  with  common  salt  alone. 
Take  of  the  best  common  salt,  two  parts ; 
of  saltpetre,  one  part;  and  of  sugar,  one 
part  also : beating  them  up  together,  so 
that  they  may  be  compleatly  blended. 
To  every  pound  of  the  butter,  add  an 
ounce  of  this  composition;  mix  it  well  in 
the  mass,  and  close  it  up  for  use.  Butter 
thus  prepared  will  keep  good  for  three 
years,  and  cannot  be  distinguished  from 
what  has  been  recently  salted.  It  may  be 
necessary  to  remark,  indeed,  that  butter 
cured  in  the  above  excellent  manner  does 
not  taste  well  till  it  has  stood  at  least  two 
or  three  weeks.  Dr.  Anderson  is  of  opinion 
that  such  butter  would  keep  during  the 
longest  voyages,  if  it  could  be  so  stowed 
as  not  to  melt  by  heat  of  climate,  and  thus 
occasion  the  salts  to  separate.  In  this  re- 
spect, however,  even  the  doctor’s  invention 
must  certainly  yield  to  the  preferable  Ger- 
man plan  of  clarifying  butter. 

Sir  Francis  Eden’s  Cheap  Soup  or  Broth  for, 
the  Poor. 

Take  a pound  of  good  beef  or  mutton, 
six  quarts  of  water,  and  three  ounces  of  what 
is  commonly  called  Scotch  barley : after  they 
have  boiled  some  time,  put  in  a mixture 
made  of  one  ounce  of  oatmeal,  and  a little 
K. 


38 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


cold  water;  stirring  the  whole  well  toge- 
ther, and  adding  a handful  or  more  of 
onions,  chives,  parsley,  thyme,  &c.  A pint 
or  a pint  and  a half  of  this  broth,  with  eight 
ounees  of  barley  bread,  is  considered  by 
labouring  persons,  according  to  Sir  Francis 
Eden,  in  the  county  of  Northumberland, 
as  making  a very  good  supper.  The  wor- 
thy baronet  observes,  that  “ the  day  the 
broth  is  made,  the  dinner  usually  is  broth 
with  part  of  the  meat,  bread,  and  a few 
potatoes,  chopped  and  boiled;  and  the 
supper  is  broth  and  bread.  The  next  day, 
the  dinner  is  cold  meat  from  the  broth, 
warm  potatoes,  broth,  and  bread  ; and  the 
supper,  bread  and  broth  warmed  up,  but 
not  boiled  again.  This  broth  will  con- 
tinue good  three  days,  if  kept  cool,  and 
may  be  heated  when  wanted.  Veal,  pork, 
bacon,  lean  beef  or  mutton,  will  not  make 
such  good  broth  with  this  proportion  of  wa- 
ter: it  will,  however,  still  be  very  palatable; 
and  not  a drop  of  the  liquor  is  lost  or  wast- 
ed, whatever  meat  be  boiled  in  it.  To  roast 
meat  is  considered,  by  the  country  peo- 
ple in  the  north,  as  the  most  prodigal  me- 
thod of  cooking  it;  because  that  culinary 
process  does  not  afford  them  the  oppor- 
tunity of  converting  a considerable  quan- 
tity of  water  into  a nutritious  and  whole- 
some soup.”  Certain  it  is,  that  the  prac- 
tice among  the  poor  in  the  metropolis, 
of  carry  ing  to  a baker’s  oven  the  small  por- 
tions of  meat  they  can  purchase,  and  having 
them  there  dried  up,  and  too  often  strip- 
ped of  the  little  fat  and  gravy  produced, 
is  .abundantly  more  prodigal  than  even 
roasting. 

Dr.  Stonehouse’s  easy  Instructions  for  making 
Treacle  Beer. 

THOUGH  it  be  difficult  to  subdue  deeply 


I rooted  habits,  the  philanthropist  still  cou- 
-side/rs  it  his  duty  to  oppose  whatever  is 
injurious,  and  to  recommend  every  thing 
which  may  conduce  to  the  comfort  and  be- 
nefit  of  mankind.  Tbe  following  easy  me- 
thod of  making  a very  salutary  beverage 
to  be  used  at  meals,  far  superior  to  tbe 
common  trash  commonly  sold  as  table 
beer,  was  nearly  half  a century  ago  pub- 
lished by  the  celebrated  Dr.  Stonehouse 
of  Northampton,  so  respectfully  noticed 
in  Hervey’s  Meditations;  yet  how  few, 
comparatively,  in  this  great  metropolis, 
however  oppressed  by  poverty,  avail  them- 
selves of  the  advantages  which  it  oilers ! 
Idis  directions  are  simply  these — “ To  eight 
quarts  of  boiling  water,  put  one  pound  of 
treacle,  a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  ginger, 
and  two  bay  leaves.  Let  the  whole  boil  for 
a quarter  of  an  hour,  then  cool  and  work 
it  with  yeast,  the  same  as  other  beer.”  A 
little  yeast  spread  on  a piece  of  toasted 
bread,  and  put  into  the  liquid  before  it  is 
quite  cold,  will  soon  excite  a fermentation  ; 
and,  when  it  has  ceased  working,  it  may 
be  bottled  or  barrelled,  according  to  the 
quantity  made,  for  immediate  use.  If  want- 
ed to  keep,  a very  small  bit  of  gentian  root, 
with  or  without  a little  lemon  or  orange 
peel,  may  be  boiled  in  the  liquid;  which 
will  not  only  render  it  better  for  that  pur- 
pose, but  give  it  a taste  more  resembling 
beer  brewed  with  malt  and  hops. 

Best  Method  of  making  Common  or  Simple 
Syrup,  for  general  Use. 

Where  there  is  much  or  frequent  oc- 
casion for  the  use  of  common  syrup,  with- 
out which  so  little  can  be  done  in  confec- 
tionary, and  which  is  so  often  wanted  in 
medicine,  it  is  best  to  keep  it  in  constant 
readiness  for  use.  The  best  method  of 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


making  it  is,  to  dissolve  a pound  and  three 
quarters  of  powdered  double-refined  sugar 
in  a pint  of  water,  by  means  of  what  is  called 
the  water  bath,  or  balneum  mariae  ; that  is, 
by  setting  the  vessel  which  contains  it  in 
a saucepan,  kettle,  or  copper  of  water,  over 
the  fire,  till  the  sugar  be  thoroughly  dis- 
solved, and  the  syrup  properly  formed. 
This,  besides  other  advantages,  prevents  the 
possibility  of  danger  from  the  sugar’s  boil- 
ing over;  which  is  much  to  be  dreaded  in 
the  common  mode  of  boiling  syrup  in  large 
quantities.  After  it  has  stood  a few  hours, 
take  away  the  scum,  and  pour  the  syrup 
into  a stone  jar  or  bottle  for  use. 

Clarified  Sugar,  or  refined  Common  Syrup. 

This,  also,  for  many  articles  of  confec- 
tionary, forms  a necessary  sort  of  sweet 
stock,  to  be  at  all  times  in  readiness.  It  is 
made  by  beating  to  a froth  the  white  of  an 
egg,  in  a few  ounces  of  water,  and  mixing 
it  with  the  same  proportions  of  water  and 
sugar  as  for  common  syrup.  In  this 
case,  however,  the  whole  should  be  put  in 
a vessel  over  the  fire,  and  well  stirred  till 
the  sugar  is  all  melted;  but  not  a moment 
longer,  otherwise  it  will  never  be  clear: 
the  instant  it  is  beginning  to  boil,  and  the 
scum  rises,  it  must  be  carefully  taken  from 
the  fire,  to  prevent  accidents,  but  must  not 
be  afterward  touched  for  half  an  hour;  by 
that  time,  all  the  scum  will  be  found  set- 
tled at  the  top,  and  must  be  cleanly  taken 
off  with  a skimmer.  This  done,  it  is  again 
to  be  put  over  the  fire;  and  boiled  for  at 
least  a quarter  of  an  hour,  being  carefully 
scummed  all  the  time.  After  which,  it 
must  be  strained  through  a flannel  bag  till 
quite  clear,  and  kept  in  bottles  for  all  re- 
quisite occasions.  It  may,  in  fact,  be  con- 
sidered as  nothing  more  than  a refined 


3$ 

syrup;  and,  being  neither  much  more  trou- 
blesome to  make,  nor  any  thing  but  the 
white  of  an  egg  more  expensive,  may  be 
very  generally  used  in  preference  to  the 
common  syrup. 

Preserved  Peaches,  Apridots,  Nectarines, 

Plums,  Morelia  Cherries,  $c.  in  Brandy. 

Having  procured  the  peaches,  apricots, 
nectarines,  or  plums,  intended  to  be  pre- 
served in  brandy,  which  should  be  quite 
free  from  spots,  and  not  too  ripe,  cover 
them  over  with  paper,  and  put  them  in 
any  proper  vessel  over  a slow  fire;  when 
they  have  simmered  till  they  are  become 
soft,  take  them  out,  put  them  in  cloths  four 
or  five  times  double,  and  cover  them  closely 
up.  In  the  mean  time,  being  prepared  with 
a proper  quantity  of  French  brandy,  which 
should  be  uncoloured,  if  it  can  be  so  ob- 
tained, and  have  five  ounces  of  powdered 
loaf  sugar  dissolved  in  every  pint,  put  the 
fruit  into  glasses,  fill  them  up  with  the 
brandy  and  sugar,  and  close  them  up  with 
bladder  and  leather  coverings.  The  small- 
er fruits,  such  as  Morelia  cherries,  ike. 
are  not  to  be  boiled;  but  put  in  either 
fresh  from  the  tree,  or  as  preserved  wet  with 
sugar.  As  the  fruits  imbibe  a considerable 
quantity  of  liquor,  fresh  brandy  and  sugar 
must  be  frequently  added  to  keep  the  glasses 
filled  up. 

Wet  Sugar -preserved  Fruits  in  Brandy. 

Take  preserved  Mogul  plums,  green 
gages,  grapes,  or  any  other  fruits  which 
have  been  preserved  wet  in  sugar;  and, 
after  draining  the  syrup  from  them,  put 
them  in  the  glasses,  and  fill  them  up  with 
brandy  in  which  sugar,  after  the  rate  of 
three  ounces  for  every  pint,  has  been  pre- 
viously dissolved : then  keep  them  covered 


f 


40 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


closely  ii]),  in  the  same  manner  as  the  other 
brandy  fruits. 

King  William's  Ale  Posset. 

Possets,  though  long  highly  esteemed, 
are  at  present  little  used;  if,  however,  they 
merit  a French  definition,  which  vve  have 
somewhere  seen,  that  they  are  an  English 
beverage  for  persons  in  health,  calculated 
to  fortify  nature,  it  may  be  questioned  whe- 
ther the  moderns  are  wiser  than  their  an- 
cestors in  thus  consigning  them  to  oblivion. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  we  shall  take  the  liberty 
of  preserving  a few  of  them;  and,  in  the 
first  place,  that  which  is  said  to  have  been 
a great  favourite  of  the  beloved  sovereign 
whose  name  it  bears.  It  is  thus  made — 
Take  a quart  of  cream,  and  mix  it  with  a 
pint  of  ale;  then  well  beat  up  together 
the  yolks  of  ten  eggs  and  the  whites  of 
four,  and  put  them  to  the  cream  and  ale. 
Grate  some  nutmeg  in  it,  sweeten  it  to  pa- 
late; then  set  it  over  the  fire,  and  keep 
stirring  it  all  the  while.  When  it  is  thick, 
and  before  it  boils,  take  it  off,  pour  it  into 
a china  bason,  and  serve  it  up  quite  hot. 

The  Pope’s  Posset. 

The  sovereign  pontiff,  as  it  may  be  sup- 
posed, would  have,  when  possets  were  in 
vogue,  one  of  the  very  best.  That  which 
bears  the  name  of  his  holiness,  is  certainly 
a most  delicious  composition.  In  this,  even 
King  William  might  perhaps  have  admitted 
the  pope’s  supremacy.  It  is  made  in  the 
following  manner- — Blanch,  and  beat  quite 
smooth,  three  quarters  of  a pound  of  al- 
monds; putting  in  a little  water,  as  they 
are  beating,  to  prevent  them  from  oiling. 
Then  take  a pint  of  sack  or  sherry,  and 
sweeten  it  well  with  double-refined  su<?ar. 
Make  it  boiling  hot ; and,  at  the  same  time, 


put  half  a pint  of  water  to  the  almonds, 
and  make  them  boil.  Take  both  off  the 
fire  at  the  same  time,  mix  them  thorough- 
ly together  with  a spoon,  and  serve  up  the 
pope’s  posset  in  a china  bason  or  dish. 

Fine  Reel  Ratafia,  as  made  at  Paris. 

Mash  together,  in  a deep  pan,  three 
pounds  of  red  cherries,  two  pounds  of  very 
ripe  red  gooseberries,  and  one  pound  of 
red  raspberries:  then  put  the  whole  into  a 
stone  bottle,  adding  two  drams  of  cloves, 
half  an  ounce  of  cinnamon,  two  ounces  of 
coriander  seeds,  twro  pinches  of  Florence 
fennel  seeds,  two  grains  of  long  pepper,  a 
dozen  apricot  kernels,  the  same  num- 
ber of  cherry  kernels,  all  well  pounded 
in  a mortar,  and  a pint  of  common  syrup. 
After  having  well  closed  up  the  bottle,  ex- 
pose it  for  at  least  a fortnight  to  the  heat 
of  the  sun;  then  strain  the  whole  through 
linen,  squeezing  it  so  as  to  press  out  all 
the  juice,  and  put  one  pint  of  the  best  bran- 
dy into  every  two  pints  of  that  liquor.  Al- 
ter w hich,  again  put  the  bottle  which  con- 
tains it  in  the  sun,  where  it  is  to  remain 
fourteen  days  longer;  w hen,  having  thrown 
in  a few  pounded  almonds,  strain  the 
liquor  through  a flannel  bag,  so  as  to  be 
quite  clear.  Having  observed  these  parti- 
culars, in  all  points,  a most  perfect  red 
ratafia  will  be  produced. 

Paris  Method  of  making  a delicate  While 
Ratafia. 

In  a pint  of  common  syrup,  put  a quart 
of  the  juice  of  the  finest  muscadine  grapes. 
Give  them  three  or  four  boils;  adding,  with 
a reasonable  quantity  of  uncoloured  bran- 
dy; two  drams  of  cinnamon,  one  of  cloves, 
a pinch  of  coriander  seeds,  two  pinches  of 
Florence  fennel  seeds,  two  grains  of  long 


41 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


pepper,  and  a dozen  apricot  kernels,  all 
well  pounded  in  a mortar.  Pour  the  whole 
into  a large  stone  bottle  well  stopped; 
and  Jet  it  be  exposed  to  the  sun,  and  final- 
ly strained  till  clear,  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  red  ratafia.  These  French  ratafias, 
though  made  simply  by  infusion,  will  be 
found  far  more  delicious  than  any  ratafias 
which  have  ever  yet  been  manufactured  in 
England. 

English  Common  and  Bed  Ratafias. 

An  agreeable  common  ratafia  is  some- 
times made  in  England,  by  infusing  half 
an  ounce  of  nutmeg,  half  a pound  of  bitter 
almonds,  and  the  same  quantity  of  Lisbon 
sugar,  with  half  a grain  of  ambergrease, 
in  two  quarts  of  clear  proof  spirit;  pre- 
viously bruising  the  nutmeg  and  almonds, 
and  well  triturating  the  ambergrease  with 
the  sugar  in  a marble  mortar.  When  the 
whole  has  digested,  for  some  time,  in  a 
warm  situation,  it  is  filtered  through  a bag, 
and  bottled  for  use.  Red  ratafias  are  also 
frequently  made  in  England,  chiefly  either 
with  black  cherries,  bitter  almonds,  spices, 
and  proof  spirits,  only;  or  with  a mixture 
of  cherries,  gooseberries,  mulberries,  and 
raspberries,  besides  the  other  articles.  This 
latter  is  usually  distinguished  by  the  name 
of  dry  or  sharp  red  ratafia;  but  neither, 
though  they  are  all  pleasant  cordials*  is 
comparable  with  those  made  according  to 
the  French  method. 

Excellent  Bath  Buns 

Take  two  pounds  of  fine  flour,  a pint 
of  ale  yeast,  with  a glass  of  mountain  wine 
and  a little  orange-flower  water,  and  three 
beaten  eggs;  knead  the  whole  together  with 
some  warm  cream,  a little  nutmeg,  and  a 


very  little  salt.  Lay  it  before  the  fire  till 
it  rises  very  light;  and  then  knead  in  a 
pound  of  fresh  butter  and  a pound  of  large 
round  carraway  or  Scotch  comfits.  Make 
them  up  in  the  usual  form  of  buns,  or  any 
other  shape  or  size,  and  bake  them  on  flour- 
ed papers,  in  a quick  oven.  These  buns 
are  truly  excellent ; and,  by  leaving  out 
the  comfits,  and  substituting  milk  for  the 
cream,  and  mountain  wine,  &c.  a very  good 
cheap  and  common  bun  may  be  easily- 
made. 

Good  Whigs,  to  eat  with  Ale,  &$c. 

In  London  the  various  sorts  of  common 
buns  make  whigs little  regarded;  where,  in- 
deed, the  name  of  them  is  now  far  from  gene- 
rally known:  they  are,  however,  still  free- 
ly used  in  many  parts  of  the  country,  be- 
ing much  the  same  as  the  commonest  buns 
of  the  metropolis,  only  formed  into  very 
considerably  larger  cakes,  and  not  of  quite 
so  light  a fabric.  A very  good  sort  of 
these  whigs  is  to  be  made  by  the  following 
process — Rub  a quarter  of  a pound  of  but- 
ter into  two  pounds  of  flour,  till  none  of 
it  be  visible;  and,  with  about  half  a pint 
of  warm  cream,  and  half  the  quantity  of 
ale  yeast,  mix  it  up  into  a light  paste, 
and  put  it  before  the  fire  to  rise.  Then 
get  ready  a grated  nutmeg,  with  some 
beaten  mace  and  cloves,  a quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  carraway  seeds,  and  a quarter  of 
a pound  of  sugar;  and,  having  well  worked 
all  in,  roll  the  dough  out  tolerably  thin, 
and  make  the  whigs  up  into  what  size  and 
form  may  be  thought  proper.  They  are 
often  made  into  a large  round  cake  cross- 
ed, so  as  easily  to  be  divided  in  quarters; 
this,  however,  is  quite  discretional.  hen 
made  up,  put  them  on  tin  plates,  set  them 
before  the  fire,  or  hold  them  in  front  of  the 


42 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


oven,  till  they  again  rise,  and  bake  them 
in  a quick  oven. 

Excellent  Medicine  fur  Shortness  of  Breath. 

Mix  three  quarters  of  an  ounce  of  fine- 
ly powdered  senna,  half  an  ounce  of  flour 
of  brimstone,  and  a quarter  of  an  ounce 
ot  pounded  ginger,  in  four  ounces  of  clari- 
fied honey.  I ake  the  bigness  of  a nut- 
meg every  night  and  morning,  for  five 
days  successively;  afterwards  once  a week, 
for  some  time;  and,  finally,,  once  a fort- 
night. 

Genuine  Receipt  for  making  the  Celebrated 
Arquebusade  Water. 

This  incomparable  vulnerary  water, 
both  for  internal  and  external  wounds, 
derives  it’s  name  from  having  been  origi- 
nally famous  as  a successful  military  re- 
medy for  persons  wounded  bv  the  bullet 
of  an  arquebus,  or  hand-gun  ; which  was 
somewhat  larger  than  a musket,  and  for- 
merly much  used  in  the  army,  by  soldiers 
Mho  were  called  arquebusiers.  The  nu- 
merous articles  used  in  making  this  excel- 
lent water,  may  possibly  prevent  it’s  being 
often  properly  prepared.  These,  however, 
are  the  respective  ingredients,  &c.  for  that 
purpose— Take  four  handfuls  each  of  the 
greater  comfrey,  mugwort,  and  the  lesser* 
sage;  and  two  handfuls  each  of  agrimony, 
angelica,  betony,  buglos,  the  greater  daisy, 
the  lesser  daisy,  fennel,  figwort,  St.  John’s 
wort,  mouse-ear,  long  plantain,  round 
plantain,  sanicle,  green  tobacco,  vervain,  i 
and  wormwood.  Having  picked  clean,  and  ' 
chopped,  all  these  herbs,  they  are  to  be  well 
beaten  in  a stone  mortar,  put  into  an  ear- 
then pot,  and  have  two  quarts  of  white  wine 
poured  over  them.  After  steeping  them 
twenty-four  hours,  place  them  in  an  alem- 


bic; with  about  three  pints  of  water  at  bot- 
tom to  keep  them  from  burning,  and  draw  off 
two  quarts.  About  a quart  of  a weaker  sort 
may  be  afterwards  obtained,  to  be  kept 
separate  for  common  use,  on  anv  slight  occa- 
sions. These  distilled  waters  are  to  be 
set  in  the  sun  for  forty  d;nrs,  but  never  to 
be  exposed  to  the  rain  or  evening  dew. 
IV  hen  the  arquebusade  water  is  used  for 
small  external  wounds,  bruises,  burns,  &c. 
it  will  be  sufficient  to  warm  a small  quan- 
tity of  it  in  a tea-spoon  over  the  flame  of  a 
candle,  with  a very  little  powdered  sugar, 
and  apply  it  to  the  part  affected  on  lint 
or  a fine  linen  rag.  But,  for  large  and  deep 
wounds,  after  making  a sufficient  quantity 
lukewarm,  with  the  addition  of  a little 
double-refined  sugar,  the  wound  must  be 
first  washed  with  it ; and,  if  deep,  syringed : 
after  which,  a large  compress  well  steeped 
in  the  arquebusade  water,  must  be  placed 
on  the  wound;  and,  over  that,  a cabbage 
leaf,  to  keep  it  in  a cool  state.  In  severe 
wounds,  it  will  be  proper  thus  to  dress 
them  at  least  tw  o or  three  times  a day.  This 
w^ater  is  not  only  said  to  take  away  inflam- 
mation, but  even  to  draw  out  extraneous 
bodies,  which  so  commonly  accompany 
gunshot  wounds,  from  the  wadding,  cloath- 
ing,  &c.  It  is  also  excellent  for  persons 
Who  are  bruised  or  u'ounded  by  a fall; 
and,  in  short,  for  all  sorts  of  wounds  or 
bruises,  whether  old  or  recent,  and  inter- 
nal as  well  as  external.  For  any  inward 
hurt  or  bruise,  half  a small  wine-glassful 
is  to  be  taken  at  a time,  covering  the  pa- 
tient up  warm  after  drinking  it.  Dr.  Wil- 
lich  observes,  that  arquebusade  water  re- 
ceived this  name  from  it’s  great  efficacy  in 
healing  gun-shot  wounds;  though  it  is,  at 
present,  with  more  propriety,  applied  to 
bruises,  tumors  arising  from  blow's,  and 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


43 


particularly  to  suggillated  parts  contain- 
ing coagulated  blood.  Various mixturesare 
used  for  this  purpose;  “ but,”  adds  the  doc- 
tor, “ according  to  our  experience,  the  fol- 
lowing deserves  the  preference,  both  on  ac- 
count of  the  easy  manner  of  preparing  it, 
and  it’s  superior  virtues — Take  distilled 
vinegar,  and  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  of 
each  one  pound  and  a half;  double-refined 
loaf  sugar,  half  a pound;  and  five  ounces 
of  common  oil  of  vitriol.  This  composition 
may  be  applied  to  the  injured  parts  in  a 
cold  or  lukewarm  state;  and  the  compresses 
should  be  kept  continually  moist,  for  as 
soon  as  they  become  dry  the  pain  is  liable 
to  return.  By  it’s  astringent  property,  it 
contracts  the  skin  ; and  the  sugar,  which 
settles  on  it  not  unlike  a coating  of  glue, 
ought  to  be  carefully  washed  off,  every 
other  or  third  day,  with  Goulard  water. 
No  other  remedy  is  equal  to  this,  if  it  be 
properly  and  timely  applied ; but  we  think 
it  necessary  to  add,  that  care  must  be  taken 
not  to  sprinkle  or  shed  any  of  the  mixture 
on  cloaths  or  linen,  which  would  be  burnt 
and  destroyed  by  it’s  causticity.”  Surely, 
when  Dr.  Willich  recommends  this  as  a 
substitute  for  the  arquebusade  water,  un- 
der that  name  too,  he  must  quite  have  for- 
gotten that  the  original  arquebusade  water 
is  an  internal  as  well  as  external  medicine, 
and  frequently  to  be  found  so  recommend- 
ed in  medicinal  books.  Of  he  would  have 
felt  it  necessary  to  have  given  a still  more 
important  caution  than  even  the  very  ne- 
cessary one  of  saving  the  cloaths  from  de- 
struction; since  a very  small  portion  of  this 
powerful  preparation,  if  unfortunately  swal- 
lowed by  a person  of  the  strongest  consti- 
tution, would  most  probably  occasion  im- 
mediate death!  It  is  hoped,  therefore,  that 
however  excellent  Dr.  Willich’s  prepara- 


tion may  be  for  outward  bruises,  it  has 
never  been,  nor  ever  will  be,  vended  as  ar- 
quebusade water.  To  prevent  any  such 
shocking  calamity,  it  may  be  advisable 
never  to  take  inwardly  any  substitute  for 
arquebusade  water;  but  either  to  undergo 
the  trouble  of  making  it  according  to  the 
genuine  receipt,  or  confine  the  use  of  what 
is  so  called  to  external  application  only. 

Method  of  expeditiously  Fattening  Chickens. 

AMONG  the  many  silly  prejudices  which 
exist  in  England  against  the  more  general 
use  of  rice,  is  that  of  remarking  it’s  total 
unfitness  for  feeding  fowls.  This  may  be 
true  enough,  if  it  be  given  them  in  so  hard 
a state  as  to  pass  without  dissolution;  but, 
perhaps,  there  is  scarcely  any  tiling  which 
will  sooner  fatten  the  most  delicate  chick- 
ens than  this  very  article,  when  it  is  properly 
prepared — Take,  for  that  purpose,  aquan 
tity  of  rice,  and  grind  or  pound  it  into  a 
fine  flour;  mix  sufficient  for  present  use 
with  milk  and  a little  coarse  sugar;  stir 
the  whole  well  over  the  fire,  till  it  makes 
a thick  paste ; and  feed  the  chickens,  in  the 
day-time  only,  by  putting  as  much  of  it 
as  they  can  eat,  but  no  more,  into  the 
troughs  belonging  to  their  coops.  It  must 
be  eaten  while  warm;  and,  if  they  have 
also  beer  to  drink,  they  will  soon  grow 
veryr  fat.  A mixture  of  oatmeal  and  trea- 
cle, combined  till  it  crumbles,  is  said  to 
form  a food  for  chickens,  of  which  they 
are  so  fond,  and  with  which  they  thrive 
so  rapidly,  that  at  the  end  of  two  months 
they  become  as  large  as  the  generality  of 
full-grown  fowls  fed  in  the  common  way. 

Lord  Orford’s  curious  Method  of  Feeding 
Carp  in  Ponds. 

Make  a gallon  of  barley  meal,  three 


44 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


pounds  of  chalk,  and  a good  quantity  of 
fine  clay,  into  a very  stifl  paste ; put  it  into 
a net,  and  place  it  so  as.  to  hang  about  a 
foot  from  the  bottom  of  the  water.  When 
the  carp  have  sucked  away  all  but  the  clay, 
supply  them  with  more  made  up  in  the 
same  manner ; and,  in  three  weeks  or  a 
month,  they  will  be  found  exceedingly  fut. 

Candied  Angelica. 

Take  young  stalks  of  angelica,  about 
the  month  of  April;  and,  cutting  them  in 
proper  lengths,  boil  them  till  they  are  quite 
tender  in  a closely  covered  saucepan.  Then 
take  them  out,  and  peel  otf  all  the  strings; 
after  which,  put  the  pieces  of  angelica 
again  into  the  water,  and  let  them  simmer 
and  scald  till  they  become  very  green. 
Take  them  up;  dry  them  well  in  a cloth; 
and,  putting  them  in  a pan,  add  to  them 
their  exact  weight  of  double-refined  beaten 
and  sifted  sugar,  regularly  strewed  over 
the  whole  of  them.  Let  them  thus  remain 
two  days,  and  then  boil  them  in  the  sugar 
till  they  look  very  clear.  Put  them  in  a ' 
colander,  to  drain  oil'  the  syrup;  and,  tak- 
ing a little  double-refined  sugar,  boil  it  to 
sugar  again,  throw  in  the  pieces  of  ange- 
lica, take  them  out  very  soon,  lay  them  on 
a plate  or  dish,  let  them  be  thoroughly 
dried  near  the  fire,  or  in  an  oven  after  every 
thing  else  is  drawn, and  keep  them  in  boxes 
for  use. 

Excellent  Diet  Bread 

SlFT  a pound  of  the  finest  flour,  and  dry 
it  well  by  the  fire.  Beat  up  eight  eggs, 
for  a short  time  ; and  then,  adding  a pound 
of  beaten  and  sifted  loaf  sugar,  by  degrees, 
continue  beating  them  together  for  an  hour 
and  a half.  Then,  having  before  taken 
the  flour  from  the  fire,  strew  it  in  cold; 


| with  half  an  ounce  of  carr array  and  cori- 
ander seeds,  mixed  together  and  slightly 
: bruised.  The  beating,  in  the  mean  time,, 
must  not  cease,  or  be  at  all  discontinued, 
till  the  whole  is  put  into  the  paper  mould 
or  hoop,  and  set  in  a quick  but  not  too  hot 
oven.  One  hour  will  be  quite  sufficient 
to  bake  it. 

Fine  Paste  Royal,  for  Sweet  Florendlncs  and 
Madc-Dislies,  Rich  Tarts,  §c. 

To  a quarter  of  a perk  of  the  finest  sift- 
ed flour,  take  a pound  and  a half  of  the 
best  fresh  butter,  with  four  yolks  of  eggs, 
two  whites,  and  a quarter  of  a pound  of 
finely  powdered  loaf  sugar.  Break  the 
butter,  by  small  bits,  into  the  flour;  sift 
over  it  the  sugar;  and,  making  a hole  in 
the  centre,  break  into  it  the  eggs,  and  wet 
the  paste  with  cream,  sack,  and  rose  or 
orange-flower  water. 

Paste  for  Pasties,  Seasoned  Flbrcndines  and 
Made-Dishes,  8$c. 

To  a quartern  of  flour,  take  a pound  and 
a half  of  butter;  break  it  in  small  bits 
among  the  flour,  and  make  a paste,  not 
over  stiff,  with  a sufficient  quantity  of  cold 
water.  If  wanted  to  be  of  a superior  qua- 
lity, two  volks  of  eggs,  with  the  whites 
whipped  up  to  snow,  may  be  introduced 
before  the  water, 

i 

Puff  Paste,  for  Tarts,  Cheese-Cakes,  fyc. 

To  a quartern  of  flour,  take  two  pounds 
of  the  finest  fresh  butter,  with  four  yolks- 
and  two  whites  of  eggs.  Break  into  the 
flour,  by  small  pieces,  a fourth  part  of  the 
butter;  then  break  the  eggs  into  a bason, 
beat  them  up,  put  some  water  to  them,  and 
pour  a sufficient  quantity  in  the  flour  to 
make  a tolerably  stiff  paste.  Roll  the  whole 
into  a leaf  of  paste  about  a quarter  of  an. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


45 


inch  thick;  stick-  it  ail  over  with  Bits  of 
butter,  and  double  it  up  into  five  or  six 
leaves.  Then  roll  it  out  again  to  about 
the  thickness  of  half  an  inch,"  lay  bits  of 
butter  over  it  as  before,  and  then  double 
it  up  again  in  the  same  manner.  Thus 
continue  to  do,  till  all  the  butter  is  laid  on 
the  paste,  and  properly  rolled  in ; for  it  must 
neither  be  moulded  nor  kneaded.  Every 
time  the  paste  is  rolled  out,  and  the  butter 
laid  on,  flour  must  be  lightly  strewed  over 
the  butter,  before  doubling  up  the  leaf  of 
paste,  as  well  as  on  the  board,  and  over 
the  top ; for  it  must  neither  stick  to  the 
board  nor  the  rolling  pin. 

Delicate  SugarPaste, for  Tarts,  or  Rich  Cheese- 
cakes, made  of  Sweetmeats,  rich  Fruits,  &$c. 

To  a quartern  of  flour,  take  a pound  of 
fresh  butter,  and  half  a pound  of  fine  pow- 
dered  loaf  sugar.  The  butter  must  be 
rubbed  into  the  flour  by  such  minute  bits 
as  to  seem  like  grated  bread;  then  the 
sugar  must  be  sifted  through  a fine  sieve, 
and  well  rubbed  into  the  flour,  which  is 
to  be  made  into  a stiff  paste  with  water 
that  has  been  boiled.  A little  rose  or 
orange-flower  water  may  also  be  added. 

Standing  Paste,  or  Raised  Crust,  for  Pies 
baked  without  Dishes  or  Pattypans. 

To  a quartern  of  flour,  take  half  a pound 
of  butter;  melt  the  butter  in  boiling  wa- 
ter, and  then  make  up  the  paste,  but  not 
too  stiff,  while  the  butter  is  hot. 

Paste  for  Custards  and  standing  Ornaments 
in  Pastry. 

POUR  boiling  water  into  any  quantity 
of  flour,  sufficient  to  form  a paste  rather 
stiff.  This  simple  paste,  when  well  work- 
ed up,  will  keep  any  shape  into  which  it 
may  be  moulded. 


Curious  German  Method  of  Baking  and  Selling 
Ready-made  Pie  Crusts. 

In  some  foreign  countries,  and  particu- 
larly at  Vienna,  it  is  common  for  persons 
to  prepare  all  the  internal  parts  of  pies, 
tarts,  (Sec.  at  home,  in  a stewpan  over  their 
stoves,  and  to  send  to  the  bakers  their 
dishes,  for  a ready-made  lining  and  top  of 
the  proper  paste,  which  is  baked  separately 
in  afewminutes;  and,  being  filled  with  the 
prepared  fruit,  meat,  &c.  the  top  is  placed 
on,  and  it  is  served  up  as  a baked  pie. 
Frequently,  for  small  pies  or  tarts,  there 
is  only  a bottom  and  top  crust.  This  prac- 
tice of  having  crusts  ready  prepared,  has 
been  introduced  at  a house  famous  for  pies, 
&e.  in  London,  by  an  ingenious  foreign 
restaurateur.  The  mode  has  it’s  conveni- 
ence; but,  perhaps,  on  the  whole,  though 
the  crust  is  certainly  less  liable  to  be  spoil- 
ed in  the  oven,  the  internal  part  can  sel- 
dom be  quite  so  well  prepared  in  a stew- 
pan. 

Delicate  Ice  for  Tarts,  fyc. 

Take  a little  yolk  of  egg,  and  melted 
butter;  and  having  beat  them  very  well 
together,  dip  in  a quill  feather,  wash  over 
the  tarts  with  it,  and  sift  sugar  on  them 
just  as  they  are  going  into  the  oven. 

The  famous  Portugal  Decoction  or  Diet  Drink 
in  Fevers. 

Boil  rather  more  than  a pint  and  a half 
of  spring  vvater  ; and  put  into  it  half  a gill  of 
lemon-juice,  two  ounces  of  fine  powdered 
loaf  sugar,  and  a scruple  of  cochineal.  Let 
the  mixture  continue  boiling  a little,  just 
for  the  scum  to  be  taken  off;  put  it  by,  to 
cool  and  settle;  and,  pouringoff  the  clear, 
add  to  it  a gill  of  damask-rose  water.  “ This 
M 


46- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


decoction,”  says  a most  learned  and  eminent 
physician,  “ comes  recommended  by  it’s 
pleasant  colour  and  grateful  taste,  and  is  a 
most  desirable  drink  i n fevers ; for  it  restrains 
the  heat  and  fever  of  the  stomach  and  blood, 
quenches  thirst,  and  acts  as  a gentle  diu- 
retic. “ Let  it  be  drank  at  pleasure,”  adds 
the  learned  doctor,  “ without  any  limita- 
tion.” 

Saponaceous  Draught  for  the  Yellow  Jaun- 
dice, 8gc. 

Take  from  two  scruples  to  four,  accord- 
ing to  the  age  and  state  of  the  patient  and 
the  disease,  boil  it  in  six  ounces  of  milk, 
till  reduced  to  four;  then  add  three  drams  j 
of  sugar,  and  strain  it  for  a draught.  This 
quantity  is  to  betaken  every  morning  and 
afternoon  for  four  or  five  days,  and  is  rec- 
koned a most  prevailing  medicine  against 
the  jaundice.  According  to  the  celebrated 
Barbette,  a similar  saponaceous  draught 
cured  a young  woman  of  the  most  dread- 
ful epileptic  fits,  with  which  she  had  been 
afflicted  almost  a whole  year,  commonly 
holding  her-  from  seven  in  the  morning  till 
nine  at  night.  After  once  purging  her,  he 
twice  a day  gave  her  half  a drain  of  Venice 
soap,  boiled  in  six  ounces  of  milk  to  three, 
for  each  dose;  and,  in  about  thirty  days, 
entirely  cured  her. 

Dr.  Fuller's  Chemical  Snuff',  for  the  Ilcad- 
Ach,  Palsy,  and  Drowsy  Distempers. 

MEDICINAL  snuffs,  or  errhines,  are  chief- 
ly to  be  used  in  the  morning;  but,  if  need- 
ful, at  any  other  time  also.  “ They  draw,” 
Dr.  Fuller  observes,  “ out  of  the  head  and 
nose,  abundance  of  water,  mucus,  and  vis- 
cid phlegm,  and  are  pertinently  prescribed 
against  such  illnesses  of  the  head  as  are  caus- 
ed by  tough,  clammy  matter,  and  have  been 


; of  long  continuance  and  contumacious; 

I such  as  gravative  head-ache,  palsy,  and 
I drowsy  distempers.”  He  particularly  re-» 
| commends,  for  these  purposes,  a snuff  made 
in  the  following  manner — Take  half  a 
! scruple  of  turbith  mineral,  half  a dram  of 
I powdered  liquorice,  a scruple  of  nutmeg, 
and  two  drops  of  oil  of  rosemary ; make 
them  all  into  a fine  powder,  and  snuff  up 
into  the  nose  a very  small  quantity.  This 
is  so  wonderfully  powerful,  that  it  brings 
off  thin  lympha  as  if  it  raised  a salivation 
through  the  nose,  so  plentifully  and  stream- 
ingly,  that  no  person  could  have  imagined 
who  had  never  seen  it’s  effects.  He  ad- 
vises, therefore,  that  it  should  not  be  often 
repeated,  without  snuffing  up  after  it  a 
little  warm  milk  or  oil,  to  prevent  any  sore- 
ness by  fretting  the  membrane  of  the  nostrils. 

Epileptic  Electuary,  for  the  Cure  of  Falling 
Fits,  Hysterics,  and  even  St.  Vitus's  Dance. 

Take  six  drams  of  powdered  Peruvian 
bark,  two  drams  of  pulverized  Virginian 
snake  root,  and  a sufficient  quantity  of 
syrup  of  piony  to  make  it  up  into  a soft 
electuary.  This  is  said,  by  a celebrated 
physician,  to  have  been  experimentally 
found  a most  prevalent  and  most  certain 
remedy.  One  dram  of  this  electuary,  after 
due  evacuations,  being  given  to  grown 
persons,  and  a less  dose  to  those  who  are 
younger,  ever}'  morning  and  evening  for 
three  or  four  months,  and  then  repeated  for 
three  or  four  days  before  the  change  and  full 
of  the  moon,  absolutely  eradicates  epileptic 
and  hysteric  diseases;  and  also  those  odd 
epileptic  saltations  called  St.  Vitus’s  dance, 
in  which  the  unfortunate  patient  is  afflicted 
with  singular  gesticulations  and  leapings, 
which  have  given  rise  to  the  name  of  that 
terrible  disease. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


47 


Incomparable  Apricot  Wine. 

Take  eight  pounds  of  ripe  apricots,  slice 
them  into  two  gallons  of  spring  water,  and 
add  five  pounds  of  powdered  loaf  sugar. 
Boil  them  together  for  some  time,  with- 
out taking  off  the  scum ; then  skim  it  off, 
as  it  continues  to  rise,  and  put  it  in  a clean 
sieve  over  a pan,  to  save  the  liquor  which 
comes  from  it.  When  the  boiling  liquor 
is  as  clear  as  it  can  be  made  from  the  dross 
of  the  sugar,  pour  it  with  the  drainings  of 
the  sieve  hot  on  the  kernels  of  the  apricots; 
which  must  be  put,  with  the  stones,  into 
the  pan  where  it  is  intended  the  wine  should 
be  left  to  cool.  Stir  it  well  together,  cover 
it  closely  up  till  it  grows  quite  cool,  and 
then  work  it  with  a toast  and  yeast.  In 
two  or  three  days,  when  it  is  found  to  be 
settled,  fine  it  off  into  a cask,  leaving  it 
to  ferment  as  long  as  it  will.  After  it  has 
done  working,  pour  in  a bottle  of  old  hock, 
mountain,  or  sherry,  and  stop  it  up  for  six 
months ; then,  if  very  fine,  bottle  it  oft',  and 
keep  it  twelve  months.  This  is,  indeed, 
a most  delicious  wine;  and,  when  well 
managed,  little  inferior  to  the  best  produc- 
tions of  the  grape. 

Expeditious  and  Effectual  Remedy  for  St. 

Anthony's  Fire. 

Take  equal  parts  of  fine  spirit  or  oil  of 
turpentine  and  highly  rectified  spirits  of 
wine;  mix  them  well  together,  and  anoint 
the  face  gently  with  a feather  dipped  in  it 
immediately  after  shaking  the  bottle.  Do  this 
often,  always  first  shaking  the  bottle,  and 
taking  care  never  to  approach  the  eyes, 
and  it  will  generally  effect  a cure  in  a day 
or  two;  for,  though  it  seems  at  first  to  in- 
flame, it  actually  softens  and  heals.  This 
is  transcribed  from  a valuable  collection. 


Delicate  little  Carraway  Puddings. 

Take  a pint  of  cream,  with  six  yolks  of 
eggs  and  three  whites;  beat  them  well  to- 
gether, and  put  in  two  ounces  and  a half 
of  Naples  biscuit,  or  grated  crumb  of  a 
small  loaf  to  about  the  same  weight,  a little 
nutmeg,  a spoonful  of  mountain  w ine,  and 
another  of  rose  or  orange-flower  water. 
Beat  the  whole  together  for  a quarter  of  an 
hour,  and  season  it  with  a very  little  salt, 
adding  sugar  to  palate.  Then  butter  several 
little  custard  pans;  and  into  some  put 
stoned  raisins,  in  others  carraway  comfits, 
in  others  candied  peels  cut  small,  and  in 
others  currants:  but,  chiefly, carraway  com- 
fits. Fill  up  the  pans  with  the  batter  ; and 
set  them  in  a brisk  oven.  When  they  are 
baked  turn  them  out  hot,  and  set  them 
bottom  upward.  They  will  appear  of  a 
bright  yellow  colour;  and  may  be  served 
up  with  butter,  sugar,  and  a little  mountain 
wine,  melted  together,  and  poured  over 
the  puddings,  or  in  a sauce  boat. 

Best  JVapIes  Biscuits. 

Put  a pound  of  the  wdiitest  Lisbon  sugar 
into  half  a pint  of  water,  with  a small  wine 
glassful  of  orange-flower  water,  and  boil 
them  till  the  sugar  is  entirely  melted.  Break 
eight  eggs,  whisk  them  well  together,  and 
pour  the  syrup  boiling  hot  on  the  eggs; 
whisking  all  the  while  of  pouring  it  in,  and 
till  the  mixture  becomes  quite  cold.  Then 
lightly  mix  with  it  a pound  of  fine  sifted 
flour,  and  put  three  sheets  of  paper  on  the 
baking  plate;  make  the  edges  of  one  sheet 
stand  up  nearly  two  inches  high,  pour  into 
it  the  batter,  sift  some  powdered  loaf  sugar 
over  the  top,  and  set  it  in  the  oven,  where 
it  must  be  closely  attended,  or  will  soon 
burn  at  the  top.  When  carefully  baked. 


48 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


let  it  stand  till  cold  in  the  paper;  afterwards 
wet  the  bottom  of  the  paper,  till  it  comes 
easily  off.  The  biscuits,  may  then  be  cut  J 
into  whatever  size  is  most  agreeable.  In- 
deed, if  it  should  be  preferred,  the  batter 
may  be  at  first  fdled  into  small  tins,  and  so 
baked  separately,  but  this  is  very  seldom 
done. 

Rich  Custards,  either  for  Cups  or  Crust. 

Take  a quart  of  cream,  and  boil  it  with 
half  a grated  nutmeg,  and  a little  cinnamon. 
Keep  it  stirring  all  the  while;  and,  when 
it  has  boiled  a short  time,  pour  it  into  a pan, 
and  stir  it  till  it  grows  cool,  to  prevent  it’s 
scumming.  Then  beat  the  yolks  of  eight 
eggs  with  the  whites  of  three,  and  stir  them  in- 
to the  cooled  cream;  adding  a very  little  salt, 
sugar  to  the  palate,  and  some  rose  or  orange 
flower  water.  Strain  all  through  a hair 
sieve,  and  fill  the  cups  or  crusts  in  which 
they  are  to  be  baked.  They  must  be  set 
in  a tolerably  quick  oven ; and,  when  they 
boil  up,  are  sufficiently  done.  If,  at  any 
time,  small  custards  in  cups  or  basons 
should  be  wanted  when  it  is  inconvenient 
to  bake  them,  by  preparing  a kettle  of  boil- 
ing hot  water,  and  setting  them  in  it  so,  as 
for  them  to  stand  at  least  one  third  part 
above  the  surface, while  it  is  kept  only  gently 
boiling  lest  it  should  get  into  the  cups,  they  ! 
will  very  soon  be  enough  done;  and,  being 
browned  after  taking  them  up,  by  holding 
over  them  a heated  flat  iron,  will  seldom 
be  discovered  not  to  have  been  baked  in 
an  oven. 

Speedy  Remedy  for  a Bruised  Eye. 

Boil  a handful  of  hysop  leaves  in  a little 
water,  till  they  are  quite  tender;  then  put 
them  up  in  linen,  apply  it  hot  to  the  eye, 
tie  it  on  tightly  at  bed-time,  and  the  eye 


will  next  day  be  quite  well.  This  receipt 
is  taken  from  a large  and  valuable  codec* 
tion  which  appears  to  have  formerly  belong- 
ed to  the  family  of  the  Earls  of  Shaftesbury  ; 
and  it  is  therein  added,  that  “ a man  who 
had  his  thigh  terribly  bruised  by  the  kick 
ot  a horse,  was  cured  in  a few  hours,  only 
by  a poultice  of  the  leaves  of  hyssop,  cut 
or  minced  very  small,  and  beaten  up  with 
unsalted  butter.” 

The  Dutchess  of  Rutland’s  Stomach  Plaister 
for  a Cough. 

Take  bees-wax,  Burgundy  pitch,  and 
resin,  each  an  ounce;  melt  them  together 
in  a clean  pipkin,  and  then  stir  in  three 
quarters  of  an  ounce  of  common  turpen- 
tine, and  half  an  ounce  of  oil  of  mace. 
Spread  it  on  a piece  of  sheep’s  leather, 
grate  some  nutmeg  over  the  whole  plaister, 
and  apply  it  quite  warm  to  the  region  of 
the  stomach. 

• 

Oil  of  Brown  Paper,  for  Burns. 

Take  a piece  of  the  thickestcoarse  brown 
paper,  and  dip  it  in  the  best  sallad  oil.; 
then  set  the  paper  on  fire,  and  carefully 
preserve  all  the  oil  that  drops  for  use.  This 
is  said  to  be  an  admirable  remedy  for  all 
sorts  of  burns.  Oil  of  writing  paper,  col- 
lected in  a similar  manner,  is  often  re- 
commended for  the  tooth-ache. 

Excellent  and  wholesome  Beef  Broth. 

To  a single  steak  of  fine  beef  cut  off  the 
rump  or  buttock,  and  weighing  one  pound, 
add  three  pints  of  water,  a blade  of  mace, 
and  a very  little  salt.  Let  it  simmer  till 
reduced  to  a quart,  strain  it  off,  set  it  to 
cool,  take  off  the  fat  when  cold,  and  warm 
it  as  wanted.  The  beef  is  not  to  be  at  all 
bruised, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Oyster- Shell  Lime-  Water. 

In  the  collection  from  which  the  four 
last  receipts  are  extracted,  as  well  as  many 
others  in  this  work,  is  the  following  me- 
thod of  making  lime-water  with  oyster- 
shells — Take  a pound  and  a quarter  of 
oyster-shells,  burnt  in  an  oven,  or  other 
strong  wood  or  coal  fire,  and  throw  them, 
when  red  hot  and  thoroughly  calcined,  in- 
to a gallon  of  cold  water;  from  which,  after 
standing  four  hours,  and  being  well  stirred, 
the  liquor  should  be  filtered  through  paper, 
and  bottled  and  closely  corked  for  use.  Old 
oyster-shells,  which  have  been  often  wash- 
ed with  rain,  are  better  than  those  more 
recent,  as  the  salt  they  then  contain  makes 
them  apt  to  crackle  and  fly.  The  shells  of  the 
Colchester  or  native  oysters,  though  small, 
are  preferable  to  the  larger  sorts.  If  the 
lime-water  fails  to  turn  syrup  of  violets 
green,  it  is  a sign  that  it  has  lost  it’s  vir- 
tue; which,  on  being  five  days  exposed 
to  the  air,  will  undoubtedly  happen.  Lady 
Wallingford  had  this  receipt  from  the  Duke 
of  Beaufort;  who  used  it  for  the  gout,  and 
found  great  benefit.  “ The  Dutchess  of 
Rutland,”  it  is  added,  “ gave  me  this — 
Take  twenty  oyster-shells,  and  burn  them 
red  edgeways  till  they  are  rotten:  then, 
taking  them  singly  out  with  the  tongs, 
blow  off  the  coals;  put  them  into  a gallon 
of  water;  stir  and  break  them  to  pieces 
with  a stick;  and,  after  they  have  stood  two 
or  three  hours,  filter  the  liquor  through  a 
filtering  paper  in  a kitchen  sieve,  and  put 
it  up  in  well  corked  bottles  for  use.”  It  is 
singular,  that  some  modern  medical  writers 
should  insist  there  is  no  medical  difference 
between  common  lime,  and  shell  lime; 
yet,  at  the  very  same  time,  earnestly  re- 
commend the  latter  to  particular  attention. 


41) 

as  undoubtedly  making  a more  powerful 
cement  or  mortar ! If  it  differ  essentially 
as  a cement,  which  is  on  all  hands  agreed, 
there  seems  abundant  reason  to  suppose 
that  it  may  also  materially  differ1  as  a me- 
dicine. Perhaps,  acute  observation  might 
discover  distinct  properties  even  in  all  the 
various  shells  of  different  species  of  fish, 
down  to  the  crustaceous  coverings  of  lob- 
sters, crabs,  &c.  which  last  are  in  some  de- 
gree so  acknowledged  by  the  faculty  m 
general. 

Common  Lime-Water. 

Take  a pound  of  fresh-burnt  quick  or 
unslacked  lime,  put  it  into  a glazed  earthen 
vessel,  pour  over  it  a gallon  and  a half  of 
boiling  hot  spring  water, stir  it  well,  and  co- 
ver it  closely  up  till  it  gets  quite  cold.  Then 
scum  it  clean,  again  close  it  up,  let  it  stand 
two  days,  pour  off  the  clear  into  glass  bot- 
tles, and  preserve  it  for  use.  If  kept  well 
stopped,  it’s  virtues  are  said  to  be  rather 
improved  than  diminished  by  age.  The 
medical  uses  of  lime-water  are  thus  de- 
scribed in  the  last  edition  of  the  Edin- 
burgh Dispensatory — cc  When  applied  to 
the  living  fibre,  lime-water  corrugates  and 
shortens  it;  it,  therefore,  possesses  astrin- 
gent powers.  It  is  also  a powerful  antacid; 
or,  at  least,  it  combines  with  and  neutra- 
lizes acids,  when  it  comes  in  contact  with 
them.  It  also  dissolves  mucus,  and  kills 
intestinal  worms.  From  possessing  these 
properties,  it  is  used  in  medicine,  in  dis- 
eases supposed  to  arise  from  laxity  and 
debility  of  the  solids;  such  as  diarrhoea, 
diabetes,  leucorrhoea,  scrofula,  and  scurvy; 
in  aff  ections  of  the  stomach,  accompanied 
with  acidity  and  flatulence ; when  the  in- 
testines are  loaded  with  mucus;  and,  in 
worms.  It  has  also  been  recommended  in 


N 


dO 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


crusta  lactea,  in  cancers,  and  in  chronic 
cutaneous  diseases.  Externally,  it  is  ap- 
plied to  ill-conditioned  ulcers,  and  gangre- 
nous sores;  as  a wash,  in  tinea  capitis  and 
psora;  and  as  an  injection,  in  gonorrhoea, 
fistulas,  and  ulcers  of  the  bladder.  When 
taken  internally,  it’s  taste  is  said  to  be  best 
covered  by  lukewarm  milk.  It’s  dose  is, 
commonly,  from  two  to  four  ounces,  fre- 
quently repeated;  but,  when  long  con- 
tinued, it  weakens  the  organs  of  digestion.” 
Thus  far  admits  the  Edinburgh  Dispensa- 
tory; but  denies  it’s  efficacy  as  a lithon- 
triptic,  because  “ it  is  scarcely  capable  of 
dissolving,  even  out  of  the  body,  any  of 
the  substances  of  which  urinary  calculi 
consist.”  This,  however,  is  not  altogether 
such  satisfactory  reasoning  as  we  generally 
find  in  that  admirable  work;  though,  cer- 
tainly, lime-water  is  no  longer  relied  on 
as  a specific  for  the  stone,  which  it  was 
once  commonly  esteemed.  In  applying 
lime-water  to  sores,  they  should  be  well 
washed  with  it  warm  for  half  an  hour:  then 
have  a plaister  of  Turner’s  cerate,  or  some 
other  moderate  salve;  and,  over  the  plais- 
ter, a linen  cloth  four  times  double  well 
wetted  with  the  water,  and  kept  wetting  as 
it  dries,  till  the  part  be  healed.  When  taken 
internally,  one  table-spoonful,  morning  and 
night,  is  sufficient  for  a child;  or,  if  very 
young,  half  a table-spoonful.  In  many  of 
the  above  complaints,  it’s  efficacy  is  very 
highly  extolled.  It  is  likewise  said  greatly 
to  assist  in  extracting  the  virtues  of  many 
vegetable  substances. 

Agreeable  Preventative  of  a Consumption. 

Set  two  new-laid  eggs  in  hot  embers, 
till  they  are  thoroughly  warm,  but  without 
suffering  the  whites  to  get  hard;  then  make 
a small  hole  on  the  top  of  each  egg,  pour 


off  the  whites  as  expeditiously  as  possible, 
and  fill  up  the  eggs  with  red-rose  water, 
and  powdered  cinnamon  and  sugar;  warm 
them  again  in  the  embers;  and  eat  them 
as  soon  as  they  are  sufficiently  done.  This 
constantly  repeated,  at  least  once  every 
day,  will  generally  prove  very  effectual  in 
preventing  a decline. 

Muffins  and  Crumpets. 

In  order  to  bake  muffins  and  crumpets 
properly,  a place  is  first  to  be  constructed 
with  a furnace,  as  if  intended  for  a copper; 
but  having  a piece  of  cast  iron  all  over  the 
top,  resembling  the  bottom  of  a copper  or 
large  iron  pot:  and,  when  wanted  for  use, 
a coal  fire  must  be  made  in  the  furnace 
beneath,  exactly  in  the  same  manner  as 
for  heating  a copper.  The  regular  method 
of  preparing  most  excellent  muffins,  is  sim- 
ply as  follows — Put  a quarter  of  a peck 
of  the  finest  and  whitest  flour  into  the 
kneading  trough;  and,  mixing  a pint  and 
a half  of  warm  milk  and  water,  with  a quar- 
ter of  a pint  of  good  mild  ale  yeast,  and  a 
little  salt,  stir  them  well  together  for  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  strain  the  liquor  into 
the  flour,  mix  the  dough  as  high  as  possible, 
and  set  it  for  an  hour  to  rise.  Then  roll 
it  up  with  the  hands,  pull  it  into  pieces  the 
size  of  a large  walnut,  roll  them  in  the  hand 
like  balls,  and  lay  a flannel  over  them  as 
fast  as  they  are  rolled  up,  carefully  keep- 
ing all  the  dough  closely  covered  up  the 
whole  time.  The  whole  dough  being  rolled 
into  balls,  those  first  done  will  be  nearly 
ready  for  baking,  which  is  known  by  their 
spreading  out  into  the  right  form  for  muf- 
fins. Lay  them,  then,  on  the  heated  plate; 
and,  as  the  bottom  begins  to  change  colour, 
instantly  turn  them  on  the  other  side. 
Great  care  must  be  taken,  to  prevent  their 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


burning;  and,  if  the  middle  of  the  plate 
be  too  hot,  a brick  or  two  should  be  placed 
in  the  centre  of  the  fire,  to  slacken  the 
heat  of  the  furnace.  A superior  sort  of 
muffins  is  pretended  to  be  made  by  mixing  a 
pound  of  flour  with  a single  egg,  an  ounce 
of  butter  melted  in  half  a pint  of  milk,  and 
two  table-spoonfuls  of  yeast,  beat  thorough- 
ly together,  set  two  or  three  hours  to  rise, 
and  made  up  and  baked  in  the  usual  way. 
Crumpets  are  commonly  made  with  a thin 
batter  of  flour,  milk,  and  water,  and  a 
very  small  quantity  of  yeast  only,  poured 
on  the  iron  hearth  like  pancakes  into  a 
frying-pan,  which  they  much  resemble 
both  in  form  and  substance.  They  are 
expeditiously  done  on  one  side,  and  must 
be  carefully  turned  in  time  on  the  other. 
Both  muffins  and  crumpets  are  very  agree- 
able with  tea  or  coffee : either  when  but- 
tered hot,  as  soon  as  baked,  or  on  being 
afterwards  well  toasted  and  buttered : the 
crumpets  are  buttered  on  both  sides;  and 
the  muffins  being  cut  round,  and  pulled  open 
in  two  when  toasted,  are  buttered  on  both 
parts  in  the  middle.  Children  are,  in  ge- 
neral, fondest  of  crumpets;  but  muffins 
are  alone  introduced  at  coffee-houses,  &c. 
in  London. 

Fine  French  Macaroons. 

Beat  finely,  in  a marble  mortar,  a quar- 
ter of  a pound  of  blanched  almonds,  with 
four  spoonfuls  of  orange-flower  water;  and, 
whisking  to  a froth  the  whites  of  four  eggs, 
mix  that  and  a pound  of  sifted  loaf  sugar 
to  such  a fine  paste  as  will  drop  well  from 
the  spoon:  then  put  a sheet  or  two  of 
wafer  paper  on  the  tin,  and  drop  on  it  at 
proper  distances,  the  little  cakes,  in  the 
usual  small  oval  forms.  They  must  be 
baked  in  a brisk  oven,  very  brown  and 


51 

crisp,  but  with  great  care  not  to  burn 
them. 

Common  Macaroons. 

Pound  six  ounces  of  blanched  almonds 
with  half  a gill  of  water  and  the  whisked 
whites  of  two  or  three  eggs,  but  not  very 
fine;  then  add  six  ounces  of  Lisbon  sugar, 
mix  the  whole  up  into  a proper  paste,  drop 
them  with  a spoon  on  wafer  paper  laid 
over  the  baking  wire,  and  sift  a little  su- 
gar on  them.  As  these  macaroons  are 
to  be  eaten  moist,  they  must  only  be  baked 
till  they  are  of  a fine  brown  colour.  When 
done,  the  wafer  paper  at  the  bottom  and 
sides  of  each  cake  must  be  left  on,  and  the 
rest  carefully  cut  away. 

Ratafia  Drop  Biscuits. 

These  macaroons,  or  drop  biscuits,  may 
be  made  either  like  the  French  or  common 
macaroons;  by  only  substituting,  for  half 
the  quantity  of  sweet  blanched  almonds, 
an  equal  quanty  of  bitter  ones.  It  is  like- 
wise not  uncommon,  by  way  of  distinc- 
tion, to  make  them  of  a round  and  more 
elevated  form  than  the  flat  and  oval  shape 
of  the  macaroons  properly  so  called.  Other 
drop  biscuits  may  readily  be  made,  by 
similar  and  obvious  substitutions  of  the 
requisite  articles. 

Best  Method  of  making  Blamangc,  or  Blanc- 
Manger. 

BOIL,  till  melted,  a quarter  of  an  ounce 
of  finely  shred  isinglass  in  a pint  of  milk. 
Pound  two  ounces  of  blanched  sweet  al- 
monds, and  six  or  eight  bitter  ones,  very 
fine;  mixing  in  a little  orange-flower  wa- 
ter, and  a small  quantity  of  mace,  cinnamon, 
nutmeg,  and  sugar.  Strain  the  isinglass 
and  milk  into  the  almonds,  &c.  then  let 
them  boil  up  together,  pass  the  whole 


52 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


through  the  sieve,  and  fill  it  into  the  moulds 
prepared  to  receive  it,  from  whence  it  is 
not  to  be  removed  till  quite  cold.  Bla- 
mange  may  thus  be  made  in  any  shape  •, 
and,  from  it’s  nourishing  quality,  should 
never  be  absent  from  a genteel  table,  es- 
pecially where  any  of  the  family  or  visitors 
have  the  smallest  tendency  to  a decline. 
Indeed,  though  so  great  a delicacy,  it  may 
be  considered  as  a most  potential  medicine 
for  consumptive  habits;  and,  if  the  almonds 
&c.  be  reduced  or  omitted,  it  may  be  made 
with  far  less  expence  than  most  medical 
preparations  can  be  procured.  Even  isin- 
glass alone,  boiled  in  milk,  and  sweetened 
with  a little  sugar,  if  freely  eaten  for  a short 
time,  is  found  extremely  beneficial  to  weak- 
ly constitutions. 

Russian  Method  of  Preserving  Green  Peas 
for  Winter. 

Put  into  a kettle  of  boiling  hot  water 
any  quantity  of  fresh-shelled  green  peas ; 
and,  after  letting  them  just  boil  up,  pour 
them  into  a colander.  When  the  liquor 
has  drained  away,  empty  them  in  a large 
thick  cloth,  cover  them  over  noth  another, 
make  them  quite  dry,  and  set  them  once 
or  twice  in  a cool  oven  to  harden  a little; 
after  which,  put  the  peas  into  paper  bags, 
and  hang  them  up  in  the  kitchen  for  use. 
To  prepare  them,  when  wanted,  they  are 
first  well  soaked  for  an  hour  or  more;  and 
then  boiled  in  cold  water,  with  a few  sprigs 
of  mint,  and  a little  butter.  Green  peas 
are  sometimes  kept  in  England,  by  scald- 
ing and  drying  alone,  without  putting  them 
in  an  oven;  they  are  afterwards  bottled 
like  gooseberries  or  damsons,  covered  by 
clarified  suet,  closed  up  with  cork  and  resin, 
and  either  buried  in  the  earth  or  kept  in 
a cool  cellar;  being  boiled,  when  wanted. 


till  quite  tender,  with  mint,  butter,  and 
sugar.  This  last  article,  at  least,  is  cer- 
tainly an  improvement  on  the  Russian  me- 
thod. A dish  of  green  peas,  thus  prepared, 
has  sometimes  agreeably  surprised  friends 
at  a Christmas  dinner. 

Capital  Fish  Sauce. 

Take  three  well  beaten  yolks  of  eggs, 
two  anchovies,  a quarter  of  a pound  of  but- 
ter, with  as  much  flour  as  will  lay  on  the 
point  of  a knife;  two  spoonfuls  of  elder 
vinegar,  a small  bunch  of  sweet  herbs,  and 
a little  pepper,  salt,  and  nutmeg.  Stir  these 
all  on  the  fire  till  the  liquor  is  thick,  but  it 
must  not  be  suffered  to  boil.  If  it  be  not 
sufficiently  sharp,  squeeze  in  a little  lemon- 
juice,  and  pour  it  over  the  fish. 

Delicate  Orange  Posset. 

Squeeze  the  juice  of  two  Seville  oranges 
and  one  lemon  in  a bason  which  holds 
about  a quart;  sweeten  this  like  a syrup, 
with  best  double-refined  sugar;  and,  add- 
ing two  spoonfuls  of  orange-flower  water, 
strain  the  whole  through  a lawn  sieve.  Boil 
rather  more  than  a pint  of  fine  thick  cream, 
with  some  thin  shreds  of  orange  peel;  and, 
when  it  it  is  coo),  pour  it  into  the  juice, 
through  a flannel  bag  held  as  high  as  pos- 
sible from  the  bason  into  which  it  descends. 
It  should  stand  a day  before  it  is  wanted; 
and  must  be  sent  to  table  with  bits  of 
orange,  lemon,  and  citron  peel,  placed  on 
the  top. 

Almond  Hog  Puddings. 

BLANCH  a pound  of  almonds,  and  beat 
them  fine  with  two  spoonfuls  of  mountain 
wine  or  rose-water;  mix  in  a pound  of 
marrow  or  fine  kidney  suet  shred  very 
small,  a pint  of  cream,  the  yolks  of  four- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


53 


teen  eggs,  a glass  of  mountain,  a little 
beaten  mace  and  nutmeg,  and  two  two- 
penny loaves  finely  grated.  Sweeten'  to 
palate;  and  if,  on  well  mixing,  it  should 
appear  too  thick,  add  a little  more  cream. 
Fill  the  guts;  tie  the  puddings  up  close; 
and,  before  they  are  put  in  the  kettle  to 
boil,  wash  them  in  cold  water,  which  will 
keep  them  from  bursting. 

Queen  Cakes. 

Take  a pound  each  of  dried  and  sifted 
flour,  beaten  and  sifted  loaf  sugar,  and 
fine  fresh  butter  washed  in  rose  or  orange- 
flower  water.  Pour  the  water  from  the 
butter;  squeeze  it  well  in  the  hand;  and 
work  it,  by  very  small  bits  at  a time,  with 
half  the  flour  and  six  yolks  but  only  four 
whites  of  eggs,  beaten  well  together,  and 
mixed  with  the  butter.  Then  work  in 
the  rest  of  the  flour  and  the  sugar;  adding 
three  spoonfuls  of  orange-flower  water, alit- 
tle  beaten  mace,  and  a pound  of  nicely  pick- 
ed and  dried  currants.  The  pans  must  be 
well  buttered,  filled  half  full,  have  a little 
double  refined  sugar  sifted  over,  and  be  set 
in  a quick  oven. 

Genuine  French  Noyau,  as  made  at  Paris. 

This  delicious  French  cordial  liqueur, 
generally  so  ill  imitated  in  England,  is 
made  with  the  greatest  ease,  when  the 
right  method  is  known,  where  the  best 
uncoloured  brandy  is  obtainable;  but  it 
will  not  be  sufficient,  to  substitute  malt 
spirit  for  French  brandy,  nor  even  bitter 
almonds  for  apricot  kernels.  The  genuine 
Paris  receipt  is  simply  as  follows — In  nine 
pints  of  white  brandy,  to  which  must  be 
added  a pint  of  orange-flower  water  with  six 
ounces  of  sugar  in  another  pint  of  brandy, 
infuse  for  six  weeks  whatever  quantity  of 


fresh  apricot  kernels  may  be  judged  to 
impart  the  most  approved  flavour.  The 
sugar  must  be  carefully  broken  into  bits, 
and  dipped  into  an  equal  quantity  of  com- 
mon water  the  moment  before  it  is  put 
into  the  infusion.  That  precaution  taken, 
and  these  directions  exactly  followed,  the 
whole  is  to  be  filtered  through  a flannel  or 
cotton  bag,  when  the  process  will  be  com- 
pleat  for  producing  this  charming  French 
liqueur. 

Extract  of  Amber ; or,  excellent  Prepared 
Ambergrease  for  general  Use. 

Take  two  drams  of  ambergrease,  the 
same  quantity  of  white  sugar-candy,  twelve 
grains  of  musk,  and  six  grains  of  civet. 
Beat  the  whole  small  together,  and  put  the 
mixture  into  a glass  stopper  bottle;  then 
pour  on  the  ingredients  four  ounces  of  high- 
ly rectified  spirits  of  wine,  and  place  it  in 
warm  embers  for  twenty-four  hours.  While 
the  mixture  continues  warm,  separate  the 
clear  from  the  dross,  and  keep  it  always 
closely  stopped.  This  extract  is  far  bet- 
ter for  general  use  than  the  best  amber- 
grease alone.  Five  or  six  drops  give  to 
almost  any  article  a most  noble  perfume. 
Half  the  quantity  above  directed  will  last 
most  families  for  a considerable  number 
of  years;  and  it  is  highly  convenient  to 
be  kept,  particularly  at  a distance  from 
London,  because  it  is  often  prescribed  in 
cordials,  &c. 

Admirable  Wash  for  the  Hair,  said  to  thicken 
it's  Growth  better  than  Bear’s  Grease. 

Take  two  ounces  each  of  rosemary, 
maidenhair,  southernwood,  myrtle  berries, 
and  hazel  bark;  and  burn  them  to  ashes 
on  a clean  earth,  or  in  an  oven:  with  these 
ashes  make  a strong  ley,  with  which  wash 
O 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


54 

the  hair  at  the  roots  every  day,  and  keep 
it  cut  short.  This  lixivium,  it  is  said,  will 
destroy  the  worm  at  the  root;  and  prove  far 
more  effectual  than  bear’s  grease,  or  any 
pomatum,  which  rather  feed  than  destroy 
that  unsuspected  enemy  to  the  hair. 

Incomparable  Keeping  Mustard. 

Boil,  a sufficient  quantity  of  horse-radish 
in  the  best  white  wine  vinegar,  add  to  it 
half  as  much  mountain  or  good  raisin  wine, 
and  a little  double-refined  sugar;  then 
make  it  up  to  a proper  consistency  with 
the  best  unadulterated  Durham  flour  of 
mustard,  stop  it  up  close,  and  it  will  keep 
for  years.  Mustard  thus  made  has  an  in- 
conceivably fine  quickness  and  flavour; 
which  may  be  still  farther  improved,  at 
pleasure,  by  using  any  of  the  more  favourite 
vinegars,  according  to  palate,  such  as  elder- 
flower,  tarragon,  raspberry,  &c.  Common 
keeping  mustard  may  be  made  by  only 
substituting  water  for  the  vinegar,  with  or 
without  garlic,  and  a little  salt.  By  well 
pounding  and  finely  sifting  mustard  seed, 
as  flour  of  mustard  is  so  often  adulterated 
with  common  flour,  &c.  it’s  goodness  may 
be  relied  on.  The  flour  of  mustard 
should  be  gradually  mixed  with  the  boil- 
ing water  or  vinegar,  to  a proper  thickness, 
and  rubbed  perfectly  smooth. 

Common  Mustard  for  immediate  Use. 

Mix  up  the  flour  of  mustard,  very  gra- 
dually, with  cold  water,  a little  milk,  salt, 
and  sugar.  A little  cream  is  still  better 
than  milk  ; but,  at  any  rate,  mustard  made 
in  this  manner  is  not  at  all  bitter,  and  may 
therefore  be  instantly  eaten.  It  will  keep 
some  days,  as  well  as  any  mustard  made 
in  the  common  way. 


Best  Savoy  Biscuits. 

Beat  up  twelve  eggs,  leaving  out  half 
the  whites,  with  a small  whisk;  putting  in 
two  or  three  spoonfuls  of  rose  or  orange- 
flower  water,  with  a pound  of  double-relin- 
ed  powdered  and  sifted  sugar,  while  whisk- 
ing them.  When  the  whole  appears  as 
thick  and  white  as  cream,  take  a pound 
and  two  ounces  of  the  finest  and  driest 
sifted  flour,  and  mix  it  in  with  a wooden 
spoon.  Then  make  up  the  batter  into 
long  cakes,  sift  some  sugar  over  them,  and 
put  them  into  a coolish  oven,  or  they  will 
be  very  apt  to  scorch.  Common  Savoy 
biscuits  are  made  by  putting  in  the  whole 
of  the  eggs,  and  leaving  out  the  rose  or 
orange-flow7er  w'ater.  The  manner  of  form- 
ing them  into  shapes  of  about  four  inches 
long,  and  half  an  inch  wide,  is  by  pulling 
along,  on  wafer  paper,  a spoonful  of  bat- 
ter with  a tea-spoon  ; pressing  dow  n the 
batter  at  the  same  time  with  a linger.  They 
must  be  well  watched  while  baking;  and, 
j when  enough,  be  carefully  cut  otf  while 
j hot. 

Fried  Apple  Pasties. 

PARE,  quarter,  and  core,  any  of  the  best 
baking  or  boiling  apples;  boil  them,  till 
tender,  with  a stick  of  cinnamon,  in  sugar 
and  wrater;  and  then  add  a little  white 
wine,  the  juice  of  a lemon,  a piece  of  fresh 
butter,  and  some  orange-flower  water.  Stir 
the  whole  well  together;  and,  when  cold, 
put  it  in  puff  paste  of  a proper  size  for  frit- 
ters, which  w ill  soon  be  suflieiently  done 
in  a frying-pan. 

Excellent  Remedy  for  Swelled  Legs  and  a 
Relaxed  Stomach. 

Take  six  ounces  of  the  common  bitter 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


h ' V* 

5,i 


infusion,  consisting  of  gentian  root  and 
outer  rind  of  Seville  orange,  with  or  with- 
out coriander  seeds;  one  ounce  of  tincture 
of  senna;  and  a dram  of  compound  spirits 
of  lavender.  Mix  them  together,  and  take 
four  spoonfuls  every  other  night  on  going 
to  bed.  To  prevent  swelled  legs  from  break- 
ing, make  a decoction  of  marsh-mallow 
leaves,  rue,  camomile,  and  southernwood, 
boiled  in  a quart  of  ale  or  stale  beer ; and 
foment  them  with  flannels  wrung  out  of  the 
liquor,  as  hot  as  can  be  borne  without  scald- 
ing, three  or  four  times  a day.  After  bath- 
ing, anoint  them  with  a little  ointment  of 
■marsh-mallows;  and,  should  they  even  be 
broke,  only  cover  the  holes  with  dry  lint, 
while  bathing  or  fomenting  the  legs,  and 
afterwards  dress  them  with  the  ointment, 
and  take  a little  cooling  physic. 

Aberdeen  Method  of  Fielding  Salmon. 

Boil  salmon,  as  if  intended  immediately 
for  the  table,  in  water  mixed  with  a good 
quantity  of  common  salt;  then  lay  it  to 
drain,  till  cold,  in  the  open  air.  After- 
wards, put  it  into  a close  cask  or  pot,  with 
a gallon  of  vinegar  to  thirty  pounds  of  sal- 
mon, and  half  the  quantity  of  water  in 
which  the  fish  was  boiled.  Great  care  must 
be  used  in  taking  offthe  scum,  as  it  rises, 
during  the  whole  time  the  salmon  is  boil- 
ing, which  should  on  no  account  be  over- 
done. 

Famous  Yellow  Water. 

This  admirable  cordial  water  is  thus 
made — To  half  a gallon  of  brandy,  take 
half  a pint  of  damask-rose  water,  a gill  of 
poppy  water,  a quarter  of  a pound  of  ston- 
ed raisins  of  the  sun,  half  an  ounce  of  bruis- 
ed cinnamon,  half  an  ounce  of  whole  cloves, 
two  broken  nutmegs,  half  an  ounce  of  car- 


raway  seeds,  a handful  of  grossly  shred 
stick  liquorice,  and  two  drams  of  saffron. 
Let  the  whole  stand  closely  covered  in  an 
earthen  or  stone  vessel  six  days,  stirring 
it  well  twice  each  day;  then  put  in  a little 
angelica  and  balm,  and  let  it  remain  two 
days  longer:  after  which,  strain  it  into  a 
large  glass  stopper  bottle,  on  a pound  of 
powdered  and  sifted  loaf  sugar;  and,  when 
that  is  thoroughly  dissolved,  bottle  the  li- 
quor for  use. 

Baked  Beef  or  Mutton  Potatoe  Pudding. 

This  ceconomical  article  is  made  in  the 
following  easy  manner — Boil  a sufficient 
quantity  of  well  pared  mealy  potatoes  till 
they  are  so  thoroughly  done  as  to  be  ready 
to  crumble  in  pieces;  drain  them  well  in 
a colander  or  sieve;  pick  out  every  speck, 
impurity,  or  hardness;  and  mash  them  as  fine 
and  smooth  as  possible.  Make  them  up  in- 
to a thickish  batter,  with  an  egg  or  two  and 
milk;  and,  placing  a layer  of  the  steaks 
or  chops,  well  seasoned  with  salt  and  pep- 
per, at  the  bottom  of  a baking  dish,  cover 
them  with  a layer  of  batter;  and  so,  alter- 
nately, till  the  dish  be  filled,  taking  care  to 
have  batter  at  the  top.  The  dish  should 
be  first  well  buttered,  to  prevent  sticking 
or  burning;  and,  in  that  case,  the  bottom 
as  well  as  top  may  consist  of  potatoe  batter. 
The  pudding,  when  properly  baked,  will 
be  of  a fine  brown  colour. 

Rich  Mince  Pics,  without  Meat. 

Mince  sufficiently  small  two  pounds 
and  a half  of  fine  fresh  beef  suet,  eight  eggs 
boiled  hard,  three  ounces  ot  blanched  al- 
monds, a pound  and  a half  ol  stoned  raisins, 
and  half  a dozen  fine  apples;  mix  up  with 
them  two  pounds  and  a hall  of  picked  and 
cleansed  currants,  a pound  and  a quarter 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


56 

of  the  finest  powdered  sugar,  an  ounce  of 
finely  beaten  cinnamon,  half  an  ounce  of 
pounded  nutmeg,  and  a quarter  ol  an  ounce 
of  cloves  and  mace  beaten  together,  with 
half  a pint  of  the  best  French  brandy,  a 
gill  of  mountain  w'ine,  a little  fresh  lemon 
peel  very  finely  shred,  and  some  candied 
citron,  lemon,  orange,  and  angelica.  Make 
a fine  paste,  w ith  one  pound  of  butter  rub- 
bed into  two  pounds  of  flour,  and  half  a 
pound  rolled  in;  fill  the  patty-pans  in  the 
usual,  manner,  and  bake  them  in  a mode- 
rate oven.  If  this  mince  meat  is  intended 
to  be  kept,  the  candied  sweetmeats,  and 
even  the  currants,  need  not  be  added  till 
wanted  for  making  up  the  pies. 

Pickled  Mushrooms . 

There  are  many  tedious  and  expensive 
methods  of  pickling  mushrooms:  but  the 
simplest  effectual  process  is,  on  most  oc- 
casions, the  best ; especially,  where  there  is 
danger  of  overpowering  the  natural  flavour. 
If  mushrooms  be  merely  washed  clean,  dried, 
and  put  into  small  bottles,  with  a few  blades 
of  mace,  a nutmeg  just  scalded  in  boiling 
vinegar  and  then  thinly  sliced  while  hot; 
the  bottle  filled  up  with  half  home-made 
sugar  vinegar,  and  half  spring  water,  both 
cold;  having  melted  mutton  fat  on  the  top, 
and  kept  covered  with  bladder  and  leather; 
the  mushrooms  will  keep  a long  time,  and  ' 
be  of  as  fine  flavour  as  when  fresh  gathered, 
though  not  of  so  white  a colour:  a spoon- 
ful of  the  pickle,  too,  will  give  a very  fine 
flavour  to  sauce.  By  the  following  easy 
method,  the  colour  of  pickled  mushrooms 
may  be  retained,  as  well  as  the  flavour,  and 
they  will  keep  for  years — Take  out  the 
gills  or  red  insides  of  the  larger  mushrooms, 
and  peel  their  tops^  the  buttons,  or  small 
round  mushrooms,  need  only  be  rubbed 


with  a piece  of  flannel  dipped  in  salt.  Throw 
them  into  milk  and  water  as  they  are  peel- 
ed and  rubbed,  drain  them  out  into  a stew- 
pan,  cover  them  with  a handful  of  salt,  put 
in  some  pepper  and  mace,  set  them  on  a 
stove  or  gentle  fire  to  draw  out  the  liquor, 
and  keep  wrell  shaking  them  over  it  till  it 
dries  up.  Then  put  in  vinegar  sufficient  to 
cover  them ; give  it  a single  warm  up;  and 
pour  the  whole  into  a stone  jar,  or  keep 
them  in  separate  bottles,  closely  stopped; 
and  they  will  be  delicious  in  taste,  pleasing 
in  appearance,  and  continue  good  for  seve- 
ral years. 

Mushroom  Poudcr. 

PEEL  and  cut  off  the  root  end  of  the 
largest  and  thickest  mushrooms,  wipe  them 
clean  with  dry  flannel.spread  them  on  pewter 
dishes,  and  set  them  to  dry  in  a slow  oven. 
This  liquor  must  entirely  dry  up,  as  it  will 
make  the  powder  much  stronger ; and,  when 
they  are  become  quite  dry  enough, beat  them 
to  powder  in  a dry  mortar,  sift  it  through 
a hair  sieve  with  a little  Cayenne  pepper 
and  pounded  mace,  and  keep  it  bottled  and 
closely  corked  for  use.  This  powder  is, 
certainly,  very  good  for  sauce  ; but,  where 
ketchup  or  pickled  mushrooms  are  to  be 
had,  is  of  little  or  no  service.  It  is  chiefly 
calculated  to  be  used  at  sea;  where,  also, 
the  other  articles  may  be  nearly  as  weU 
preserved. 

Boiled  Knuckle  of  Veal. 

The  following  is  a very  good  method  of 
dressing  a knuckle  of  veal — Boil,  with  the 
veal,  a quarter  of  a pound  of  rice,  a blade 
of  mace,  and  a few  sweet  herbs : when  the 
knuckle  is  sufficiently  done  for  eating,  take 
it  out,  and  boil  in  the  liquor  a quarter  of  a 
pound  of  vermicelli;  adding,  afterwards,  half 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  57 


a pint  of  cream,  a little  fresh  butter,  with 
burnt  flour,  and  some  fried  onions.  The 
liquor,  or  sauce,  may  be  served  up  either 
separately  or  with  the  meat. 

Hauncli  of  Venison. 

Having  made  up  a substantial  fire,  and 
spitted  the  haunch,  baste  and  flour  it  a few 
minutes;  then  fasten  over  the  fat  part  a 
piece  of  veal  caul,  or  double  paper,  with 
paste  between  the  sheets,  securely  tied  round 
the  meat.  A large  haunch  will  take  about 
four  hours  to  he  well  soaked;  but  the  best 
general  rule  is,  where  the  fire  is  regularly 
kept  up,  and  the  meat  within  a proper  dis- 
tance, to  allow  a quarter  of  an  hour  for 
every  pound  roasted,  from  a fowl  to  a sir- 
loin of  the  largest  ox;  and  the  same  rule 
may  generally  be  observed  in  boiling.  The 
haunch  must  be  well  basted  all  the  time  it 
is  roasting;  and,  when  nearly  done,  the 
caul  or  paper  and  paste  must  be  taken  off, 
and  the  meat  well  dredged  with  flour  and 
basted  with  butter,  till  of  a nice  light  brown 
colour.  It’s  own  gravy  alone,  should  there 
be  sufficient,  is  to  be  served  up  in  the  dish; 
but  a good  brown  gravy  must  be  sent  to 
table  separately,  and  also  a boat  full  of  hot 
currant-jelly  sauce,  beat  up  and  melted 
w ith  a little  red  port  and  sugar. 

Old  Sauce  for  Venison. 

AN  old  favourite  sauce  for  venison  is 
still  occasionally  made  in  the  following 
manner — Simmer,  in  a pint  of  red  wine, 
half  a pound  of  powdered  sugar,  and  a stick 
of  cinnamon,  till  the  liquor  becomes  toler- 
ably thick,  but  without  boiling;  then  cut 
some  bread  into  dice,  soften  it  in  water, 
put  it  into  the  sauce,  take  out  the  cinnamon, 
and  boil  the  rest  up  together.  Sometimes 


the  bread  is  at  first  boiled  with  the  wine 
and  the  spice,  till  quite  smooth,  and  the 
sugar  only  introduced  on  taking  out  the 
cinnamon,  when  it  is  boiled  up  and  beaten 
into  what  is  called  the  old  pap  sauce  for 
venison. 

Ilauncli  of  Motion  dressed  to  resemble  J enison. 

SEVERAL  expedients  have  been  contrived 
to  make  mutton  eat  like  venison.  A good 
haunch  of  mutton,  when  it  has  hung  a pro- 
per time,  if  it  be  dressed  exactly  like  a 
haunch  of  venison,  and  eaten  with  the  same 
sauces,  which  is  no  extraordinary  trouble, 
nor  any  great  expence,  beyond  that  of  the 
same  quantity  of  mutton  dressed  in  the 
common  way,  is  certainly  a very  excellent 
dish,  though  it  cannot  possess  all  the  pre- 
cise flavour  of  venison.  It  may  be  doubt- 
ed, however,  whether  the  methods  of  pre- 
viously steeping  it  in  sheep’s  blood,  for 
five  or  six  hours,  then  letting  it  hang  as 
long  to  the  full  as  it  will  keep  sweet  before 
it  be  dressed,  rubbing  it  over  with  butter, 
washing  it  with  milk  and  water,  or  bath- 
ing with  red  wine,  vinegar,  &c.  are  greatly 
to  be  preferred.  The  best  of  these  modes, 
perhaps,  though  not  the  least  expensive, 
is  that  of  having  one  of  the  largest  and 
fattest  legs  of  mutton  cut  out  like  a haunch 
of  venison  as  soon  as  the  sheep  is  killed,  and 
while  the  flesh  still  continues  warm,  which 
makes  it  eat  the  more  tender,  putting  it 
with  the  back  part  downward  in  a pan, 
pouring  over  it  a bottle  of  red  wine,  and 
leaving  it  thus  to  soak  twenty  Tour  hours; 
then  spitting  and  roasting  it  at  a good  quick 
fire,  and  basting  it  all  the  time  with  the 
same  liquor  and  butter.  In  this  way,  it  will 
be  roasted  in  little  more  than  an  hour  and 
a half;  and,  when  done,  is  to  be  served  up, 
like  a haunch  of  venison,  with  good  brown 
P 


l 


58 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


gravy  in  one  boat,  and  currant-jelly  sauce  | 
in  another.  A fine  fat  neck  of  mutton, 
dressed  in  the  same  manner,  eats  almost 
equally  well. 

French  Puff's. 

To  a pint  of  water,  put  a piece  of  butter 
the  size  of  a nutmeg,  with  a very  little  salt ; 
when  it  boils,  add  as  much  flour  as  will 
thicken  it  to  the  consistency  of  a hasty 
pudding.  Keep  it  well  stirred  all  the  time; 
and,  after  it  has  been  taken  oft’  and  stood 
till  cold,  beat  it  up  with  two  eggs,  and  drop 
the  batter  into  a frying-pan,  with  a little 
fat  or  lard,  just  in  the  same  manner  as  for 
fritters.  Pile  them  up  on  a dish,  as  they 
are  done,  strewing  over  them  powdered 
sugar,  with  a slight  sprinkling  of  rose  or 
orange-flower  water. 

Real  Oxford  Sausages. 

The  Oxford  sausages  are  well  known  to  be 
peculiarly  delicate;  and  the  following,  there 
is  good  reason  to  believe,  is  the  only  true 
method  of  preparing  them — Mince  one 
pound  each  of  the  primest  young  pork,  the 
whitest  veal,  and  the  freshest  beef  suet,  all 
cleared  of  skin  and  sinews;  steep  the  crumb 
of  a two-penny  loaf  in  milk  and  water, 
shred  fine  a very  little  lemon-peel,  chop  a 
few  sage  leaves,  some  thyme,  and  any  other 
-sweet  herbs,  grate  a little  nutmeg,  and 
add  a small  quantity  of  beaten  long  pep- 
per and  salt.  Then  mix  the  whole  well 
together,  and  press  it  down  close  in  a pan 
for  use.  It  may  be  stuffed  in  skins,  like 
other  sausage  meat;  but  is  generally  roll- 
ed out,  as  wanted,  to  the  usual  size  of 
common  sausages;  and  they  are  fried  in 
fresh  butter  of  a fine  brown  colour,  or  broil- 
ed over  a clear  fire. 


Mock  B raven. 

Take  the  belly-piece  of  a fine  young 
porker,  rub  it  well  with  saltpetre,  let  it 
remain  thus  two  or  three  days,  wash  it 
clean,  and  boil  it  till  nearly  enough;  then 
take  three  neats-feet,  boil  them  tender, 
take  out  all  the  bones,  and  roll  the  feet  and 
belly-piece  together  as  closely  as  possible. 
Rind  the  whole  very  tight,  with  a strong 
cloth,  and  coarse  tape;  in  which  let  it  boil 
till  quite  tender,  and  then  hang  it  up  with- 
out removiug  the  string  or  cloth.  It  is 
afterwards  to  be  kept  in  a sousing  pickle, 
composed  of  a quarter  of  a peck  of  bran, 
a small  sprig  or  two  of  rosemary,  half  a 
dozen  bay  leaves,  and  a quarter  of  a pound 
of  common  salt,  boiled  up  together  for 
about  twenty  minutes,  and  then  carefully 
strained;  to  receive,  when  cold,  not  only 
this  mock  brawn,  but  either  heads,  feet, 
ears,  &c.  of  pigs,  intended  for  sousing. 
Some  persons,  in  making  mock  brawn,  use 
a pig’s  head,  which  they  season  and  boil 
with  the  belly-piece;  then,  cutting  the 
meat  from  the  bones,  introduce  it  blended 
with  the  pieces  of  neats-feet:  but  this  me- 
thod, however  ingenious,  requires  much 
more  trouble  in  pressing  and  keeping  the 
brawn  together;  and  has,  after  all,  little 
or  no  advantage  in  taste,  when  the  former 
is  properly  managed. 

Dutch  Flummery. 

RoiL  an  ounce  of  isinglass  in  half  a pint 
of  w'ater  till  it  is  all  dissolved,  adding  a little 
lemon  peel  while  it  is  boiling.  Then  beat 
up  three  yolks  of  eggs,  with  half  a pint  of 
W'hite  wine,  and  put  this  mixture  to  the 
melted  isinglass,  with  lemon  juice  and 
sugar  to  palate.  Mix  the  whole  w'ell  to- 
gether, boil  it  up  a little,  strain  it  through 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


o9 


a lawn  sieve,  stir  it  till  near  cold,  and  then 
put  it  into  a melon  shape.  This  is  some- 
times called  Dutch  blamange. 

French  Flummery. 

BEAT  half  an  ounce  of  isinglass  as  fine 
as  possible;  boil  it  gently,  for  about  a quar- 
ter of  an  hour,  in  a pint  of  cream,  carefully 
stirring  it  all  the  time;  and  then,  taking 
it  off  the  fire,  sweeten  it  with  some  fine 
powdered  loaf  sugar.,  add  a very  little  rose 
and  orange-flower  water,  strain  the  whole 
through  a sieve,  stir  it  till  half  cold,  and 
put  it  into  a bason  or  mould.  When  quite 
cold,  turn  it  into  a dish,  and  garnish  with 
currant-jelly. 

Common  Flummery . 

Good  common  flummery  is  thus  made 
— Put  some  of  the  finest  and  whitest  oat- 
meal into  a broad  and  deep  pan,  cover  it 
with  water,  stir  it  well,  and  let  it  stand 
twelve  hours  ; then  pour  off  the  water  clear, 
and  put  on  fresh,  to  be  stirred  and  re- 
main the  same  time,  and  be  in  like  manner 
poured  off.  Then  stir  in  a little  fresh, 
immediately  strain  the  oatmeal  through  a 
coarse  hair  sieve,  and  boil  it  till  very  thick, 
keeping  it  well  stirred  all  the  time.  As 
soon  as  it  becomes  of  a proper  consistency, 
pour  it  out;  and,  when  cold,  turn  it  into 
plates,  and  eat  it  with  either  wine,  cyder, 
beer,  milk,  or  cream  and  sugar.  Small 
u hole  oatmeal,  as  it  is  called,  or  rather  grits 
once  cut,  does  better  than  common  oat- 
meal; and  a little  loaf  sugar,  dissolved  in 
rose  or  orange-flower  water,  and  mixed 
with  the  warm  flummery,  while  straining, 
make  no  unpleasant  addition. 

Fine  Raspberry  Vinegar. 

I HIS  excellent  article  in  domestic  ma- 


nagement is  greatly  overlooked;  since  it  is 
both  grateful  to  the  palate,  and  a very  ef- 
fectual remedy  for  complaints  in  the  chest. 
It  is  made,  at  very  little  expence*  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner — Pour  three  pints  of  the 
best  white-wine  vinegar  over  a pound  and 
a half  of  fine  red  raspberries,  in  a stone  jar 
or  china  bowl,  for  neither  glazed  earthen- 
ware nor  any  metal  must  be  used ; the  next 
day,  strain  the  liquor  over  a like  quantity 
of  fresh  raspberries;  and,  the  day  following, 
do  the  same.  Then  drain  the  liquid  as  much 
as  possible  without  pressing  the  fruit;  and 
pass  it  through  a cotton  bag  previously 
wetted  with  plain  vinegar,  merely  for  pre- 
venting waste,  into  a stone  jar,  with  a- 
pound  of  loaf  sugar,  in  large  lumps,  to 
every  pint  of  the  vinegar.  As  soon  as  the 
sugar  is  melted,  stir  the  liquor,  and  put  the 
jar  into  a saucepan  of  water,  to  simmer  for 
some  time-  skim  it  carefully;  and,  when 
cold,  bottle  it  for  use.  A large  spoonful, 
in  a small  tumbler  of  water,  with  a very- 
little  sugar,  makes  a most  pleasant  and  re- 
freshing beverage,  either  for  invalids  or 
persons  in  health. 

Raspberry  Cakes-.  . 

With  the  fruit  which  is  used  for  mak- 
ing vinegar,  excellent  raspberry  cakes  are 
readily,  made  up;  by  mixing  the  fruit  left, 
with  somewhat  more  than  it’s  own  weight 
of  powdered  loaf  sugar,  forming  it  into 
small  round  cakes,  sifting  a little  powdered 
sugar  on  the  top  of  each,  and  drying  them- 
sufficiently  in  an  oven  or  stove. 

Kebobbccl  Mutton. 

This  singular  name  is  given  to' mutton 
dressed  in  the  following  manner ---Take 
all  the  inside  fat  from  a fine  loin  of  mutton, 
w ith  the  skin  and  part  of  the  fat  at  top ; then. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


6 

divide  it  into  chops  at  every  joint,  and  sea- 
son each  moderately  with  pepper  and  salt: 
grate  a small  nutmeg  over  them,  dip  them 
in  the  beaten  yolks  of  three  eggs,  and 
sprinkle  them  with  a mixture  of  crumbs 
of  bread  and  sweet  herbs.  Then  place 
the  chops  together  in  the  original  shape 
of  the  w'hole  loin,  tie  them  close  on  a small 
spit,  and  roast  them  at  a quick  fire.  Put 
a dish  under  the  meat,  while  roasting,  and 
keep  it  well  basted,  first  w ith  a little  butter, 
and  afterwards  with  it’s  own  liquor,  occa- 
sionally stewing  more  of  the  mixed  crumbs 
and  sweet  herbs.  When  nearly  done,  pour 
off  the  fat  from  the  gravy  in  the  dish,  add 
a pint  of  good  gravy,  with  two  spoonfuls 
©f  ketchup  first  mixed  in  a tea-spoonful  of 
flour;  put  the  whole  in  a saucepan;  boil 
it  up  together;  and  then,  but  not  before, 
taking  up  the  meat,  pour  over  it  this  gravy, 
and  serve  it  up  as  hot  as  possible. 

Swedish  Method  of  Pickling  Potaloc  Apples.. 

The  apples  produced  in  such  abundance 
on  potatoe  stalks  are  generally  suffered,  in 
England,  to  rot  on  the  ground.  In  Swe- 
den, these  apples  are  collected  while  in  a 
green  and  hard  state,  well  rinsed  in  cold 
water,  soaked  for  forty-eight  hours  in  a 
strong  filtrated  brine,  drained  half  a day 
m a colander,  and  then  boiled  in  vinegar 
with  spices  till  they  acquire  some  degree 
of  transparency,  or  clearness,  without  be-  ; 
coming  too  soft.  Thus  prepared,  they  are 
said  to  afford  a more  palatable  and  less 
hurtful  pickle  than  either  olives  or  cucum- 
bers. Those,  however,  who  relish  the 
peculiar  flavour  of  the  olive,  will  probably 
protest  against  any  such  preference  in  the 
taste,  and  may  even  contend  for  the  at  least 
equal  salubrity  of  their, favourite  fruit.  They 
are  well  worth  pickling,  if  they  even  equal 


the  cucumber;  which,  eaten  in  moderation, 
is  less  insalubrious  than  seems  generally 
imagined. 

Friars  Omlet. 

Boil  a dozen  fine  large  apples  in  the 
same  manner  as  for  sauce,  stir  in  a quarter 
of  a pound  of  butter,  and  sugar  it  to  pal- 
ate; and,  when  it  is  cold,  add  four  eggs 
well  beaten  up.  Then  take  a deep  baking 
dish,  butter  the  bottom  and  sides  well, 
thickly  strew  crumbs  of  bread  so  as  to  stick 
all  over  the  bottom,  put  in  the  apple  and 
egg  mixture,  and  strew  crumbs  plentifully 
over  the  top.  When  baked,  turn  it  out 
into  another  dish,  and  grate  sugar  ever  it. 

Common  Omlet. 

Beat  up  a batter  with  six  eggs,  a table 
spoonful  of  flour,  and  a little  milk;  adding 
a good  deal  of  chopped  parsley,  a finely 
shred  shallot,  and  a very  little  pounded 
long  pepper,  grated  nutmeg,  and  salt. 
Warm  some  fine  dripping  or  clarified  but- 
ter in  a small  frying-pan;  pour  into  it  the 
batter;  and,  when  the  under  side  is  of  a 
fine  yellow  brown,  turn  it,  and  do  the  other 
the  same.  It  should  be  eaten  quite  hot. 
Some  put  in  a little  scraped  lean  of  ham, 
or  grated  tongue;  but  this,  as  it  was  a dish 
contrived  purposely  for  fast  days,  is  directly 
contrary  to  the  original  intention.  If  the 
omlet  should  be  difficult  to  turn,  it  may  be 
taken  out  when  one  side  is  thoroughly 
done,  and  have  the  other  browned  with  a 
heated  salamander  or  hot  flat  iron,  and  be 
served  up  with  sprigs  of  curled  parsley 
stuck  in  it. 

Excellent  Brandy  and  Hum  Shrub. 

Put  a quart  of  the  finest  French  brandy 
into  a large  bottle,  with  the  juice  of  two 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


large  lemons,  the  outer  rind  of  one,  and 
about  a quarter  of  a nutmeg.  Let  it  stand 
three  days  closely  corked ; and  then  add  a 
pint  and  a half  of  old  mountain  wine,  and 
tli  ree  quarters  of  a pound  of  loaf  sugar. 
M ix  them  well,  and  strain  the  liquor  twice 
through  a flannel  bag;  then,  bottle  it  for 
use.  Incomparable  rum  shrub  may  be  made 
nearly  in  the  same  manner, byprocuringthe 
best  old  Jamaica  pine-apple  rum,  and  sub- 
stituting it  for  the  brandy.  Both,  perhaps, 
might  be  somewhat  improved  by  having 
only  half  the  lemon  peel,  and  the  same 
quantity  of  Seville  orange  rind. 

Currant  Shrub. 

In  a quart  of  rum  or  brandy,  put  three 
quarters  of  a pint  of  the  strained  juice  of 
red  or  white  currants,  and  the  rind  of  half 
a Seville  orange,  with  a little  nutmeg. 
When  it  has  stood  a day  or  two,  closely 
corked,  add  a pint  of  white  wine,  with  three 
quarters  of  a pound  of  loaf  sugar;  and 
straining  it,  as  soon  as  the  sugar  is  dis- 
solved, through  a flannel  bag,  bottle  it  for 
use.  Red  currants  will  be  best  for  the  brandy; 
and  white  ones,  for  the  rum:  good  raisin 
wine  may  be  used,  instead  of  mountain  or 
sherry. 

Veal  Flor enclitic. 

Mince  a fine  kidney  or  two  of  veal, 
with  the  surrounding  fat;  chop  parsley 
and  other  fresh  herbs,  a large  apple  or  two, 
some  candied  orange  peel,  and  two  or  three 
hard  yolks  of  eggs,  quite  small:  then  add 
a handful  of  nicely  picked  currants;  two 
or  three  grated  biscuits,  or  some  crumbs  of 
bread;  a little  beaten  mace,  cloves,  nut- 
meg, and  sugar;  with  a glass  of  mountain 
wine,  and  as  much  orange-flower  water. 
Mix  the  whole  well  together,  lay  a sheet 


6*1 

of  puff  paste  at  the  bottom  and  round  a 
dish,  put  in  the  mixed  meat,  and  lay  over 
it  a cut  paste  lid  garnished  round  the  edge. 
Bake  it  in  a slack  oven;  and  serve  it  up 
quite  hot,  with  sugar  scraped  over  the  top. 

Trotter  Jelly  for  the  Consumptive. 

Split  two  pair  of  sheep’s  trotters,  and 
put  them  in  a deep  baking  pan,  with  two 
ounces  of  hartshorn  shavings,  a small  nut- 
meg grossly  pounded,  a quart  of  milk,  and 
three  pints  of  water.  Cover  the  pan  close, 
and  let  it  stand  as  long  in  the  oven  as  bread  : 
then  strain  it,  while  hot,  through  a hair 
sieve,  into  a pan  thoroughly  dry;  and,  when 
cold,  take  off  the  fat,  well  scum  the  jelly, 
and  keep  it  in  a cool  but  not  damp  place. 
If  the  weather  be  not  very  warm,  it  will 
keep  two  or  three  days.  A quarter  of  a 
pint  of  this  jelly,  sweetened  to  the  patient’s 
palate,  should  be  taken  three  or  four  times 
a day;  which,  with  air  and  exercise,  will 
be  found  highly  beneficial,  and  is  said  to 
have  performed  great  cures. 

Fine  Raisin  Marmalade  for  a Cough  or 
Cold. 

STONE  six  ounces  of  the  best  Malaga 
raisins,  and  beat  them  to  a very  fine  paste 
with  the  same  quantity  of  sugar-candy; 
then  add  an  ounce  of  conserve  of  roses, 
twenty-five  drops  of  oil  of  vitriol,  and  twenty 
drops  of  oil  of  sulphur.  Mix  the  whole 
well  together,  and  take  about  the  quantity 
of  a nutmeg  night  and  morning.  A smaller 
quantity  will  be  sufficient  for  children, 
proportioned  to  their  age. 

Genuine  Method  of  making  the  once  famous 
Blue-Stone  for  Sore  Throats. 

This  once  popular  remedy,  though  now 
seldom  used,  may  sometimes  be  worth  try- 
Q 


62 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ing;  it  is  made  as  follows — Put  a quarter 
of  a pound  of  saltpetre  into  a crucible, 
over  a charcoal  fire;  and,  as  it  melts,  drop 
in,  by  small  quantities,  from  the  point  of  a 
knife,  a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  flour  of  brim- 
stone. Keep  the  whole  well  stirred  all  the 
time  with  any  piece  of  iron;  and,  when  the 
flame  is  down,  put  in  a quarter  of  an  ounce 
of  powder  blue  all  at  once.  Stir  it  well; 
and,  having  a bell-metal  skillet  ready  wann- 
ed by  the  fire,  pour  the  mass  into  the  skil- 
let, and  let  it  stand  till  cold.  Of  this  blue 
stone,  about  the  size  of  a pea  is  to  be  taken 
at  once,  sucked  in  the  same  manner  as  su- 
gar-candy, when  the  throat  first  begins  to 
feel  sore;  and,  says  the  communicator  of 
this  receipt,  it  seldom  fails  immediately  to 
effect  a cure. 

Water  So  ucliy. 

This  Dutch  method  of  dressing  fish,  for- 
merly called  water  souchy,  was  at  first  mere- 
ly the  stewing,  or  rather  boiling  in  a stew- 
pan,  small  flounders,  and  sometimes  perch 
or  other  fish,  in  just  water  sufficient  to 
cover  them,  with  a bunch  of  parsley,  a few 
pepper-corns,  and  a little  salt;  and  then 
sending  them  to  table  in  a soup  dish,  with 
the  liquor  to  keep  them  hot,  having  parsley 
and  butter  in  a cup  or  boat  for  sauce.  This 
simple  mode  has  since  been  improved  in 
a variety  of  ways ; the  best  of  which  is, 
perhaps,  the  following — Boil  gently  three 
or  four  small  flounders,  with  the  leaves  and 
even  the  roots  of  parsley,  two  or  three  do- 
3en  of  pepper-corns,  and  a little  salt,  in  a 
stewpan,  with  about  a quart  of  water,  till 
the  fish  are  entirely  in  pieces:  then  pulp 
them  through  a coarse  sieve ; set  them  to 
simmer  over  a moderate  fire,  in  their  own 
liquor,  with  some  whole  flounders,  or  other 
fish,  and  fresh  parsley  with  the  roots,  till 


sufficiently  done;  and  serve  them  up,  with 
all  the  liquor,  in  a dish.  Slices  of  bread 
and  butter  are  usually  sent  to  table,  and 
eaten,  with  the  water  souchy  thus  pre- 
pared. 

Perch  dressed  in  Water  Souchy. 

BOIL  some  water  in  a stewpan  with  salt; 
then  put  in  the  perch,  with  sliced  onion 
separated  into  rings,  a handful  of  shred 
parsley,  a few  pepper-corns,  and  a suffici- 
ent quantity  of  milk  to  render  the  water 
white.  When  the  fish  are  enough  done, 
put  them  into  a deep  dish;  pouring  a little 
of  the  liquor  over  them,  with  all  the  par- 
sley and  onions;  and  send  them  to  table 
with  a boatful  of  parsley  and  butter.  Tench, 
small  trout,  &c.  may  be  dressed  thus  in 
water  souchy,  as  well  as  perch;  and, where 
onion  is  disliked,  it  may  be  omitted. 

Rolled  Beef  made  to  cat  like  Hare. 

By  the  following  method,  the  inside  of 
a fine  large  sirloin  of  young  ox,  or  even 
heifer  beef,  may  be  made  nearly  to  equal 
the  taste  of  hare — Having  cut  all  the  inside 
of  the  sirloin,  soak  it  in  a large  glass  of 
red  port,  and  another  of  vinegar,  for  two 
days  and  nights;  then,  having  prepared  a 
very  nice  stuffing,  such  as  for  the  pudding 
in  the  belly  of  a hare,  put  it  plentifully 
over  the  beef,  roll  and  bind  it  up  tight,  and 
well  roast  it  on  a hanging  spit.  It  should 
be  basted  with  vinegar  and  red  port,  hav- 
ing a little  pounded  allspice  mixed;  and, 
if  larded,  will  be  improved  both  in  appear- 
ance and  flavour.  Serve  it  up,  like  a hare, 
with  good  rich  gravy  in  the  dish,  and  melt- 
ed butter  and  currant-jelly  in  two  separate 
boats.  This  is  a very  excellent  substitute 
for  hare,  when  the  flesh  of  that  animal  i? 
out  of  season. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Ox -Check  Fie. 

Bake  an  ox-cheek,  with  seasoning,  &c. 
in  the  usual  way,  but  it  must  not  be  too 
much  done.  It  may  stand  all  night  in  the 
oven,  and  will  then  be  ready  for  next  day. 
Make  a fine  puff  paste,  with  the  sides  and 
top  very  thick;  and  line  with  it  a deep  dish, 
capable  of  containing  a great  quantity  of 
gravy.  Take  off  all  the  flesh,  kernels,  and  fat 
of  the  head,  with  the  palate,  and  cut  them 
into  pieces  as  if  for  a hash ; lay  them  into  the 
dish,  and  throw  over  the  meat  an  ounce  of 
truffles  and  morels,  the  yolks  of  six  hard 
eggs,  a gill  of  fresh  or  pickled  mushrooms, 
and  plenty  of  force-meat  balls.  Season 
to  palate,  with  pepper  and  salt;  and  fill 
the  pie  with  the  gravy  in  which  the  cheek 
was  baked.  Indeed,  if  it  were  properly 
seasoned  on  putting  into  the  oven,  very 
little  more  will  be  required.  Close  it  up 
with  the  crust;  set  the  pie  in  the  oven; 
and,  when  the  top  is  well  baked,  the  whole 
will  be  sufficiently  done.  A few  artichoke 
bottoms,  or  tops  of  asparagus,  are  some- 
times put  in  with  the  mushrooms,  &c.  and 
thought  to  improve  the  flavour;  but  it  is 
very  good,  and  sufficiently  rich,  without 
them,  and  they  are  not  always  at  hand  or 
in  season. 

Fine  Carrot  Pudding. 

Grate  half  a pound  of  the  sweetest  and 
most  delicate  raw  carrot,  and  double  the 
quantity  of  white  bread;  mix  eight  beaten 
yolks  and  four  whites  of  eggs,  with  half  a 
pint  of  new  milk;  and  melt  half  a pound 
of  fresh  butter,  with  half  a pint  of  wdiite 
wine,  three  spoonfuls  of  orange-flower  wa- 
ter, a grated  nutmeg,  and  sugar  to  palate. 
Stir  the  whole  well  together;  and,  if  too 
thick,  add  more  milk,  till  it  be  of  a mode- 


63 

rate  consistency.  Lay  a puff  paste  all  over 
the  dish,  and  bake  it  an  hour.  Serve  it  up 
with  sugar  grated  over.  This  fine  pudding 
is  easily  made  still  more  delicious  by  using 
Naples  biscuit  and  cream  instead  of  bread 
and  new  milk,  and  putting  in  a glass  of  ra- 
tafia with  the  orange-flower  water.  On 
account  of  it’s  beautiful  colour,  this  pud- 
ding is  often  sent  to  table,  turned  out  of 
the  crust  bottom  upward,  having  a little 
fine  sugar  grated  over  it.  Some,  too,  boil 
the  carrot,  and  scald  the  cream : but  neither 
is  necessary;  and,  by  boiling,  much  of  the 
saccharine  quality  of  the  carrot  is  always 
unavoidably  lost. 

Transparent  Tarts. 

Take  a pound  of  fine  well  dried  and  sift- 
ed flour;  then  beat  an  egg  till  it  become 
quite  thin,  melt  three  quarters  of  a pound 
of  clarified  fresh  butter  to  mix  with  the  egg 
as  soon  as  it  is  sufficiently  cool,  pour  the 
whole  into  the  centre  of  the  flour,  and  make 
up  the  paste.  Roll  it  extremely  thin;  make 
up  the  tarts;  and,  when  setting  them  in 
the  oven,  wet  them  over  with  a very  little 
water,  and  grate  a small  quantity  of  fine 
sugar  on  them.  If  they  are  baked  lightly 
they  will,  it  is  said,  be  very  fine,  indeed! 

Pink  Pancakes. 

PANCAKES  of  a beautiful  pink  colournre  • 
easily  made  by  the  following  simple  pro- 
cess— Boil,  till  tender,  a large  beet  root, 
and  then  bruise  it  in  a marble  mortar;  put 
to  it  the  yolks  of  four  eggs,  two  spoonfuls 
of  flour,  three  of  cream,  half  a grated  nut- 
meg, sugar  to  palate,  and  a glass  of  brandy. 
Mix  them  well  together,  fry  them  care- 
fully, and  serve  them  up  with  a garnish  of 
green  sweetmeats.  Fritters  may  be  made 
of  different  colours  in  a similar  way. 


(54 


FAMILY  KECEIPT-BOOK. 


Liquid  for  removing  Spots  of  Grease,  Pitch,  or 
Oil,  from  Woollen  Cloth. 

In  a pint  of  spring  water,  dissolve  an 
ounce  of  pure  pearl  ash;  adding,  to  the 
solution,  a lemon  cut  in  small  slices.  This 
being  properly  mixed,  and  kept  in  a warm 
state  for  two  days,  the  whole  must  be  strain- 
ed, and  the  clear  liquid  kept  in  a bottle  for 
vise.  A little  of  this  liquid  being  poured 
on  the  stained  part,  is  said  instantaneously 
to  remove  all  spots  of  grease,  pitch,  or  oil; 
and,  the  moment  they  disappear,  the  cloth 
is  to  be  washed  in  clear  water. 

Method  of  taking  out  Ink  Spots,  from 
Woollen,  Linen,  and  Silk. 

To  take  spots  of  ink  out  of  woollen,  they 
must  be  first  rubbed  with  a composition, 
consisting  of  the  white  of  an  egg,  and  a 
few  drops  of  oil  of  vitriol,  properly  incorpo- 
rated; next,  immediately  washed  with  pure 
watery, and,  lastly,  have  the  parts  smoothed, 
in  the  direction  of  the  nap,  with  a piece  of 
flannel  or  white  woollen  cloth.  From  linen, 
ink  spots  may  be  removed,  by  immediately 
dropping  plentifully  on  them,  while  wet 
with  the  ink,  the  tallow  from  a lighted 
candle,  and  letting  it  remain  on  a few  days 
before  washing  the  linen:  this  is  also  said 
to  take  the  stains  of  red-port  out  of  linen. 
Ink  spots  on  silk  require  to  be  well  rubbed 
with  the  ashes  of  wormwood,  and  strong 
distilled  vinegar,  and  to  be  afterwards 
cleansed  with  soap-water.  When  ink  is 
once  dried  on  linen,  the  spot  is  to  betaken 
out  by  rubbing  it  well  with  a piece  of  le- 
mon, and  then  using  a hot  iron  till  the  ink 
totally  disappears.  If  a lemon  be  cut  in 
half,  the  linen  where  spotted  pressed  down 
over  it  till  the  juice  penetrates  through, 
and  the  hot  iron  then  placed  on  the  linen, 


the  spot  will  immediately  give  way  and 
soon  entirely  vanish. 

Iron-Moulds. 

Those  ink  spots  called  iron-moulds, from 
their  being  somewhat  of  an  iron-rust  colour, 
and  which  take  place  on  the  linen’s  being 
washed  and  dried  before  the  ink  has  been 
discharged,  may  generally  be  soon  taken 
out,  either  by  means  of  the  lemon  and  a hot 
iron,  in  the  same  manner  as  dried  ink  spots, 
or  a little  essential  salt  of  lemons  rubbed 
over  the  spot,  while  the  linen  is  laid  on  a 
boiling  hot  water  plate.  The  acid  crystals 
produced  from  wood-sorrel,  are  said  to  be 
sold  under  the  name  of  essential  salt  of 
lemons  for  this  purpose;  but  it  is  to  be 
feared,  that  substances  more  injurious  are 
often  obtruded,  which  speedily  destroy  the 
linen,  if  it  be  not  instantly  washed  in  plenty 
of  cold  water. 

Ink  Stains  taken  out  of  Mahogany. 

Put  a few  drops  of  spirits  of  sea-salt,  or 
oil  of  vitriol,  in  a tea-spoonful  of  water,  and 
touch  the  stain  or  spot  with  a feather;  and, 
on  the  ink’s  disappearing,  rub  it  over  with 
a rag  wetted  in  cold  water,  or  there  will  be 
a white  mark  not  easily  effaced. 

Red  Mixture  for  giving  a fine  Colour  to 
Mahogany  Furniture. 

STAINS  of  ink  being  first  removed  by  the 
method  above  described,  wash  the  tables 
or  other  mahogany  furniture  with  vinegar, 
and  then  rub  them  all  over  with  a red  mix- 
ture made  in  the  following  manner — Put 
into  a pint  of  cold-drawn  linseed  oil,  four 
pennyworth  of  alkanet  root,  and  two  penny- 
worth of  rose-pink;  stir  them  well  together 
in  any  earthen  vessel,  and  let  them  remain 
all  night,  when  the  mixture,  being  again 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


65 


well  stirred,  will  be  immediately  fit  for  use. 
When  it  has  been  left  an  hour  on  the  furni- 
ture, it  may  be  rubbed  off  till  bright,  with 
linen  cloths;  and  will  soon  have  a beautiful 
colour,  as  well  as  a glossy  appearance- 

Capital  Sugar  Vinegar. 

This  useful  article  of  domestic  ceconomy 
might  easily  be  made  in  the  poorest  fami- 
lies— To  every  quart  of  spring  water,  put  a 
quarter  of  a pound  of  the  coarsest  sugar;  boil 
them  together,  and  keep  skimming  the  liquor 
as  long  as  any  scum  rises.  After  pouring 
it  into  a tub  or  other  vessel,  let  it  stand  till 
cool  enough  to  work;  and  then  place  in  it 
a toast  spread  with  yeast,  of  a size  propor- 
tioned to  the  quantity  made.  Let  it  fer- 
ment a day  or  two  ; then  beat  the  yeast  in- 
to it,  put  it  into  a cag  or  barrel  with  a 
piece  of  tile  or  slate  over  the  bung-hole, 
and  place  it  in  a situation  where  it  may 
best  receive  the  heat  of  the  sun.  Make  it 
in  March,  or  the  beginning  of  April,  and 
it  will  be  fit  for  use  in  July  or  August.  If 
not  sour  enough,  which  can  seldom  happen, 
when  properly  managed,  let  it  stand  a 
month  longer  before  it  be  bottled  off.  It 
may  be  kept  in  stone  or  glass  bottles.  Dur- 
ing the  time  of  making,  it  must  never  be 
disturbed,  after  the  first  week  or  ten  days; 
and  though,  in  very  fine  weather,  the  bung- 
hole  would  be  best  left  open  all  day,  as  it 
might  be  fatal  to  leave  it  open  a single  night, 
or  exposed  to  any  sudden  rain,  the  greatest 
caution  will  in  that  case  be  necessary. 
Previously  to  it’s  being  bottled,  it  may  be 
drawn  off  into  afresh  cask;  and,  if  it  fill 
a large  barrel,  a handful  of  shred  isinglass 
may  be  thrown  in,  or  less  in  proportion  to 
the  quantity:  this,  after  it  has  stood  a few 
days,  will  render  the  vinegar  fine,  when  it 
may  be  drawn  off  or  bottled,  for  use.  This 


sugar  vinegar,  though  very  strong,  may 
be  used,  in  pickling  for  sea-store  or  expor- 
tation, without  being  at  all  lowered;  but, 
for  pickles  to  be  eaten  in  England,  it  will 
bear  mixing  with  at  least  an  equal  quantity 
of  cold  spring  water.  There  are  few  pickles 
for  which  this  vinegar  need  ever  be  boiled. 
Without  boiling,  it  will  keep  walnuts  very 
finely,  even  for  the  East  or  West  Indies; 
but  then,  as  remarked  in  general  of  pickles 
for  foreign  use,  it  must  be  unmixed  with 
water.  If  much  vinegar  be  made,  so  as  to 
require  expensive  casks,  the  outsides  should 
always  be  painted,  for  the  sake  of  preserv- 
ing them  from  the  influence  of  the  weather 
during  so  many  months  of  exposure  to  sun 
and  rain. 

Mr.  J ay  tie's  Patent  Method  of  preserving  Eggs. 

Various  have  been  the  expedients  by 
which  good  housewives  have  eudeavoured 
to  preserve  eggs.  They  have,  in  turns, 
been  kept  in  salt,  in  flour,  and  in  bran; 
they  have  been  scalded  in  hot  wat^r,  and 
deposited  at  the  bottom  of  a cold  ruuning 
stream;  they  have  been  steeped  in  vinegar, 
and  they  have  been  bathed  with  oil.  None 
of  these  expedients,  however,  seem  to  have 
been  universally  approved,  though  each  has 
had  it’s  respective  advocates,  and  been  warm- 
ly recommended  to  attention.  In  the  year 
1791,  a patent  was  obtained  by  Mr.  William 
Jayne,  for  his  newly-invented  composition 
calculated  to  preserve  eggs.  The  specifi- 
cation of  Mr,  Jayne, whose  patent  expired  of 
course  in  the  year  i 805,  directs  that,  for  pre- 
paring his  composition, aWiuohester  bushel 
of  quick  or  unslacked  lime,  two  pounds  of 
common  salt,  and  half  a pound  of  cream  of 
tartar,  should  be  incorporated  with  such  a 
quantity  of  common  water  as  may  reduce 
the  mixture  to  a state  of  consistence  in 


R 


66 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


which  an  egg  will  float  with  it’s  top  above 
the  surface.  In  this  liquid,  the  eggs  are 
to  be  constantly  kept  for  use;  and  the  pa- 
tentee asserts,  that  they  will  thus  certainly 
be  preserved  perfectly  sound  for  at  least 
two  years.  As  there,  can  be  no  reason  to 
doubt  this  fact,  Mr.  Jayne’s  method  of  pre- 
serving eggs  is  probably  the  best  hitherto 
contrived. 

Chinese  Mode  of  rendering  cdl  Sorts  of  Cloth, 
and  erven  Muslin,  Water-Proof. 

By  the  following  very  simple  process  for 
making  cloth  water-proof,  it  is  asserted  that 
the  Chinese  render  not  only  all  the  strong- 
est cloths,  but  even  the  most  open  muslins, 
impenetrable  by  the  heaviest  showers  of 
rain;  nor  yet,  as  it  is  said,  will  this  composi- 
tion till  up  the  interstices  of  the  finest  lawn, 
or  in  the  slightest  degree  injure  the  most 
brilliant  colours.  The  composition  to  which 
these  valuable  qualities  are  imputed  is  mere- 
ly a solution  of  half  an  ounce  of  white  wax, 
in  a pint  of  spirits  of  turpentine.  In  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  the  mixture,  made 
with  these  materials,  immerse  the  arti- 
cles intended  to  be  rendered  water-proof, 
and  then  hang  them  in  the  open  air  till 
they  become  perfectly  dry.  This  is  all  the 
process  necessary  for  accomplishing  so 
desirable  a purpose;  against  which,  how- 
ever, may  be  objected,  perhaps,  the  ex- 
pence, and  the  unpleasant  scent,  of  the 
turpentine  spirits:  the  latter  objection, 
may  be  remedied  by  using  equal  parts  of 
spirits  of  wine  and  oil  of  wormwood,  a mix- 
ture which  is  said  to  dissipate  the  smell  of 
turpentine;  but  the  former,  it  is  not  to  be 
denied,  must  necessarily  be,  at  the  same 
time,  in  some  degree  augmented.  It  has 
lately  been  attempted,  in  England,  to  ren- 
der the  use  of  water-proof  cloth  general. 


'980  -tot  til 

Curious  and  valuable  Experimental  Hints  for 
saving  at  least  Half  the  Quantity  of  Corn 
now  annually  used  for  Seed. 

M.  Fabroni,  an  ingenious  Italian  gen- 
tleman, after  observing,  in  the  Transactions 
of  the  CEconomical  Society  of  Florence, 
that  the  farmers  of  Tuscany  divide  the  larger 
seed  of  pulse,  and  particularly  beans,  into 
at  least  two  parts,  both  of  which  they  sow 
or  plant  in  the  earth,  and  obtain  very  luxu- 
riant crops,  informs  us  that  he  had  been 
himself  induced  to  try  a similar  experiment 
with  regard  to  grains  of  corn.  For  this 
purpose,  he  coarsely  pounded  some  grains 
of  corn,  and  threw  the  w hole  into  a vessel 
of  water;  when  the  heaviest  particles,  being 
those  which  he  suspected  of  containing 
germs,  immediately  sunk  to  the  bottom. 
These,  accordingly,  w-ere  regularly  sown ; 
and,  as  this  gentleman  asserts,  they  produced 
plentifully,  and  equal  in  goodness  to  those 
raised  from  whole  grains  of  the  same  corn; 
many  of  the  divided  seeds,  in  fact,  even 
shooting  forth  a greater  number  of  stalks 
than  the  entire  grains.  This  is  extreme- 
ly credible ; since  the  numerous  shoots 
springing  from  a single  grain  of  corn,  as 
well  as  of  various  different  seeds,  are  fre- 
quently known  to  choak  and  destroy  each 
other’s  growth.  This  is  a hint  which  will, 
most  probably,  well  repay  every  farmer 
who  may  be  wise  enough  to  give  it  a fair 
trial;  particularly,  during  the  present  high 
price  of  corn.  The  idea  is  by  no  means 
vague,  or  absurd,  as  shallow  persons  might 
incline  to  suspect;  but  is  formed  in,  and 
supported  by,  the  soundest  philosophical 
analagous  theory,  with  regard  to  the  ger- 
minative  powers  of  vegetable  and  even  of 
animal  sperm,  confirmed  and  demonstrated 
by  numerous  well  known  experiments. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK 


The  time,  therefore,  will  probably  arrive, 
when  it  may  be  as  generally  adopted  as  the 
numerous  divisions  of  the  potatoe  by  what 
are  denominated  it’s  eyes;  which,  though 
certainly  more  obvious,  was  also  long  pro- 
posed before  it  came  to  be  universally 
practised.  The  possibility,  not  to  say  pro- 
bability, of  saving,  at  least,  half  the  quantity 
of  seed  corn  annually  sown,  is  a very  im- 
portant. public  consideration,  in  a country 
which  fails  always  to  produce  sufficient  for 
it’s  own  necessary  consumption.  It  would 
be  easy  to  enlarge  on  this  subject,  were 
the  present  a proper  occasion:  but  suffici- 
ent, it  may  be  hoped,  has  already  been  said,  to 
animate  virtuous  liberality,  if  not  to  awaken 
parsimonious  avarice,  so  as  to  occasion  ex- 
periments to  be  speedily  and  effectually 
made,  on  a scale  of  considerable  magnitude ; 
in  which  little  could  be  risked,  and  by  which, 
most  probably,  so  very  much  would  be 
gained. 

Beautiful  newly- discovered  Golden  Yellow  Dye, 
for  Silks,  Cotton,  §c. 

This  fine,  lively,  and  durable  yellow  dye, 
has  recently  been  discovered  by  M.  Las- 
teyrie,  W'ho  thus  describes  the  process  by 
which  it  is  obtained  from  the  shaggy  spunk, 
or  boletus  hirsutus  of  Linnaeus;  a species 
of  mushroom,  or  fungus,  growing  chiefly 
on  apple  or  walnut  trees — This  vegetable 
substance  is  replete  with  colouring  matter, 
which  must  be  expressed  by  pounding  in  a 
mortar;  after  which,  the  liquid  thus  ac- 
quired is  to  be  boiled  about  a quarter  of 
an  hour.  Six  pints  of  water  may  be  well 
tinged  for  dyeing,  by  a single  ounce  of  the 
expressed  fluid.  Thisbeingstrained,thesilk, 
cotton,  &c.  intended  to  be  dyed,  must  be 
immersed  and  boiled  in  it  for  about  fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes;  when  fine  silk,  in  par- 


67 

ticular,  if  it  be  afterwards  passed  through 
soft  soap  wfater,  will  appear  of  a bright 
golden  yellow  hue,  equal  in  lustre  to  that  of 
the  silk  hitherto  imported  from  China,  at  a 
great  expence,  for  imitating  gold  embroid- 
ery. In  short,  every  sort  of  stuff  retains  a 
fine  yellow  colour;  but  it  is,  of  course,  less 
bright  on  linen  and  cotton.  Nor  is  the 
use  of  this  vegetable  substance  confined  to 
dyeing;  since  it  has  been  ascertained  that 
the  yellow  extract  which  it  yields  is  appli- 
cable to  the  purposes  of  painting,  both  in 
oil  and  in  water-colours. 

Genuine  French  Method  of  making  Cherry 
Wine. 

This  wine  is  much  esteemed  in  France, 
where  so  many  of  the  best  productions  of 
the  grape  are  easily  obtainable:  it  is  thus 
made — Take,  to  make  five  quarts  of  cherry 
wine,  or  half  a dozen  of  our  commonly  call- 
ed quart  bottles,  fourteen  pounds  of  cherries, 
and  two  pounds  of  ripe  gooseberries,  which 
must  be  well  bruised  together ; pound  two- 
thirds  of  the  kernels,  and  mix  them  also. 
Put  the  whole  in  a barrel,  with  a quarter 
of  a pound  of  sugar  for  each  quart  of  the 
juice.  It  is  necessary  that  the  barrel  should 
be  full;  and  it  must  only  be  covered  with  a 
vine  leaf  surrounded  by  clay  till  it  ceases 
to  ferment,  which  will  probably  be  about 
three  weeks.  Great  care  must  be  taken, 
to  keep  the  barrel  always  full;  by  adding 
to  it,  occasionally,  fresh  juice  of  cherries. 
At  length,  when  it  ceases  working,  bung 
it  up;  and,  two  months  afterward,  draw 
off  the  clear,  and  put  it  in  bottles,  to  be 
kept  in  a cool  cellar  for  use.  Perhaps,  a very 
few  raspberries  might  add  to  the  flavour  of 
this  excellent  wine;  but  care  should  be 
taken  not  to  let  them  predominate,  or  be 
even  suspected. 


68 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


French  Cherry  Brandy,  called  in  France 
Cherry  Ratafia. 

Stone  a quantity  of  the  finest  full  ripe 
cherries,  mix  with  them  a few  raspberries, 
bruise  them  well  together,  put  them  into 
a proper  vessel,  and  let  them  remain  four 
or  five  days;  being  careful,  in  the  mean 
time,  to  stir  and  press  them  well  against 
the  sides  of  the  vessel,  two  or  three  times 
every  day,  to  make  them  yield  all  the  rich 
taste  of  the  fruit,  as  well  as  impart  a fine  co- 
lour. Then,  finally  pressing  out  the  juice, 
as  much  as  possible,  measure  it  into  a stone 
bottle;  and,  to  every  three  quarts  of  juice, 
add  two  quarts  of  brandy.  For  each  five 
quarts  of  this  cherry-brandy,  there  must  be 
three  pugils  or  pinches  of  the  bruised  kernels 
of  the  cherries,  and  a quarter  of  a pound 
of  fine  loaf  sugar.  The  whole  must  be  in- 
fused, in  the  same  bottle,  with  a pinch  of  co- 
riander, and  a little  cinnamon;  and  be  well 
shaken  every  day,  for  a week  or  more: 
after  which,  strain  it  till  very  fine,  through 
a cotton  or  flannel  bag;  put  it  into  well 
corked  bottles ; and  then,  at  length,  deposit 
it  in  the  cellar,  to  be  kept  cool  for  use. 

Curious  Method  of  Breeding  an  innumerable 
Quantity  of  the  beautiful  Gold  and  Silver 
Fish. 

The  curious  process  by  which  this  is  to 
be  easily  affected,  may  be  in  general  ap- 
plied, on  a larger  scale,  to  the  breeding, 
m equal  profusion,  most  of  our  esculent 
fresh-water  fish.  It  is,  simply,  as  follows — 
Get  a large  deep  cistern  or  vat,  of  any 
dimensions,  but  one  of  about  four  feet  dia- 
meter, and  nearly  the  same  height  or  depth, 
will  very  well  answer  the  purpose;  then 
take  a quantity  of  birch,  or  small  faggot 
wood,  which  has  been  previously  soaked 


some  time  in  a stream,  spring,  or  pond* 
so  as  to  have  lost  all  power  of  discolouring 
or  giving  any  farther  taste  to  fresh  water, 
and  lay  this  wood  all  along  the  bottom,  to 
the  thickness  of  about  a foot,  in  some  parts 
at  least,  having  large  stones  on  the  top  to 
keep  it  from  rising  or  motion.  Being  thus 
certain  that  neither  the  vat  nor  the  birch 
can  spoil  the  water,  nearly  fill  it  with  the 
best  soft  water  from  a river  or  pond,  such 
as  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  fish  will  be 
able  to  live  in.  The  vat,  it  is  to  be  observed, 
must  be  placed  in  the  open  air,  but  not  in 
a too  cold  or  exposed  situation ; and  the 
breeding  is  to  commence  in  the  spring, when 
the  fish  are  full,  and  just  ready  to  spawn. 
Chuse,  as  breeders,  four  hard-roed  or  fe- 
males, and  only  one  soft-roed  milcher  or 
male.  Put  the  five,  with  all  possible  care 
not  to  hurt  them,  into  the  vat;  feeding 
them  occasionally,  by  throwing  in  a few 
crumbs  of  bread,  or  some  other  trifling  food, 
but  in  no  other  way  disturbing  them.  When 
they  appear  quite  thin,  or  shotten,  as  it  is 
termed,  they  must  be  quietly  taken  out 
with  a small  net,  so  as  by  no  means  to  dis- 
turb the  spawn,  and  entirely  kept  away; 
as  they  would,  if  allowed  to  remain,  such 
is  the  nature  of  these  and  most  other  fish, 
soon  devour  the  greatest  part  of  the  spawn 
and  small  fry,  suffering  little  or  none  ever  to 

reach  maturity.  The  vat  must  not  be  dis- 
•/ 

turbed  during  the  whole  summer;  only,  as 
the  water  decreases,  a little  fresh  must  from 
time  to  time  be  as  gently  as  possible  pour- 
ed in,  to  supply  the  - deficiency.  In  the 
course  of  the  summer,  the  vivified  roes  will 
be  hatched,  and  the  water  perceived  swarm- 
ing with  a minute  fry;  fully  sufficient  to 
stock  a large  piece  of  water,  if  not  devoured 
by  other  fish,  or  the  several  birds  which 
make  fish  their  prey.  By  this  method. 


69 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


myriads  of  those  beautiful  fishes  may  be 
easily  bred;  and,  consequently,  become 
very  common.  At  present,  it  is  true, 
though  originally  introduced  from  the 
East  Indies,  of  which,  as  well  as  of  China, 
the  gold  fish,  or  cyprinus  auratus  of  Lin- 
naeus, is  a native,  it  is  still  chiefly  kept  in 
glass  globular  vessels  for  ornament.  It 
has,  however,  within  these  few  years,  been 
sufficiently  ascertained,  that  these  fishes 
thrive  and  propagate  in  ponds  or  other  reser- 
voirs of  water ; where  they  are  said  to  acquire 
a much  larger  growth,  and  come  to  greater 
perfection,  than  in  the  oriental  countries; 
insomuch  that,  with  the  sanguine  zeal  of  too 
many  modern  philosophizers,  as  they  ought 
to  be  called,  rather  than  philosophers,  it  has 
been  even  gravely  proposed  “ to  rear  them 
in  preference  to  carp,  on  account  of  their 
possessing  a finer  flavour,  and  being  much 
better  calculated  for  the  table  than  the 
common  carp!” 

French  Fricassee  of  Frogs. 

The  time  is,  perhaps,  happily  for  ever 
passed  away,  when  John  Bull  is  to  be 
alarmed  by  any  dread  of  being  compelled, 
with  Frenchmen,  to  feed  on  frogs,  sallad, 
and  soup-maigre,  instead  of  his  favourite 
roast  beef  and  plum  pudding.  If,  how- 
ever, in  this  enlightened  age,  any  Britons 
should  at  all  incline  to  taste,  merely  out  of 
curiosity,  a dish  which  their  ancestors  were 
taught  to  hold  in  such  abhorrence,  the  fol- 
lowing directions  will  instruct  them  in  the 
true  Parisian  method  of  preparing  this  de- 
licate article  of  French  cookery.  We,  how- 
ever, who  are  not  sufficiently  illuminated, 
to  substitute  the  diminutive  gold  fish 
for  the  almost  gigantic  carp,  feel  as  little 
inclined  to  substitute  either  fricasseed  or 
fried  limbs  of  frogs,  for  roast  beef  or  rump 


steaks.  We  are  not  sufficiently  acquaint- 
ed with  the  art  of  puffing,  though  our  style 
will,  at  this  moment,  perhaps,  be  consider- 
ed as  sufficiently  inflated,  to  attempt  swel- 
ling the  fabled  vanity  of  the  frog,  into  a 
dangerous  competition  with  the  ox.  French 
fricassee  of  frogs  is  thus  prepared — After 
cutting  off  the  feet  and  bodies  of  the  frogs, 
so  as  to  leave  scarcely  any  thing  more  than 
the  thighs,  which  are  alone  ever  cooked 
in  France,  the  limbs  are  to  be  put  into  boil- 
ing water,  and  boiled  up  a little;  then 
thrown  into  cold  water,  and  drained;  and 
immediately  put  into  a stewpan,  with  cham- 
pignons, a bunch  of  parsley,  a chive  or  two, 
a clove  of  garlic,  three  or  four  cloves,  and 
a bit  of  butter.  Give  it  two  or  three  warms 
over  the  fire;  and  put  in  a good  pinch  of 
flour  moistened  with  a glass  of  white  wine, 
and  a little  broth,  salt,  and  whole  pepper. 
Let  them  stew  for  a quarter  of. an  hour, 
till  reduced  to  a tolerable  consistence;  then 
add  a mixture  of  three  yolks  of  eggs  with 
a little  cream,  and  a small  pinch  of  parsley 
minced  as  finely  as  possible;  stir  it  well 
together,  till  the  whole  be  united,  without 
suffering  it  to  boil;  and  serve  it  up  hot,  with 
or  without  garnish. 

Fried  Frogs. 

Put  a few  limbs,  for  an  hour,  into  a 
marinade  of  half  vinegar  and  half  water, 
with  salt,  some  parsley,  whole  chives,  sliced 
onions,  two  cloves  ot  garlic,  two  shallots, 
three  cloves,  a laurel  leaf,  thyme,  and  basil  ; 
then  drain  them  dry,  and  dredge  them  with 
flour  for  frying  in  oil.  When  sufficiently 
done,  serve  them  up  garnished  with  fried 
parsley.  Sometimes,  instead  of  being  mere- 
ly dredged  with  flour,  they  are  dipped  in- 
to a paste  composed  of  flour  mingled  with 
a spoonful  of  oil,  a glass  of  white  wine,  and 
S 


70 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


a little  salt.  If  this  paste  should  he  too 
thin,  it  must  be  a little  thickened  with  (lour, 
and  beat  up  again  with  a spoon. 

Real  Reef  Alamodc. 

T [TOUGH  what  are  called  alamode-beef 
shops  swarm  in  the  metropolis,  there  is  not, 
perhaps, one  place  under  that  denomination 
in  London,  where  the  real  beef  alamode  is 
■sold.  What  passes  under  this  name,  in 
England,  is  nothing  more  than  the  coarsest 
pieces  of  beef  stewed  into  a sort  of  seasoned 
soi>p,  not  at  all  superior  to  those  of  ox-cheek 
or  leg  of  beef,  and  often  by  no  means  so 
good.  The  real  alamode  beef  is  well  known 
to  be  thus  made — Take  some  of  the  veiny 
piece,  or  a part  of  the  thick  flank,  or  rather 
a small  round,  commonly  called  the  mouse- 
buttock,  of  the  finest  ox-beef,  but  let  it  be  | 
at  least  five  inches  thick.  Cut  some  thick 
slices  of  fat  bacon,  into  proper  lengths  for 
lardings  of  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch 
thick;  dip  them  first  into  vinegar,  and 
then  into  a mixed  powder  of  finely-beaten 
mace,  long  pepper,  nutmeg,  a clove  or 
two,  and  double  the  united  weight  of  salt. 
With  a small  knife  or  larding  pin,  cut  holes 
in  the  beef,  to  receive  the  bacon  thus  pre- 
pared; place  the  lardings  tolerably  thick  and 
even;  rub  the  beef  over  with  the  remain- 
der of  the  seasoning;  put  it  into  a pot  or 
deep  pan  just  sufficiently  large  to  contain 
it;  and  add  a gill  of  vinegar,  a coupje  of 
large  onions,  some  sweet  herbs,  a few  chives, 
a little  lemon  peel,  some  truffles  and  morels, 
and  half  a pint  of  white  wine.  *It  should  be 
very  closely  covered  up,  and  have  a wet 
cloth  round  the  edge,  to  prevent  the  steam 
from  evaporating.  It  must  be  dressed  over 
a stove,  or  very  slow  fire;  and  will  require 
full  six  hours  to  do  it  properly.  When 
half  done,  it  should  be  taken  off,  turned. 


and  again  closed  up  as  before.  If  thick 
flank  or  the  veiny  piece  he  used,  it  may  be 
necessary  to  tie  up  the  beef  with  tape,  on 
putting  it  into  the  pan  or  pot;  which,  of 
course,  must  be  taken  off  when  the  meat 
is  dressed. 

| Syrup  of  Red  Cabbage , as  prepared  in  France. 
Cut  and  wash  a large  red  cabbage,  put 
it  into  a pot  covered  with  water,  and  let 
it  simmer  three  or  four  hours  over  a mode- 
rate fire,  till  there  only  remains  about  a 
pint  of  liquor;  their  strain  it  through  a 
sieve,  pressing  the  cabbage  forcibly  to  get 
out  all  the  juice,  let  the  liquor  stand  some 
hours  to  settle,  and  pour  off  the  dear. 
Put  a pound  of  Narbonne  honey  into  a 
saucepan,  over  a stove,  with  a glass  of 
water  ; and  keep  scumming  it  all  the  time 
it  is  boiling,  till  it  be  compleatly  clarified. 
Then  put  in  the  cabbage  juice,  and  make 
the  whole  boil  to  the  consistence  of  a syrup; 
which  is  always  to  be  known,  by  taking  a 
little  of  it  on  one  finger,  and  finding  that, 
on  it’s  being  rubbed  against  the  next,  it 
forms  a thread  which  does  not  instantly 
break.  This  syrup  is  regarded  in  France, 
as  a most  excellent  fortifier  of  the  breast. 
It  is,  undoubtedly,  a good  pectoral  syrup, 
very  pleasant,  not  at  all  expensive,  and 
easily  made.  A decoction  of  red  cabbage, 
even  in  England,  and  by  some  eminent 
physicians,  too,  has  been  frequently  recom- 
mended for  softeningacrimonious  humours, 
in  some  disorders  of  the  breast,  and  also  in 
hoarseness. 

Mr.  Forsyth's  Method  of  Curing  Injuries  and 
Defects  in  Fruit  and  Forest  Trees , published 
by  Command  of  his  present  Majesty. 

This  ingenious  gentleman,  his  majesty’s 
gardener  at  Kensington,  was  graciously 
rewarded  by  the  king,  for  his  invention  of 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


71 


m 

this  improved  method  of  curing'  injuries 
and  defects  in  fruit  and  forest  trees,  on  the 
express  condition  of  making  it  public. 
Accordingly,  Mr.  Forsyth  directs,  in  his 
Treatise  on  the  Management  and  Culture 
of  Fruit  Trees,  &.c.  that  all  the  decayed, 
hollow,  loose,  rotten,  injured,  diseased, 
and  dead  parts,  should  be  entirely  cut 
away,  till  the  knife  extend  to  the  sound 
or  solid  wood,  so  as  to  leave  the  surface 
perfectly  smooth.  The  composition  which 
he  has  invented,  and  directed  to  be  then 
applied,  is  thus  prepared — To  twenty-five 
gallons  of  human  urine,  and  a peck  of  lime, 
add  a sufficient  quantity  of  fresh  cow- dung 
to  bring  it  to  the  consistency  of  paint. 
This  composition  should  then  be  laid  on 
with  a painter’s  brush,  to  the  thickness  of 
about  an  eighth  of  an  inch,  and  the  edges 
finished  off  as  thin  as  possible.  In  the 
mean  time,  a tin  box,  the  top  of  which  is 
perforated  with  holes,  should  be  tilled  with 
a mixture  of  five  parts  of  dry  pulverized 
w ood  ashes,  and  one  part  bone  ashes  also 
reduced  to  powder ; from  which  it  is  to  be 
scattered  or  dredged  over  the  surface  of  the 
composition:  and,  when  it  has  been  suf- 
fered to  absorb  half  an  hour,  an  additional 
portion  of  the  powder  is  to  be  gently  ap- 
plied with  the  hand  till  the  plaster  acquire  i 
a smooth  and  even  surface.  As  the  edges 
of  the  plastered  wounds  grow  up,  care 
must  be  taken  to  prevent  the  new  wood 
from  coming  in  contact  with  that  which  is 
decayed:  and,  for  this  purpose,  it  will  be 
proper  to  cut  out  the  latter,  in  proportion 
as  the  growth  of  the  former  advances;  a 
hollow  space  being  left  betwen  the  two, 
that  the  new  wood  may  have  sufficient 
space  to  extend  and  fill  up  the  cavity,  thus 
forming  as  it  were  a new  tree.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  process,  old  and  decayed 


pear-trees,  in  the  second  summer  after  it’s 
being  thus  applied,  are  said  to  have  pro- 
duced fruit  of  the  best  quality  and  finest 
flavour;  and,  in  the  course  of  four  or  five 
years,  to  have  even  yielded  such  abundant 
Crops  as  young  and  healthy  trees  could 
not  have  borne  in  twenty  years.  By  the 
same  method,  too,  large  and  aged  elm 
trees,  all  the  parts  of  which  were  broken, 
having  only  a very  small  portion  of  bark 
left  on  the  trunk,  shot  forth  steins  from 
their  tops  to  the  height  of  more  than  thirty 
feet,  within  six  or  seven  years  after  the 
composition  had  been  applied.  It  appears, 
therefore,  that  both  forest  and  fruit  trees’, 
however  aged  or  decayed,  may  In?  pre- 
served, and  even  renovated;  while  the 
latter,  in  particular,  are  rendered  more 
fruitful  than  at  any  earlier  period  of  their 
growth.  The  health  and  vegetation  of 
trees  in  general,  Mr.  Forsyth  remarks,  may 
be  greatly  promoted,  by  scraping  them, 
by  cutting  away  the  cankered  parts,  and 
by  washing  their  stems  annually  in  Febru- 
ary or  March:  and  he  recommends  fresh 
soap  suds,  and  the  composition,  to  be  applied 
to  the  stems  and  branches  of  fruit,  forest, 
or  timber  trees  of  any  kind,  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  ceilings  of  rooms  are  white- 
washed; which,  he  asserts,  will  not  only 
destroy  the  eggs  of  insects,  that  would 
be  hatched  during  the  spring  and  summer, 
but  also  prevent  the  growth  of  moss.  If 
therefore,  he  adds,  the  same  operation  be 
repeated  in  autumn,  after  the  fall  of  the  leaf, 
it  will  kill  the  eggs  of  those  numerous  in- 
sects which  would  otherwise  be  hatched 
during  that  season  and  the  ensuing  winter. 
So  that  this  process,  in  fact,  not  only 
contributes  to  the  nourishment  of  the  tree, 
but  actually  preserves  it’s  bark  in  a tine 
healthful. state. 


72 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Mr.  Tench’s  Flan  fur  Destroying  the  Insects 
which  infest  Apple  Trees. 

Tins  gentleman  has  published  the  fol- 
lowing very  simple  mode  of  at  least  dimi- 
nishing the  number  of  those  myriads  of 
insects  by  which  apple-trees  in  particular 
are  so  greatly  injured — “ Take  a quantity 
of  unslacked  lime,  mix  it  with  as  soft  wa- 
ter as  the  situation  will  furnish,  to  the  con- 
sistency a of  very  thick  white-wash:  this 
mixture,  w ith  a soft  painting  brush,  apply 
to  the  apple  trees  as  soon  as  it  is  judged 
that  the  sap  begins  to  rise,  and  wash  the 
stem  and  large  boughs  well  with  it;  ob- 
serving to  have  it  done  in  dry  weather, 
that  it  may  adhere  and  withstand  rain. 
This  will  be  found,  in  the  course  of  the 
ensuing  summer,  to  have  removed  all  the 
moss  and  insects,  and  given  to  the  bark  a 
fresh  and  green  appearance:  and  the  tree 
will,  also,  be  perceived  to  shoot  much  new 
and  strong  wood;  at  least,  it  did  so  in 
Nova-Scotia.  The  trial,”  he  adds,  “ is 
simple,  and  can  neither  be  attended  with 
much  expence,  trouble,  or  danger.”  It  is  ob- 
vious that  this  white-washing  of  trees,  for  it 
is  nothing  more,  though  particularly  recom- 
mended for  apple-trees,  might  be  propor- 
tionably  useful  to  trees  of  other  kinds;  and 
some,  who  may  not  chuse  to  take  the  very 
little  more  trouble  of  making  Mr.  Forsyth’s 
preparations,  will  perhaps  be  induced  to 
give  this  a lair  trial. 

Fine  Potted  Lobsters. 

Boil,  thoroughly,  the  finest  lobsters, 
when  fullest  of  spawn,  but  with  every  pre- 
caution to  keep  the  water  as  much  as  pos- 
sible out  of  the  shells.  When  cold,  pick 
out  all  the  eatable  parts ; beat  the  flesh 
in  a mortar;  season  with  finely  powdered 


long  pepper,  mace,  nutmeg,  and  salt;  and, 
while  beating  and  mixing  the  whole  toge- 
ther, pour  in  a small  quantity  of  clarified 
butter.  When  the  whole  is  closely  united 
into  a sort  of  paste,  press  it  down  close  and 
hard  in  a potting  pot.  Pour  warm  clarified 
butter,  but  not  too  hot,  over  the  top,  and 
keep  it  covered  for  use.  Some  prefer  pot- 
ting lobsters  without  at  all  pounding  the 
meat:  which  is,  in  that  case,  mixed  with  the 
spawn,  the  softer  parts,  and  the  seasoning, 
and  placed  as  closely  as  it  w ill  admit;  after 
which,  warm  clarified  butter  is  in  like  man- 
ner poured  over  the  whole.  If,  however, 
it  is  wanted  to  be  long  kept,  the  first  mode 
can  alone  be  relied  on.  Though  potted 
lobster  is  commonly  eaten  cold,  it  makes 
an  excellent  fricassee,  with  cream  sauce, 
and  has  also  a very  pleasing  appearance. 

Boluses  for  the  Rheumatism  and  Contractions 
of  the  Joints. 

Bruise  four  cloves  of  garlic  with  two 
drams  of  gum  ammoniac,  and  make  them 
into  six  boluses  with  spring  water.  Take 
one  every  morning  and  evening;  drinking 
plentifully  of  strong  sassafras  tea,  at  least 
twice  a day,  while  using  this  medicine. 
This  is  said  to  be  a most  effectual  remedy 
for  the  rheumatism,  and  equally  good  in 
contractions  of  the  joints. 

Pill  for  an  Aching  Hollow  Tooth. 

Take  half  a grain  each  of  opium,  and 
yellow  sub-sulphate  of  quicksilver,  former- 
ly called  turpeth  mineral ; make  them  in- 
to a pill,  and  place  it  in  the  hollow  of  the 
tooth  some  hours  before  bed-time,  with  a 
small  piece  of  wax  over  the  top,  when  it 
is  said  never  to  fail  effecting  a compleat 
cure.  It  was  originally  communicated, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


with  many  other  medical  receipts,  by  a 
learned  physician  at  York. 

Tea  for  the  Gout. 

Take  the  leaves  of  carduus  benedictus, 
or  the  holy  thistle,  with  a sufficient  pro- 
portion of  angelica  leaves  to  make  it  palat- 
able, but  not  much  of  either  at  a time,  and 
drink  half  a pint  of  this  infusion,  made  like 
common  tea,  rather  weak,  constantly  every 
morning  for  twelve  months.  This  is  said 
to  have  alone  relieved  several  persons  who 
were  almost  crippled  with  the  gout.  The 
leaves  of  the  blessed  thistle,  in  strong  de- 
coction, are  generally  agreed  to  be  bene- 
ficial where  there  is  a loss  of  appetite,  or 
the  stomach  has  been  impaired  by  irregu- 
larities; and, whether  an  infusion  be  made  in 
cold  or  warm  water,  it  occasions,  if  drank 
freely,  a copious  perspiration,  and  greatly 
promotes  the  secretions.  The  dried  leaf, 
which  may  be' used  for  making  the  tea  re- 
commended, loses  much  of  that  forbidding 
flavour  always  possessed  by  the  fresh  plant ; 
and  which  occasions  it  to  be  sometimes  em- 
ployed, in  strong  decoctions,  either  as  an 
emetic,  or  as  the  auxiliary  of  an  emetic. 

Liquorice  Cough  Lozenges , as  made  in  France . 

Put  into  an  earthen  vessel  a quart  of 
river  water,  with  a pound  of  fresh  liquorice 
scraped  and  cut  into  very  small  pieces,  two 
pinches  of  French  or  pearl  barley,  and  four 
apples ; make  the  whole  boil  over  avery]slow 
fire  for  four  or  five  hours,  till  all  is  thorough- 
ly done,  and  the  liquor  reduced  to  a pint 
or  less;  and  then,  mixing  it  together  as 
much  as  possible,  pass  it  forcibly  through 
a sieve.  Into  the  vessel  which  receives 
this  mixture,  put  a pound  of  clarified  syrup, 
and  two  ounces  of  dissolved  gum  tragacan  th ; 
mix  and  dry  up  this  composition  over  the 


fb'm 

7o 

fire,  stirring  it  continually  with  a wooden 
spoon  till  it  no  longer  sticks  to  the  fingers, 
and  then  empty  it  on  a slab,  or  a tin  or  cop- 
per plate,  rubbed  over  with  a little  oil. 
When  it  is  quite  cold,  cut  it  into  lozenges, 
and  place  them  to  dry  in  a warm  situation. 
They  may  be  taken  at  pleasure,  and  are 
said  to  be  very  efficacious  in  curing  a 
catarrh,  as  well  as  relieving  the  violence  of 
more  obstinate  coughs.  This  is  all  that  can 
be  expected  from  liquorice  and  the  simple 
gums;  which,  however,  are  sufficient  for 
almost  any  recent  cough,  when  timely  and 
plentifully  taken. 

Genuine  Orgeat  Syrup. 

The  syrup  of  orgeat,  like  that  of  capih 
laire,  is  seldom  properly  prepared  in  Eng- 
land; where  it  is  also  sold  in  bottles  with 
spurious  printed  labels,  in  the  French  lan- 
guage, asserting  it  to  be  made  at  Montpel- 
lier. The  genuine  receipt  for  preparing 
orgeat  syrup  is  as  follows — Take  half  a 
pound  of  sweet  almonds,  two  ounces  of 
the  four  cold  seeds,  and  half  an  ounce  of 
bitter  almonds.  Put  the  almonds  into  boil- 
ing water:  and,  when  the  skins  will  come 
easily  off,  take  them  out  again;  throw 
them,  as  fast  as  they  are  peeled,  into  cold 
water;  drain  them  dry;  and  pound  them 
with  the  cold  seeds  till  the  whole  becomes 
quite  fine.  To  prevent  their  turning  to 
oil,  pour  into  the  mortar,  from  time  to  time, 
half  a spoonful  of  water.  When  they  are 
thoroughly  beaten,  dilute  them  with  about 
a pint  of  lukewarm  water,  and  set  it  in  hot 
ashes  to  infuse  for  three  hours;  strain  it 
through  a coarse  sieve,  stirring  it  well  with 
a wooden  spoon  to  press  out  all  the  good- 
ness of  the  almonds,  &c.  and  then  make  a 
syrup  with  a pound  of  sugar  exactly  as  is 
directed  for  preparing  the  syrup  of  capil- 
T 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


74 

laire,  and  finish  by  uniting  them  together, 
in  like  manner,  over  hot  ashes.  A little 
of  this  syrup,  in  a pure  barley-water,  which 
was  the  original  design  of  this  invention, 
makes  a delicious  lubricating  liquid,  and 
forms  an  excellent  potation  for  orators  of 
every  description.  As  the  making  of  bar- 
ley-water, however,  is  attended  with  some 
little  trouble,  it  is  commonly  used  with 
plain  spring  water  only;  though,  undoubt- 
edly, it’s  very  name,  derived  from  orge, 
the  French  word  for  barley,  sufficiently 
shews  what  was  the  primary  intention. 

English  Orgeat  Syrup . 

Beat  very  smooth  and  fine,  in  a marble 
mortar,  a quarter  of  a pound  of  sweet  and 
half  an  ounce  of  bitter  blanched  almonds, 
mix  with  the  paste  a pint  of  water,  strain 
it  through  a cotton  bag,  and  add  two  table- 
spoonfuls of  orange-flower  water;  then 
boil  a quart  of  clarified  syrup,  mix  the 
strained  liquor,  and  boil  them  to  a fine 
syrup.  Bottle  it  while  warm,  but  the  bot- 
tles must  not  be  closed  with  cork  and  blad- 
der till  the  syrup  be  tlioroughly  cold,  which 
it  is  always  the  safest  to  postpone  till 
the  following  day.  The  orange-flower  wa- 
ter is  rather  an  improvement  on  the  French 
original;  which  renders  it,  perhaps,  when 
drank  merely  for  pleasure  or  refreshment, 
an  equally  excellent  liquor. 

Orgeat. 

This  agreeable  and  delicate  beverage  is, 
in  strictness,  the  purest  barley  water,  but 
generally  nothing  more  than  common 
spring  water,  mixed  with  more  or  less  or- 
geat syrup,  according  to  the  palate.  Indeed, 
orgeat  syrup  is. not  much  used  in  England; 
but,  instead  of  it,  an  extemporaneous  emul- 
sion of  almonds,  with  a little  orange-flower 


water,  and  a quantity  of  powdered  loaf 
sugar  in  cold  spring  water.  Sometimes, 
too,  milk  is  introduced,  with  cinnamon; 
and,  not  unfrequently,  even  brandy:  but 
| then,  certainly,  it  is  no  longer  the  cooling 
and  refreshing  orgeat,  however  it  may  be 
preferred  for  particular  intentions. 

Famous  Bath  Bolls  or  Cakes. 

In  a pint  of  milk,  warm  two  ounces  of 
butter,  and  add  three  spoonfuls  of  table- 
beer  yeast,  with  a very  small  quantity  of 
saffron  boiled  in  a cupful  of  milk,  and  a 
little  salt:  mix  it  well  with  four  pounds 
of  fine  dried  and  sifted  flour;  set  the  paste 
to  rise  for  about  an  hour;  knead  it  suffici- 
ently; and,  making  it  up  into  twelve  or 
fourteen  rolls,  or  cakes  about  three  inches 
thick,  bake  them  in  a quick  oven.  They 
are  commonly  made  without  the  saffron* 
but  look  much  better  with  it. 

Fine  Yorkshire  Cakes. 

Mix  two  pounds  of  flour  with  a quarter 
of  a pound  of  butler  melted  in  a pint  of 
milk,  a couple  of  beaten  eggs,  and  three 
spoonfuls  of  good  yeast.  Mingle  the 
whole  well  together;  set  it  to  rise;  then 
knead  it,  and  make  it  into  cakes  of  about 
six  inches  diameter.  They  are  to  be  baked 
in  a slow  oven,  but  let  them  first  stand  on 
tins  to  rise.  They  are  lighter  when  made 
without  the  butter,  but  eat  shorter  with  it. 
They  are  either,  buttered  hot  out.  of  the 
oven;  or  cut  in  two  when  cold,  toasted 
brown,  and  buttered,  for  breakfast  or  after- 
noon tea. 

Oat  Cakes. 

Sift  a quarter  of  a peek.of  fine  oatmeal* 
then  take  rather  more  than  a pint  of  milk- 
warm  water,  half  a gill  of  mild  ale  or  good 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


7^ 


small  beer  yeast,  and  half  an  ounce  of  salt  ; 
stir  them  well  together  for  about  ten  mi- 
nutes, strain  the  whole  into  the  oatmeal*,, 
mix  the  dough  high  in  the  same  manner 
as  for  muffins,  and  Jet  it  remain  an  hour 
to  rise.  Afterward,  roll  it  up  with  the 
hand,  and  pull  it  into  pieces  about  the 
size  of  an  egg;  roll  them  out  with  a roll- 
ing-pin on  a good  deal  of  flour;  cover 
them  with  flannel;  and  they  will  soon  rise 
to  a proper  thickness.  Should  they,  how- 
ever, be  found  either  too  big  or  too  little, 
it  will  be  easy  to  roll  the  dough  accordingly. 
They  are  to  be  baked  on  an  iron  plate,  just 
like  muffins.  Toast  them  crisp  on  both 
sides,  but  do  not  burn  them;  then  pull 
them  open,  and  they  will  appear  like  a 
honey-comb;  lay  in  some  butter,  clap  the 
two  pieces  again  together,  and  only  use 
a knife  for  the  purpose  of  afterward  cutting 
them  into  pieces.  This  is  the  best  method 
of  preparing  muffins,  as  well  as  oat  cakes. 

Infallible  Powder  for  Shortness  of  Breath. 

This  excellent  remedy  for  shortness  of 
breath,  is  particularly  recommended  to 
young  ladies  afflicted  with  that  complaint. 
The  powder  is  thus  directed  to  be  made — 
Take  an  ounce  each  of  carraway  seeds  and 
anniseeds,  half  an  ounce  of  liquorice,  a 
large  nutmeg,  an  ounce  of  prepared  steel, 
and  two-  ounces  of  double-refined  sugar;  re- 
duce the  whole  to  a very  fine  powder,  and 
take  as  much  as  will  lie  on  a shilling  every 
morning  fasting,  and  the  same  quantity  at 
five  in  the  afternoon.  It  will  be  requisite 
to  use  exercise  while  taking  this  medicine, 
which  generally  very  soon  e*  lets  a cure. 
Where  any  invincible  prejudice  against 
the  use  of  steel  exists  in  the  mind,  the  me- 
dicine may  be  tried  without  it,  and  will  even 
then  frequently  afford  relief. 


Excellent  Embrocation  for  the  Whooping 
Cough. 

Alt.  the  dreadful  consequences  of  the 
chin  or  whooping  cough,  and  it’s  common- 
ly tedious  duration,  may  be  obviated  and 
shortened  by  the  following  admirable  reme- 
dy— Mix  well  together  half  an  ounce  each 
of  spirit  of  hartshorn  and  oil  of  amber;  with 
which  plentifully  anoint  the  palms  of  the 
hands,  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  the  soles  of 
the  feet,  the  arm-pits,  and  the  back  bone, 
every  morning  and  evening  for  a month, 
suffering  no  water  to  come  near  the  parts 
thus  anointed,  though  the  fingers  and  backs 
of  the  hands  may  be  wiped  with  a damp 
cloth.  It  should  be  rubbed  in  near  the 
fire,  and  care  naturally  used  to  prevent 
afterwards  taking  cold.  It  is  best  to  make 
only  the  above  quantity  at  a time;  because, 
j by  frequently  opening  the  bottle,  much  of 
I the  virtue  will  be  lost.  It  should,  bv  rights, 
j be  kept  in  a glass-stopper  bottle.  Indeed, 

! the  hartshorn  is  always  thus  kept  by  the 
faculty  ; and,  where  it  forms  so  large  a part 
of  the  mixture,  the  necessity  of  preventing 
it’s  effluvia  from  escaping  is  equally  great. 
These  precautions  taken,  and  the  other 
directions  followed,  it’s  use  willl  seldom 
fail  to  be  attended  with  the  most  Com  pi  eat 
success;  frequently,  in  a much  shorter  time 
than  it  is  judged  prudent  to  advise  it’s  be- 
ing continued,  as  it  can  never  possibly  do 
the  smallest  injury  even  to  the  tenderest 
infants. 

Celebrated  Edinburgh  Be medy  Jo r expedite ously 
Curing  that  loathsome  Disease  the  Itch. 

MAKE  an  ointment  of  four  parts  hog’s 
lard,  and  one  part  sublimed  sulphur  ; and 
mix,  with  a pound  of  this  ointment,  half  a 
dram  of  volatile  oil  of  lemons,  or  of  laven- 


76  FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


der.  “ This,”  says  the  learned  and  inge- 
nious editor  of  the  Edinburgh  Dispensatory, 
Dr.  Andrew  Duncan,  “ is  a certain  reme- 
dy for  the  itch,  more  safe  than  mercury. 
A pound  of  ointment  serves  for  four  unc- 
tions. The  patient  is  to  be  rubbed  every 
night,  a fourth  part  of  the  body  at  each 
time.  Though  the  disease  may  be  thus 
cured  by  a single  application,  it  is  in  gene- 
ral advisable,”  adds  the  learned  doctor, 
“ to  touch  the  parts  most  affected  for  a few 
nights  longer,  and  to  conjoin  with  the  fric- 
tion the  internal  use  of  sulphur.”  It  does 
not  appear,  however,  that  there  is  a posi- 
tive necessity  for  internally  taking  any 
preparation  of  sulphur;  though,  certainly, 
a little  of  the  flour  of  brimstone,  in  honey 
or  treacle,  is  of  itself  a very  great  purifier 
of  the  blood. 

Dr.  R a del iffe's  famous  Diet  Drink  for  Sharp 
Humours. 

Boil  an  ounce  and  a half  each  of  China 
root,  eringo  root,  and  sarsaparilla;  half 
an  ounce  each  of  ivory  and  hartshorn ; and, 
a dram  of  maiden-hair;  in  a gallon  of  wa- 
ter, till  it  comes  to  two  quarts.  Drink  it 
frequently,  with  a little  milk  or  wine. 

j Easy  and  effectual  Method  of  Scaling  and 

Cleansing  the  Foulest  Teeth , without  the 

Fain  or  Danger  of  using  Instruments. 

It  is  shocking  to  reflect  on  the  many 
dreadful  accidents  which  arise  from  the 
unskilfulness  or  avarice  of  some  professional 
dentists;  who  recommend therugine  or  scra- 
per, on  every  trivial  occasion;  and,  after- 
ward, their  boasted  dentifrices,  frequently 
composed  of  powdered  flint  glass,  or  mine- 
ral acids,  which  soon  give  rise  to  the  neces- 
sity of  having  artificial  teeth,  and  enable 
such  miscreants  to  roll  through  our  streets 


in  their  carriages,  laughing  at  the  toothless 
fools  through  whose  weakness  and  vanity 
they  thus  rise  to  opulence.  By  the  opera- 
tion of  scaling,  even  when  it  is  best  and 
most  honestly  performed,  a very  little 
common  sense  and  reflection  will  serve  to 
convince  any  one,  without  risking  the  ex- 
periment, there  must  always  necessarily 
be  much  pain,  accompanied  by  no  little 
danger  of  having  parts  of  the  teeth  forcibly 
broken  off,  as  well  as  some  of  the  enamel 
scraped  away  with  the  tartar  by  which  it 
is  covered;  but,  should  neither  of  these  ac- 
cidents happen,  and  even  more  than  one 
tooth  has  often  been  known  to  have  been 
actually  broken  oft'  at  a single  scaling, 
there  is  still  almost  a moral  certainty  that 
some  of  the  teeth  will  be  rendered  less  firm 
in  their  sockets,  if  not  immediately  percep- 
tibly loose,  and  thus  an  inroad  be  made  for 
the  admission  of  external  air,  and  every  fu- 
ture corrosive  small  particle  of  the  food  or 
liquid  taken,  to  reach  the  keen  sensibility 
of  the  dental  nerves,  and  bring  on  all  the 
excruciating  torments  of  the  tooth-ache. 
By  the  following  very  simple  process, 
which  only  requires  a faithful,  cautious,  and 
steady  hand,  to  prevent  the  smallest  degree 
of  either  present  pain  or  future  injury,  the 
foulest  and  most  disfigured  teeth  may  be 
expeditiously  deprived  of  all  their  adherent 
tartarous  incrustations — Point  a skewer,  or 
any  piece  of  hard  wood,  very  sharp  at  one 
end;  over  which  wind  a bit  of  soft  rag, 
and  tie  it  round  tight,  leaving  the  bottom 
like  a finely  pointed  pencil.  Dip  this,  first, 
in  spirit  of  sea-salt;  and,  immediately  after, 
in  a bason  of  cold  water,  where  it  must 
be  suffered  to  remain  a moment.  With 
the  rag  thus  wetted,  carefully  rub  the  teeth 
wherever  there  is  the  smallest  appearance 
of  foulness,  using  all  possible  caution  not 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


77 


to  touch  the  lips  or  gums.  Have  a glass 
of  cold  spring  water  in  readiness;  and, 
when  the  operation  is  all  performed,  or 
sooner  if  it  should  be  thought  necessary, 
well  rinse  or  wash  out  the  mouth:  this 
will  immediately  check  the  action  of  the 
application,  and  prevent  any  injury  to  the 
enamel ; while  the  tartar  is  compleatly  dis- 
solved and  carried  away,  and  the  teeth  are 
left  as  white  as  snow.  As  it  is  not  by  any 
means  advisable  to  be  often  using  this  re- 
medy, on  every  trivial  occasion,  the  teeth 
should  be  daily  washed,  and  occasionally 
rubbed,  with  some  simple  dentilave  and 
dentifrice. 

Art  of  making  Ham  neatly  Curl. 

Boil,  twenty  oak  galls,  pounded  with 
two  ounces  of  maidenhair,  in  a quart  of 
water  and  some  salt,  till  they  are  all  reduced 
to  the  consistency  of  honey;  then  strain 
otf  the  finer  part,  and  keep  it  for  use.  Ac- 
cordingly, having  well  washed,  cleansed, 
and  dried  the  hair,  anoint  it  with  a little  of 
this  mixture  for  a few  days ; and,  afterward, 
cleanse  it  with  a decoction  of  beet  leaves, 
fennel  roots,  and  a little  gum  arabic,  well 
boiled  together.  When  dry,  curl  it  into 
any  desired  form,  and  it  will  continue  to 
preserve  it’s  ornamental  appearance  longer 
and  better  than  by  any  other  known  me- 
thod. For  temporary  purposes,  the  use 
of  a very  little  honey,  will  make  the  hair 
keep  it’s  form  much  better  than  pomatum. 

Speedy  Cure  for  a Sprain. 

Take  a large  spoonful  of  honey,  the 
same  quantity  of  salt,  and  the  white  of  an 
egg:  beat  the  whole  up  together,  incessant- 
ly, for  two  hours ; then  let  it  stand  an  hour, 
and  anoint  the  place  sprained  with  the  oil 
which  will  be  produced,  keeping  the  part 


well  rolled  with  a good  bandage.  This  is 
said  generally  to  have  enabled  persons  with 
1 sprained  ancles,  frequently  more  tediously 
cured  than  even  a broken  limb,  and  often 
leaving  a perpetual  weakness  in  the  joint, 
to  walk  in  twenty-four  hours,  entirely  free 
from  pain. 

Excellent  Wash  for  Numbed  or  Trembling 
Hands. 

These  disagreeable  complaints,  are  said 
to  be  soon  remedied  by  the  very  simple  ex- 
pedient of  frequently  washing  the  hands  so 
affected  in  a strong  decoction  of  wormwood 
and  mustard  seed ; to  be  strained,  and  used, 
when  cold. 

Mustard  Whey,  for  a Palsy  and  Nervous 
Disorders. 

TURN  half  a pint  of  boiling  milk,  by  put- 
ting in  a table-spoonful  of  made  mustard. 
Strain  the  whey  from  the  curd,  through  a 
sieve,  and  drink  it  in  bed.  This  will  give 
a generous  and  glowing  warmth,  the  whey 
thus  conveying  the  mustard  into  the  con- 
stitution. Dr.  Stephen  Hales  says,  that 
he  knew  a woman  who  had  a great  degree 
of  numbness  all  over  her  remarkably  reliev- 
ed with  two  does  only,  and  mentions  seve- 
ral instances  where  it  had  done  good  in 
nervous  cases,  and  in  palsy,  greatly  aba- 
ting the  malady  and  prolonging  life. 

Hunting  Bread. 

Mix  a pound  and  a half  of  fine  flour,  and 
a pound  of  sugar;  then  add  carraway  and 
coriander  seeds,  as  many  as  may  be  thought 
proper,  with  six  yolks  of  eggs  and  four  of 
the  whites,  beat  up  in  a little  rose  water, 
and  strained  into  the  flour.  Alter  which, 
put  in  a little  yeast,  to  make  the  dough 
light;  roll  it  out  thin;  and  cut  it  into  pieces 
u 


78 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


like  lozenges,  to  be  baked  on  buttered  pa- 
pers or  tin  sheets.  This  is  taken  from  a 
valuable  collection  of  manuscript  receipts. 

Spanish  Pap. 

Take  three  spoonfuls  of  rice  flour,  two 
yolks  of  eggs,  and  three  spoonfuls  of  rose- 
water; mix  them  well  together,  and  put 
them  into  a pint  of  cream.  Sweeten  it  to 
palate;  then  set  it  over  the  fire,  keeping 
it  well  stirred  till  it  acquires  a good  thick- 
ness, empty  it  into  small  basons  or  dishes, 
and  serve  it  up  cold. 

Peal  Shrewsbury  Cakes. 

Take  a pound  of  flour,  three-quarters 
of  a pound  of  butter,  five  ounces  of  pow- 
dered loaf  sugar,  a dram  of  beaten  cinna- 
mon, and  two  eggs.  Mix  it  all  cold; 
breaking  the  butter  in  pieces  with  the  hand, 
and  working  the  whole  into  a light  paste. 
Then  roll  it  out  thin  enough  for  an  ounce 
weight  of  the  paste  to  make  a cake  as  large 
as  the  top  of  a breakfast-cup  or  bason,  with 
which  it  may  be  cut  into  shapes.  The  pa- 
pers on  which  the  cakes  are  laid  must 
be  buttered  all  over.  At  Shrewsbury,  the 
cakes,  when  made,  are  marked  at  the  top 
with  a new  large-toothed  horn  comb.  They 
are  then  put.  into  a quick  but  not  too  hot 
oven,  as  they  are  very  apt  to  burn;  and  are 
baked  almost  as  fast  as  they  can  be  put  in 
with  a slice.  As  they  rise  in  the  oven,  they 
must  be  pricked  with  a bodkin.  It  is  ne- 
cessary to  be  very  quick,  that  they  may 
neither  burn  nor  look  brown.  If  they  are 
but  just  hard,  it  is  quite  sufficient.  Parti- 
cular caution  must  be  used  in  drawing 
them  out  of  the  oven,  as  well  as  in  taking 
them  off  the  paper;  they  being  extremely 
brittle,  and  soon  broke  to  pieces.  The 
above  quantity  of  paste,  made  into  large 


and  very  thin  cakes,  makes  two  dozen;  but 
some  cut  them  with  wine  glasses,  and  make 
them  a little  thicker.  A blade  or  two  of  beat- 
en mace,  may  be  put  in  with  the  cinnamon, 
and  also  a little  rose  or  orange-flower  water. 

Secret  of  making  Artificial  Olives. 

We  are  favoured  with  this  curious  arti- 
cle by  an  enlightened  traveller,  who  first 
met  with  them  at  a great  table  in  Tuscany. 
This  gentleman,  astonished  at  seeing  such 
large  olives  in  Italy,  not  only  viewed  them 
with  admiration,  but  freely  expressed  his 
surprise  on  the  occasion;  when  he  was 
gravely  assured,  that  they  were  distinguish- 
ed by  the  appellation  of  Spanish  olives. 
On  eating  them,  his  wonder  was  still  more 
excited,  by  finding  them  without  stones. 
Naturally  inquisitive,  he  was  solicitous  to 
have  these  appearance  accounted  for;  but, 
notwithstanding  all  his  importunity,  it  was 
some  time  before  he  was  let  into  the  secret. 
He  at  length  found,  however,  that  they 
were  merely  green  walnuts  prepared  for 
keeping  in  the  exact  manner  of  olives, 
for  which  this  is  the  process — Having  pro- 
cured, to  substitute  for  olives,  some  of  the 
smallest  green  walnuts,  before  there  is  any 
appearance  of  a shell,  make  a ley  of  wood 
ashes  sufficiently  strong  to  be  capable  of 
bearing  an  egg.  Boil  enough  of  this  ley 
to  cover  the  walnuts,  pour  it  hot  over  them, 
stop  the  vessel  up  close,  and  let  them  stand 
thus  for  at  least  two  or  three  weeks;  after 
which,  put  them  into  a strong  brine  of  salt 
and  water,  keep  them  so  covered  a fort- 
night, and  then  bottle  them  in  the  same 
liquor  for  use. 

German  Method  of  making  Three  Dishes  with 
a Single  Carp. 

The  ceconomical  Germans  frequently 


FAMILY  IlECEIPT-BOOK. 


79 


make  three  excellent  dishes,  a soup,  a stew, 
and  a try,  with  a single  carp  of  about  three 
pounds  weight.  This  is  effected  in  the  fol- 
lowing way — Take  a live  carp,  either  hard 
or  soft  roed,  and  bleed  it  into  a stewpan: 
then  scale  it  well,  and  carefully  take  out 
and  preserve  the  entrails,  without  breaking 
the  gall-,  which,  with  the  bitter  parts  ad- 
joining, must  be  separated  immediately 
from  the  rest.  Every  other  part  of  the 
carp,  like  the  intestines  of  a pig,  which  it 
more  resembles  in  form  than  any  other 
fresh-water  fish,  is  convertible  to  excellent 
food.  Having  opened  the  maw,  and 
thoroughly  washed  it,  cut  the  roe  in  pieces, 
and  put  it  with  all  the  rest  of  the  entrails 
for  the  soup  or  first  dish.  This  soup  is 
either  made  with  the  addition  of  gravy  or 
strong  meat  broth,  accompanied  by  herbs 
and  spices,  well  seasoned,  and  thickened 
with  flour;  or,  when  intended  as  a maigre 
dish,  with  that  of  a strong  broth  of  any  other 
fish  passed  through  the  sieve,  a bundle  of 
sweet  herbs,  and  a seasoning  of  fine  spices. 
Sec.  For  the  second  dish,  or  stew,  having 
slit  up  the  carp  on  one  side  of  the  back 
bone,  through  the  head,  and  quite  down 
to  the  tail,  cut  off  the  head  with  a good 
shoulder,  take  the  largest  half  of  the  body, 
containing  the  back  bone,  and  divide  it 
into  three  pieces;  which,  with  it’s  portion 
of  the  head,  are  to  be  put  to  the  blood  in  the 
stewpan,  where  they  are  d ressed  in  any  of  the 
numerous  modes  of  stewing  this  favourite 
fish:  frequently,  by  putting  in  a glass  or  two 
of  good  wine,  or  twice  the  quantity  of  ale 
with  a little  grated  gingerbread,  and  some- 
times only  a small  quantity  of  vinegar, 
adding  sweet  herbs,  spices,  and  seasoning, 
to  palate.  When  serving  up  this  dish,  it  is 
not  unusual  to  add  a little  lemon  or  lime 
juice.  For  the  fry,  or  third  dish,  the  re- 


maining half  of  the  head  and  body,  divided 
as  for  the  stew,  is  well  dredged  with  flour, 
and  fried  brown  and  crisp  in  oil  or  clarified 
butter.  Thus,  particularly  if  a few  savoury 
force-meat  balls,  composed  in  the  usual 
manner,  with  the  fish  which  makes  the  broth 
or  gravy,  be  boiled  in  the  soup,  there  is  a 
first  dish  imitating,  in  miniature,  the  richest 
turtle  soup;  a second  dish,  in  the  stew, 
may  easily  be  made  equally  aspiring,  on  a 
small  scale;  and,  lastly,  a most  delicate 
third  dish,  in  the  fine  fry,  which  compleats 
this  curious  division  and  sub-division  in  the 
German  cookery  of  a single  carp. 

Hung  Beef. 

Cut  a mouse  buttock  of  good  mellow 
beef  into  three  pieces,  hang  them  in  a cel- 
lar or  other  cool  place,  and  let  them  re- 
main till  they  begin  to  appear  a little  sappy; 
then  take  them  down,  and  wash  them  in 
sugar  and  water,  one  piece  after  another. 
Dry  one  pound  of  bay  salt,  with  half  a 
pound  of  saltpetre,  powder  them  very  fine, 
mix  them  in  three  table-spoonfuls  of  coarse 
sugar,  and  rub  the  whole  wrell  into  every 
part  of  the  beef.  After  this,  strew  a good 
quantity  of  common  salt  all  over  the  three 
pieces;  let  them  remain  close  together  for 
a week,  that  the  salt  may  be  thoroughly  dis- 
solved; and  then  turn  them  every  other 
day  for  a fortnight,  before  they  are  hung 
up  in  a warm  but  not  hot  situation  to  dry. 
This  beef  should  hang  two  or  three  weeks 
before  it  is  used.  When  wanted,  let  it  be 
first  boiled  till  tender,  with  bay-salt  in 
spring  water.  It  will  keep,  even  after  boil- 
ing, about  a quarter  of  a year ; and  only  re- 
quire to  have  the  mould  rubbed  off  the 
outside  with  a greasy  cloth,  or  washed  away 
by  immersion  for  a minute  or  two  in  boil- 
ing water. 


80 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Finest  Yorkshire  Ilung  Beef. 

Tiif.  Yorkshire  hung  beef  has  long  been 
deservedly  famous;  and  is  thus  easily  made 
— Cut  in  two  the  ribs  or  a round  of  beef, 
or  even  a fine  thick  flank;  about  twenty 
pounds  weight  of  either,  for  example.  Fine- 
ly beat,  in  a mortar,  for  this  quantity,  half 
a pound  of  bay-salt,  a quarter  of  a pound 
each  of  saltpetre  and  sal-prunella,  and  two 
handfuls  of  juniper  berries;  mix  them  with 
three  pounds  of  common  salt,  and  one 
pound  of  coarse  sugar,  and  thoroughly 
rub  the  beef  all  over  for  a considerable  time. 
Let  it  lie  in  a good  salting  pan,  and  rub  it 
well  with  the  pickle  once  a day  for  at  least 
a fortnight,  carefully  turning  it  every  time. 
Then  take  it  out;  and,  after  drying  it  well 
with  a coarse  cloth,  hang  it  up  to  the  del- 
ing of  a warm  kitchen,  or  in  a chimney  cor- 
ner where  only  a moderate  fire  is  kept,  till 
it  become  properly  dried.  It  may  be  either 
boiled  as  wanted, or  cut  into  rashers  and  broil- 
ed; but,  in  the  latter  case,  will  always  eat 
much  better,  if  previously  dipped  into  boil- 
ing water.  Common  hung  beef,  lean  ham, 
&c.  is  also  rendered  fitter  for  broiling  by 
making  use  of  the  same  precaution.  If 
very  salt,  either  may  be  left  to  soak  a mi- 
nute or  two  in  the  hot  water. 

Delicious  Macaroon  Custard  Pudding. 

Fill  the  bottom  of  the  baking-dish  with 
macaroons,  and  soak  them  well  in  white 
wine:  then  pour  over  the  top  of  them  a 
rich  custard,  made  with  twenty  eggs,  a pint 
and  a half  of  cream,  and  a pint  of  new  milk; 
adding,  as  ornaments,  whatever  sweetmeats 
best  please  the  fancy.  Great  care  must  be 
taken  with  the  baking,  as  it  requires  very 
little  doing.  The  dish  is  sometimes  lined 
with  puff  paste.  This  is  a truly  delicious 
pudding. 


Good  Custard  Pudding  for  Boiling. 

Take  a pint  of  cream,  mix  two  or  three 
spoonfuls  of  it  with  a spoonful  of  fine  flour, 
and  boil  the  remainder ; when  it  has  boiled, 
take  it  off  the  fire,  and  stir  well  into  it  the 
cold  cream  which  had  been  mixed  with  the 
flour.  While  the  whole  is  cooling,  beat  up 
five  yolks  of  eggs,  with  two  whites,  stir- 
ring in  a little  salt,  some  grated  nutmeg, 
a small  glass  of  w hite  wine,  and  sugar  to 
palate.  Butter  a wooden  bowl;  pour  the 
custard  into  it;  and,  tying  a cloth  over, 
let  it  boil  half  an  hour.  When  done,  un- 
tie the  cloth,  turn  the  pudding  into  a dish, 
and  pour  over  it  melted  butter;  either 
plain,  or  mixed  with  a little  orange-flower 
water,  sugar,  and  a spoonful  of  white  W'ine, 
as  most  convenient  or  agreeable. 

Jugged  Hare. 

Let  the  hare  hang  a few  days;  and, 
when  skinned,  do  not  wash  it,  but  wipe 
where  necessary  with  a clean  cloth.  Cut 
it  into  pieces;  season  it  high;  and  put  it 
in  a stone  jar,  a pitcher,  or  a jug,  with 
half  a pound  of  ham,  or  fine  bacon,  fat 
and  lean  together,  six  shallots,  twro  onions, 
and  some  thyme,  parsley,  savoury,  mar- 
joram, lemon-peel,  mace,  cloves,  and  nut- 
meg. Let  the  whole  of  the  meat  be  strewr- 
ed  with  these  well-mixed  ingredients,  pour 
over  it  half  a pint  of  red  wine,  squeeze  in 
the  juice  of  a Seville  orange,  stop  the  vessel 
close  down  with  a bladder  or  leather  and 
brown  paper,  and  carefully  place  it  in  a pot 
of  boiling  water,  deep  enough  to  dress 
the  meat,  but  not  so  high  as  for  any  of 
the  water  to  boil  into  it.  In  this  situation 
the  jar  or  jug  is  to  remain  three  or  four 
hours,  the  water  being  kept  on  the  boil  all 
that  time,  and  more  added  as  it  boils  away. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK- 


31 


Then,  taking  out  the  hare,  strain  the  liquor, 
skim  off  the  fat,  and  thicken  it  up  for  sauce 
with  a little  butter  and  flour.  If,  in  the 
mean  time,  the  hare  should  at  all  cool,  put 
it  again  into  the  jug,  with  the  thickened 
gravy,  and  set  it  in  the  pot  of  boiling  wa- 
ter till  quite  hot,  but  by  no  means  sutler 
it  to  boil.  Serve  it  up  as  hot  as  possible, 
garnished  with  slices  of  lemon  and  currant 
jelly.  The  larger  pieces  of  hare  are  some- 
times larded  with  bacon.  It  is  obvious 
that  the  name  of  jugged  hare  is  derived 
from  it’s  being  thus  dressed  in  a jug  or 
pitcher. 

Hodgc-Podgcd  Hare. 

This  name,  which  generally  signifies, 
in  culinary  language,  a sort  of  jumble  or 
confusion  of  ingredients,  is  a corruption 
of  the  old  compound  word  hotch-pot.  A 
hodge-podged  hare  is  dressed  in  a jar  or 
jug  exactly  after  the  manner  of  jugging: 
only  that  it  is  cut  into  smaller  pieces,  less 
spiced,  and  has  neither  ham,  bacon,  nor 
wine ; but,  instead  of  these  articles,  a let- 
tuce, cucumbers,  turnips,  and  celery.  It 
is  chiefly  calculated  for  dressing  a very 
old  hare;  which  is  usually  suffered  to  re- 
main five  hours  surrounded  by  the  boiling 
water. 

-Art  of  Breeding  White  Blackbirds,  White 
Mice,  Sgc.  on  the  Principles  that  produce 
those  Varieties  of  Colour  which  distinguish 
all  domesticated  Animals. 

Though  we  are  unable  to  penetrate 
the  cause  why  animals,  generally  of  one 
uniform  colour,  are  sometimes  found  to 
produce  an  individual  totally  different, 
such  as  a white  blackbird,  or  white  mouse; 
we  know  well  enough  the  mode  of  perpe- 
tuating these  accidental  varieties,  when 


they  are  found  to  have  occurred  in  two 
objects  of  different  sexes.  By  putting  two 
white  blackbirds,  or  white  mice,  &c.  to 
breed  together,  they  will  produce  young 
as  little  variant  from  their  own  colour,  as 
common  blackbirds,  mice,  &c.  generally 
are  from  each  other:  that  is,  with  such 
slight  differences  of  hue  only,  as  will  al- 
ways bear  the  appellation  of  being  white; 
just  as  much  as  the  former,  though  of  dif- 
ferent shades  of  black,  and  their  peculiar 
lighter  or  darker  brown,  are  still  called 
black  and  mouse-coloured.  If,  therefore, 
the  progenies  thus  obtained,  are  carefully 
kept  from  mixing  with  those  of  another 
colour  during  the  breeding  season,  the 
variety  thus  accidentally  acquired  may  be 
perpetuated  for  ever.  Should,  however,  one 
of  each  of  these  white  animals  ever  be 
matched  with  a common  blackbird,  and  a 
common  mouse,  a pied  or  mottled  breed 
will  be  produced,  participating  pretty 
equally  in  the  colour  of  both  parents, 
though  no  two  of  the  young  will  have  mark- 
ings precisely  alike:  and,  if  one  of  this 
mixed  breed,  either  of  blackbirds  or  mice, 
be  paired  with  a common  mouse  or  black- 
bird, the  proportion  of  white  will  be  dimi- 
nished in  their  young;  so  that,  if  one  of  the 
latter  should  breed  with  another  of  the  com- 
mon kind,  the  next  progeny  will  nearly,  if 
not  quite,  have  lost  all  the  adventitious  white- 
ness. It  is  thus  that,  in  a state  of  nature, 
these  accidental  varieties  of  birds  and  qua- 
drupedsare  soon  overpowered  by  the  origi- 
nal common  colourof  the  species;  w hile,  in  a 
domesticated  state,  the  variety  once  obtained 
being  considered  as  a curiosity,  is  care- 
fully endeavoured  to  be  perpetuated:  and  it 
is  thus,  perhaps,  that  we  are  to  account, 
in  a great  degree,  not  only  for  the  vast  di- 
versity of  variegated  colours  in  our  poultry 
x 


82 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


yards,  clove-houses,  &c.  but  those,  also, 
of  dogs,  cats,  horses,  cows,  and  other  do- 
mestic animals.  If  it  should  be  objected, 
that  this  diversity  does  not  at  all  take  place 
in  the  perhaps  most  numerous  class  of  our  do- 
mesticated quadrupeds;  let  it  be  remember- 
ed that,  as  the  value  of  wool  is  diminished 
by  it’s  departure  from  whiteness,  the  white- 
est  sheep  are  alwaj^s  carefully  selected  to 
breed  from,  by  those  who  dispose  of  their 
wool  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the  ma- 
nufacturers: but,  it  has  been  remarked  by 
Dr.  Anderson,  probably  adverting  to  what 
this  accurate  observer  had  seen  in  Scot- 
land, that  “ in  remote  districts,  where  the 
thrifty  housewife  manufactures  cloaths  for 
her  husband  and  children,  and  where  she 
is  often  at  a loss  for  dye  stuffs,  they  are 
glad  to  avail  themselves  of  native  wool  of 
different  colours  to  supply  that  deficiency; 
and,  in  those  districts,  their  sheep  are  often 
as  much  diversified  in  colour  as  cattle  are 
in  Smith  field.” 

Curious  French  Method  of  protecting  Fruit 

Trees  from  Injury  by  Spring  Frosts , on  a 

Principle  similar  to  that  of  Conductors  for 

Lightning. 

In  the  Memoirs  of  the  Royal  Society  of 
Agriculture  at  Paris,  it  is  stated,  as  the 
result  of  several  experiments  there  given, 
that  frost,  like  the  electric  fluid  of  fire,  might 
be  drawn  off  from  the  atmosphere;  and 
have  it’s  baneful  influence  diverted,  by 
suitable  conductors,  so  as  to  guard  any 
particular  object  from  all  it’s  most  perni- 
cious effects.  An  application  of  this  princi- 
ple is  there  directed  to  preserve  from  injury 
those  tender  blossoms  of  fruit  trees  which 
are  often  so  fatally  cut  off  by  early  spring 
frosts.  If  a thick  rope  be  intermixed  among 
the  branches  of  a fruit  tree  in  blossom,  the 


end  of  which  is  directed  downward  so  as 
to  terminate  in  a pail  of  water,  should  a 
slight  frost  take  place  during  the  night, 
it  will  not  in  the  smallest  degree  affect  the 
tree  ; while  the  surface  of  the  water  in  the 
pail  which  receives  the  rope  will  be  co- 
vered with  a cake  of  more  or  less  thickness, 
though  v'ater  placed  in  another  pail  by 
the  side  of  it,  at  the  same  time,  either  ac- 
cidentally or  by  way  of  experiment,  may 
not,  from  the  slightness  of  the  frost,  have 
any  ice  at  all  on  it.  This  method  is  said 
to  be  frequently  practised  in  France,  and 
it  seems  well  worth  trying  in  England. 
The  principle,  in  particular,  is  deserving 
of  much  consideration,  as  there  is  a possi- 
bility of  it’s  being  very  beneficially  ap- 
plied in  a great  variety  of  obvious  ways. 
Singular  and  simple  Manner  of  preserving  Ap- 
ples from  the  Effects  of  Frost  in  North 

America. 

Apples  being  produced  most  abundantly 
in  North  America,  and  forming  an  article  of 
chief  necessity  in  almost  every  family,  the 
greatest  care  is  constantly  taken  to  protect 
them  from  frost  at  the  earliest  commence- 
ment of  the  winter  season;  it  being  well 
known,  that  apples,  if  left  unprotected,  are 
inevitably  destroyed  by  the  first  frost  which 
occurs.  This  desirable  object,  during  their 
long  and  severe  winters,  is  said  to  be  com- 
pleatly  effected,  by  only  throwing  over 
them  a thin  linen  cloth  before  the  approach 
of  frost,  when  the  fruit  beneath  is  never 
injured,  how  severe  soever  the  winter  may 
happen  to  prove.  Yet  apples  are  there 
usually  kept  in  a small  apartment  imme- 
diately beneath  the  roof  of  the  house,  par- 
ticularly appropriated  to  that  purpose,  and 
where  there  is  never  any  fire.  This  is  a 
fact  so  well  known,  that  the  Americans 
are  astonished  it  should  appear  at  all  won- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


83 


derfal:  and  they  have  some  reason  to  be 
so,  when  it  is  considered  that,  throughout 
Germany,  the  same  method  of  preserving 
fruit  is  universally  practised;  from  whence, 
probably,  it  made  it’s  way  to  North  Ame- 
rica. It  appears,  that  linen  cloth  only  is 
used  for  this  purpose;  woollen  cloth,  in 
particular,  having  been  experienced  to 
prove  ineffectual.  There  seems  abundant 
reason  to  believe,  that  even  potatoes  might 
be  protected  from  frost  by  some  such  sim- 
ple expedient.  This,  also,  like  the  pre- 
ceding article,  to  which  the  principle  seems 
so  very  analogous,  merits  high  considera- 
tion ; and  for  the  same  important  reason,  it’s 
capability  of  conducing  to  the  universal 
benefit  of  mankind,  and  the  numerous 
animals  under  our  protection. 

King’s  Patent  British  Barilla. 

In  the  preamble  to  the  patent  granted 
Mr.  James  King,  in  the  year  1780,  for  his 
newly  invented  British  barilla,  it  is  stated 
that  this  new  chemical  compound  is  calculat- 
ed to  serve  as  a substitute  for  manufacturing 
both  crown  and  broad  window  glass,  as 
well  as  bottles,  and  also  for  making  soap 
and  alum,  to  much  greater  advantage  than 
any  other  material  hitherto  used  in  the 
production  of  those  commodities.  The 
process  for  making  this  valuable  compo- 
sition is  described  by  the  patentee’s  spe- 
cification to  be  as  follows — Take  a quan- 
tity of  ashes  obtained  from  burning  the 
loppings  or  branches  of  ash  wood,  oak, 
beech,  elm,  alder,  and  any  other  kind  of 
green  wood  and  bramble,  in  the  propor- 
tion of  one  fourth  part;  and  another  fourth 
part  of  ashes  obtained  by  burning  the 
green  vegetables  known  by  the  names  of 
fern,  brecon,  bean  and  pea  straw,  and 
whin-ashes,  also  common  field  and  high- 


way thistles,  stalks  of  rape  and  mustard 
seed,  and  the  bent  or  rushes  which  grow 
by  the  sea-shore.  Half  the  ingredients 
being  thus  procured,  pass  them  through  a 
fine  sieve  placed  on  a boarded  floor,  and 
carefully  mix  them  with  the  other  half  in 
quantity  of  soap-boilers  waste  ashes  blended 
intimately  together  with  a spade  or  shovel. 
To  twelve  hundred  weight  of  this  mixture, 
add  one  hundred  weight  of  quick  lime,  and 
unite  it  in  like  manner.  The  whole  is  then 
to  be  put  into  large  square  iron  pans,  and 
have  a sufficient  quantity  of  sea-water 
poured  on  it  to  dissolve  the  lime,  ashes,  &c. 
while  the  mass  is  well  stirred  with  an  iron 
rake  to  effect  a still  more  minute  mixture. 
Beneath  these  pans,  a cool  fire  is  now  to 
be  kindled,  and  kept  briskly  and  incessant- 
ly burning  for  forty-eight  hours;  the  pans 
being,  all  that  time,  kept  sufficiently  sup- 
plied with  more  sea-water,  for  the  purpose 
of  impregnating  the  materials  with  a great- 
er degree  of  the  saline  quality,  till  they 
acquire  a proper  consistence  for  calcina- 
tion in  a melting  furnace  called  a calcar. 
The  apparatus  of  this  furnace  is  to  be  con- 
structed after  the  usual  manner  of  a calcar ; 
except  that  there  is  to  be  a wall  above 
the  grate  room,  in  order  to  separate  tire 
fire  from  the  materials  laid  on  the  bottom. 
An  intense  degree  of  heat  is  required  to 
be  used  in  this  calcar,  by  means  of  which 
the  saline  mass  boiled  in  the  pan  will  be 
compleatly  dissolved;  and  it  must  after- 
wards be  kept  one  hour  in  a state  of  fusion, 
during  which  time  the  volatile  part  will 
be  expelled,  and  a fixed  alkaline  salt  aloue 
be  left  remaining.  This,  being  cooled  in  iron 
pans,  produces  our  British  barilla;  resem- 
bling that  imported  from  Spain,  for  which 
such  large  sums  are  annually  paid  at  foreign 
markets. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Best  Method  of  Destroying  the  Black  Canker. 

The  black  canker  is  a name  given  by 
agriculturists  to  a most  voracious  cater- 
pillar, which  commits  great  devastation 
among  turnips.  There  is  no  method  more 
advisable  for  destroying  these  destructive 
insects,  and  many  others,  than  that  which 
was  adopted  by  the  celebrated  Mr.  Coke, 
of  Norfolk,  in  the  year  1784  ; when  this 
gentleman  purchased  four  hundred  ducks, 
and  set  them  at  liberty  on  a field  of  thirty- 
three  acres  of  turnips,  dreadfully  infested 
with  these  black  canker  caterpillars,  which 
they  compleatly  cleared  of  those  devourers 
in  five  days.  By  a similar  mode,  and  in 
relative  proportions,  ducks,  and  other  do- 
mesticated poultry,  might  be  rendered  ser- 
viceable on  almost  all  farms ; and,  with 
proper  precautions,  occasionally,  in  most 
large  gardens. 

Horsham  Capons. 

Thf.  great  emporium  of  capons.  Dr, 
Hunter  remarks,  is  Horsham,  in  the  county 
of  Sussex,  where  they  are  fattened  to  an 
extent  unknown  in  other  places ; often, 
when  fully  fed,  exceeding  the  weight  of 
nine  pounds.  They  are  chiefly  fed  with 
barley-meal,  milk,  and  the  skimmings  of 
the  pot ; that  is,  with  something  which  is 
greasy:  but,  to  finish  their  fattening,  sweet 
and  good  molasses,  or  treacle,  is  the  article 
depended  on.  The  practice  of  castrating, 
rearing,  and  fattening  capons,  was  form- 
erly well  understood  in  almost  every  vil- 
lage of  the  northern  parts  of  this  island ; 
but  the  art,  Dr.  Hunter  observes,  is  now 
nearly  lost ; a very  singular  circumstance, 
in  an  age  of  such  unbounded  luxury.  This 
gentleman  benevolently  recommends  the 
revival  of  a practice  which  may  be  so  pro- 


fitably undertaken  by  the  families  of  cot- 
tagers; a valuable  and  numerous  class  of 
society ; whose  comforts  many  gentlemen 
of  large  property  have  lately  shewn  a laud- 
able disposition  to  increase. 

Mr.  Forsyth’s  Method  of  sending  Fruit  to 

Windsor  and  Weymouth,  for  the  Use  of  his 

Majesty  and  the  Royal  Family. 

If  fruit  is  to  be  sent  to  any  considerable 
distance,  the  greatest  care  should  be  taken 
in  packing  it ; as,  from  improper  packing, 
it  is  often  totally  spoiled  in  the  carriage. 
When  packed  in  baskets,  they  are  liable  to 
be  compressed  among  the  heavy  luggage, 
and  the  fruit  is  consequently  injured.  “ I 
would,  therefore,”  says  Mr.  Forsyth,  " re- 
commend boxes  made  of  strong  deal,  of 
different  sizes,  according  to  the  quantity  of 
fruit  to  be  packed.  The  following,”  adds 
this  gentleman,  “ are  the  dimensions  of  the 
boxes  in  which  we  send  fruit  by  the  coach 
to  Windsor  or  Weymouth,  for  the  use  of 
his  Majesty  and  the  Royal  Family  : viz. 
the  larger  box  is  two  feet  long,  fourteen 
inches  broad,  and  the  same  in  depth  ; the 
smaller  box  is  one  foot  nine  inches  long, 
one  foot  broad,  and  the  same  deep.  These 
boxes  are  made  of  inch  deal,  and  well  se- 
cured with  three  iron  clamps  at  each  corner; 
and  the}'-  have  two  small  iron  handles,  one 
at  each  end,  by  which  they  are  fastened  to 
the  roof  of  the  coach.  In  these  boxes  we 
send  melons,  currants,  cherries,  pears, 
peaches,  nectarines,  plums,  and  grapes, 
packed  so  as  always  to  have  the  heaviest 
fruit  at  bottom.  The  melons  are  wrapped 
up  in  soft  paper  ; the  pears,  peaches,  nec- 
tarines, plums,  and  grapes,  are  first  wrap- 
ped up  in  vine  leaves,  and  then  in  paper  : 
the  cherries  and  currants  are  packed  in  flat 
tin  boxes,  one  foot  four  inches  long,  Jyvo 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


85 


inches  broad,  and  four  deep."  For  pack- 
ing, they  first  place  a layer  of  fine  long 
and  dry  moss  in  the  bottom  of  the  tin  box, 
next  a layer  of  currants  or  cherries,  and 
then  another  layer  of  moss ; and  thus,  al- 
ternately, fruit  and  moss,  till  the  box  is  so 
filled  that,  when  the  lid  is  hasped  down, 
the  fruit  may  b^  firmly  enough  packed  to 
preserve  it  from  friction.  This  being  done, 
a layer  of  fine  moss  well  mixed  with  short 
dry  grass,  is  placed  in  the  bottom  of  one  of 
the  deal  boxes;  then  the  melons  are  packed 
in  with  some  of  thesame  materials,  which  are 
not  only  packed  tight  between  all  the  rows 
of  melons,  but  also  between  all  t he  melons 
in  thesame  row,  which  should  be  as  nearly 
of  a size  as  possible,  till  the  layer  of  me- 
lons be  finished.  A thin  layer  of  moss 
and  grass  being  then  put  over  them,  the 
tin  box  of  currants  or  cherries  is  placed 
on  it,  packed  firmly  round  with  moss  to 
prevent  it  from  shaking;  and,  above  that, 
on  a thin  layer  of  moss,  the  pears  are  next 
firmly  packed,  but  not  so  as  to  bruise  them, 
in  the  same  way  as  the  melons.  Thus, 
with  alternate  layers  of  fruit  and  moss,  the 
peaches,  nectarines,  plums,  and  lastly  the 
grapes,  are  all  packed  up,  with  moss  suf- 
ficient at  the  top  to  make  the  lid  shut  down 
tight  enough  to  prevent  friction  among 
the  fruit.  The  other  box  being  packed 
in  a similar  manner,  they  are  carefully 
locked  up,  and  corded;  two  keys  alike 
serving  for  both  boxes,  one  of  which  is 
kept  by  the  person  who  packs  the  fruit, 
and  the  other  by  the  person  who  is  to 
unpack  it.  The  moss  and  grass  are  al- 
ways returned  in  the  boxes:  which,  with 
a little  addition,  serve  the  whole  season; 
being  shaken  up,  and  well  aired,  after 
each  journey,  and  keeping  them  sweet  and 
clean.  By  pursuing  this  method,  Mr. 


Forsyth  adds,  they  have  never  failed  of 
success;  and,  if  fruit  be  packed  according 
to  these  directions,  it  may  be  sent  with 
perfect  safety,  either  by  coaches  or  wag- 
gons, to  the  farthest  part  of  the  kingdom. 

Valuable  Receipt  for  making  Ginger  Wine. 

The  best  method  of  making  this  very 
cheap,  pleasant,  and  salutary  wine,  is  but 
little  known;  and  the  following  receipt, 
long  confined  to  a few  families,  has  with 
great  difficulty  been  obtained  for  the  pur- 
pose of  enriching  our  work — To  every 
gallon  of  water,  put  two  pounds  of  lump 
sugar,  and  one  ounce  and  a half  of  gross- 
ly pounded  ginger  tied  in  a coarse  linen, 
bag.  Boil  these  together  half  an  hour,  or 
as  long  as  any  scum  continues  to  rise, 
which  must  be  carefully  skimmed  oif.  Put 
this  liquor,  when  sufficiently  boiled,  into  a 
tub;  and,  on  it’s  becoming  the  warmth  of 
new  milk,  add  the  juice  and  rind  of  two 
lemons  and  half  a Seville  orange,  for  each 
gallon.  If  ten  gallons  be  made,  put  in 
two  table-spoonfuls  of  yeast  on  a piece  of 
toasted  bread.  Should  the  wine  be  made 
in  cold  weather,  it  must  be  kept  in  a warm 
place,  the  better  to  promote  fermentation, 
which  sometimes  does  not  take  place  for 
a day  or  two.  If  it  ferments  freely,  tun 
it  up  the  third  day,  ginger  and  rinds  to- 
gether, in  a cask  just  calculated  to  hold 
it;  keeping  out  a small  portion  for  the 
purpose  of  preserving  the  cask  full,  while 
it  continues  working,  which  must  by  no 
means  be  filled  up  with  any  part  of  what 
flows  over.  When  it  has  ceased  ferment-' 
ing,  rack  it  off  into  another  cask;  adding, 
to  every  four  gallons,  a quart  of  the  best 
brandy,  with  half  an  ounce  of  isinglass 
previously  dissolved  in  some  of  the  wine. 

In  one  month’s  time,  it  will  be  fit  to  drink 


Y 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


86 

or  bottle;  and  few  families,  it  may  be  pre-  j 
sumed,  who  once  make  it,  and  experience  ; 
it's  good  clients,  will  ever  afterward  chuse  j 
to  be  without  a cordial  wine  at  once  so  ! 
cheap  and  comfortable. 

Dr.  Hauler's  Instructions  f or  making  Potatoe 
Yeast. 

Roil  a pound  of  mealy  potatoes  till  they 
are  thoroughly  done;  then  skin  them, 
mash  them  very  smooth,  and  put  to  the 
mass  as  much  hot  water  as  will  make  it 
of  the  consistency  of  common  yeast:  after 
which,  run  it  through  a colander,  adding 
two  ounces  of  brown  sugar;  and,  when 
only  just  warm,  stir  in  two  table-spoonfuls 
ofcommon  yeast.  Keep  the  mixture  warm  till 
it  has  done  fermenting,  and  in  twenty-four 
hours  it  will  be  fit  to  use.  The  pound  of 
potatoes  makes  a quart  of  yeast,  which 
will  keep  a month  or  six  weeks.  The  bread 
is  recommended,  by  Dr.  Hunter,  to  be 
laid  eight  or  ten  hours  before  baking;  who 
says  that  it  is  not,  when  made  with  this  > 
potatoe  yeast,  to  be  distinguished  from 
that  made  with  yeast  purchased  of  the 
brewer. 

Curious  and  Fashionable  Dish  at  Paris,  called 

Potage  a la  Jambe  de  Pois;  or,  Wooden- 

Leg  Soup. 

The  communicator  of  this  singular  re- 
ceipt, a French  writer  of  much  celebrity, 
describes  it  with  a vivacity  suitable  to  the 
denomination  which  it  bears.  It  is,  he 
tells  us,  a soup  of  great  renown  in  the 
old  court,  taken  into  favour  by  the  pre- 
sent new  order  of  things:  but,  though  he 
admits  it  to  be  an  appendage  of  the  ancient 
school,  and  acknowledges  that  the  present 
professors  have  much  simplified  the  art, 
and  rendered  their  cookery  better  and 


more  wholesome  than  formerly,  so  that 
they  feel  little  disposed  for  restoring  such 
preparations  to  honour,  the  name  of  this 
soup  having  excited  the  curiosity  of  many 
persons,  natives  as  well  as  foreigners,  who 
are  naturally  desirous  to  know  the  method 
of  preparing  it,  and  it  being  in  truth  an 
excellent  restorative,  he  is  induced  thus 
to  make  public  the  genuine  receipt — Take 
a shin  of  beef,  and  saw  off  the  two  ends, 
leaving  the  bone  more  than  a foot  long; 
put  it  into  the  soup  kettle,  with  some  good 
broth,  and  a large  slice  of  beef,  with  thegravy 
drawn  in  a stew  pan  of  cold  water.  When 
theliquor  has beeu  well  scummed,  it  must  be 
seasoned  with  salt,  pepper, and  some  cloves; 
then  put  in  two  or  three  dozen  carrots,  a 
dozen  each  of  onions,  heads  of  celery,  and 
turnips,  a bundle  of  sweet  herbs,  and  two 
old  hen  partridges.  The  kettle  must  be 
set  on  the  fire,  early  in  the  morning,  and 
kept  very  gently  (boiling,  that  the  soup 
may  be  made  easier  and  better.  In  the 
mean  time,  take  a large  slice  of  about  two 
pounds  weight  round  a fine  fillet  of  veal; 
let  it  simmer  in  a stewpau,  wetted  with 
some  of  the  soup,  after  the  fat  of  it  has  been 
well  skimmed  off;  then  add  a dozen  heads 
of  celery,  and  pass  the  whole  into  the  soup 
about  an  hour  before  serving  it  up.  The 
soup  being  sufficiently  done,  and  foundto  be 
of  a good  flavour,  put  rasped  or  chipped 
crusts  of  the  soup  bread  in  a stewpan; 
wet  them  with  some  of  the  soup  from  which 
the  fat  has  been  skimmed,  and  let  them 
simmer  a short  time.  When  they  are 
enough,  arrange  them  in  the  soup  dish,  gar- 
nish them  with  all  sorts  of  the  vegetables 
contained  in  the  soup,  and  serve  up  the 
whole  quite  hot.  It  is  easy  to  see,  says 
the  ingenious  communicator,  that  it  is 
this  shin  of  beef,  set  up  with  great  pomp 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


87 


in  the  centre,  that  gave  the  soup  the  ap- 
pellation of  wooden-leg  soup:  and,  though 
we  doubt  whether  it  owes  it’s  goodness,  so 
much  as  it’s  name,  to  the  shin  of  beef,  the  uni- 
on of  the  large  slice  of  beef,  the  ponderous 
cutlet  of  veal,  and  so  capital  an  assem- 
blage of  vegetables,  even  without  the  old 
hen  partridges,  cannot  foil  to  produce 
an  excellent  essence,  at  once  healthful, 
nourishing,  and  agreeable;  and,  as  be- 
fore observed,  singularly  restorative. 

Wonderful  Effects  of  the  Art  of  Hatching 
Chickens  in  Ovens. 

In  Egypt  the  art  of  hatching  chickens 
in  ovens  is  well  known  to  have  been  long 
successfully  practised;  yet,  it  has  lately 
been  asserted,  this  knowledge  is  there  con- 
fined to  the  inhabitants  of  a single  village 
and  it’s  immediate  neighbourhood.  The 
number  of  ovens,  erected  there,  however, 
for  this  purpose,  has  been  stated  to  be 
three  hundred  and  eighty-six,  whieh  are 
in  constant  employ  for  six  months;  and, 
as  each  brood  is  supposed  to  consist 
of  thirty  thousand  chickens,  and  the  eggs 
are  hatched  in  three  weeks,  the  prodigious 
number  of  chickens  to  which  these  Egyptian 
ovens  annually  communicate  life  is  estimat- 
ed at  ninety-two  million  six  hundred  and 
forty  thousand!  It  seems  singular,  that 
none  of  our  numerous  European  speculators 
have  yet  seriously  availed  themselves  of 
the  advantages  derivable  from  such  a prac- 
tice; among  whom  there  are,  it  must  be 
confessed,  always  a very  sufficient  num- 
ber ready  to  risk  an  application  of  the  old 
adage,  by  “ reckoning  their  chickens  be- 
fore they  are  hatched.”  Be  this  as  it  may, 
Reaumur,  the  celebrated  French  naturalist, 
actually  made  the  experiment,  and  is  gene- 
rally thought  to  have  reduced  this  art  to 


h’  positively  fixed  principles.  The  requisite 
j heat,  he  compleatly  ascertained  to  be  near- 
| ly  the  same  as  that  marked  thirty-six  de- 
I grees  on  his  own  thermometer,  which  is 
! equal  to  about  ninety-six  on  that  of  Fah- 
1 renheit.  This  ingenious  naturalist  em- 
ployed stoves  of  any  form  whatever,  which 
I were  heated  by  being  placed  near  or  in  a 
room  over  a baker’s  oven.  The  eggs  be- 
ing carefully  deposited,  were  occasionally 
turned  and  shifted  in  a way  similar  to  that 
in  which  it  is  customary  for  a common 
hen  to  proceed  during  her  incubation,  so 
as  to  let  each  egg  equally  participate  in 
the  unavoidable  irregularities  of  the  stove. 
The  chief  difficulty  was  that  of  always  at- 
tending to  the  exact  degree  of  heat.  Ac- 
cordingly, he  melted  and  poured  into  a 
phial  two  parts  of  butter  and  one  of  tal- 
low: when  the  heat  was  of  a proper  tem- 
perature, this  liquid  grease  resembled  a 
thick  syrup;  when  too  great,  on  holding  the 
phial  with  a gentle  inclination,  it  flowed 
like  oil ; but  when  the  warmth  was  too  weak, 
the  mixture  remained  fixed  in  a lump.  By 
placing,  therefore,  this  phial  into  the  stove, 
the  degree  of  heat  was  easily  regulated: 
and,  in  fact,  the  experiment  fully  succeed- 
ed; as,  there  is  good  reason  to  believe, 
will  always  happen,  if  conducted  with  due 
care  and  precaution.  Having  thus  hatch- 
ed the  chickens,  Reaumur  contrived  to  pro- 
vide them  with  artificial  parents;  by  lin- 
ing a sort  of  hollow  covers  or  boxes  with 
soft  fur,  under  which  they  soon  fled  for 
warmth  or  shelter,  in  the  same  manner  as 
beneath  the  w'ings  of  an  actual  hen.  What 
he  called  a woollen  hen,  or  basket  lined 
! with  wool,  was  found  to  be  quite  sufficient. 

I After  a few  days,  the  chickens  thus  hatch- 
ed mav  be  turned  out  into  the  open  air;  and 
confided  to  the  care  of  capons,  or  even  of 


88 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


cocks,  both  of  which  are  easily  taught  to 
perform  the  maternal  office,  and  watch 
them  with  a solicitude  little  if  at  all  inferior 
to  that  commonly  evinced  by  hens.  One  me- 
thod of  preparing  a capon  or  cock  for  this 
office,  is  by  plucking  off  some  of  the  fea- 
thers of  the  breast,  then  stinging  it  a little 
with  nettles,  at  night,  and  placing  the 
chickens  beneath  him  in  the  dark;  after 
which,  it  is  said,  pleased  with  the  ease 
which  their  warmth  affords  him,  he  uni- 
formly attends  them,  and  shelters  them 
under  his  wings,  till  they  are  sufficiently 
grown  to  take  care  of  themselves.  A very 
curious  account  appeared  some  time  since 
in  the  newspapers,  of  a woman’s  having 
hatched  a chicken,  by  wearing  an  egg  night 
and  day  in  her  bosom;  to  which  fowl  were 
ascribed  qualities  far  less  credible  than 
the  simple  fact  of  it’s  having  been  thus 
produced.  Enough  has  been  often  done, 
to  afford  the  fullest  satisfaction  to  curiosity: 
what  remains  to  be  effected,  is  the  render- 
ing it  conducive  to  individual  and  general 
advantage;  against  which  the  high  price 
of  corn  affords,  perhaps,  the  most  serious 
and  substantial  present  objection.  By  the 
equable  distribution  of  heat,  which  modern 
science  has  rendered  perfectly  familiar,  it 
should  seem  that  there  would  be  very  little 
difficulty  in  making  the  Europeans  surpass 
even  the  Egyptians,  as  to  the  astonishing 
number  of  chickens  thus  artificially  produc- 
ed. This  offers,  at  least,  a fair  field  of  specu- 
lation for  the  famous  Light  and  Heat  Com- 
pany ; who  might  then  count  for  certain, 
that  their  chickens  would  soon  be  hatched. 

Singular  French  Method  of  making  and  keep- 
ing a constant  Supply  of  Red  or  White 

Wine  Vinegar. 

ACCORDING  to  the  quantity  of  vinegar 


which  they  are  desirous  of  making,  a ves- 
sel more  or  less  large  is  procured.  For 
five  gallons,  take  a new  cask  of  that  size; 
if  old,  it  must  be  chipped  all  over  the 
inside.  Then  boil  a quart  of  the  very 
strongest  vinegar,  pour  it  in  as  hot  as  pos- 
sible, bung  it  down  close,  and  roll  the 
barrel  till  the  vinegar  becomes  quite  cold. 
Six  hours  after,  take  out  the  vinegar,  and 
fix  the  barrel  in  a warm  situation.  Having 
bunged  it  up,  make  a hole  on  the  top  of 
the  barrel,  near  the  edge  where  the  head  is 
inserted,  of  a size  sufficiently  large  to  ad- 
mit a proper  funnel,  through  which  pour 
two  quarts  of  the  best  vinegar.  Eight 
days  after,  add  a quart  of  any  wine  proper 
for  making  vinegar;  and  so,  every  eight 
days,  continue  to  put  in  an  additional  quart 
of  such  wine  till  the  barrel  become  half 
full,  and  then  a larger  quantity  may  be  in- 
troduced. Care,  however,  must  be  taken, 
that  the  vinegar  is  always  kept  equally 
strong  with  what  was  at  first  put  in ; for, 
if  suffered  to  become  weaker,  the  addi- 
tional wine  will  never  acquire  the  same 
strength.  The  barrel  being  full,  and  the 
vinegar  it’s  due  strength,  draw  off  two 
thirds  into  another  cask;  and  afterward, 
putting  more  wine,  a little  at  a time,  into 
the  original  barrel,  as  before  directed,  it 
w ill  afford  a constant  supply  of  good  vine- 
gar. The  wines  most  suitable  for  the  pur- 
pose of  making  vinegar,  are  those  which 
are  drawn  off  the  lees,  palled  or  dead,  turn- 
ed sour,  and  destitute  of  flavour.  When 
the  vinegar  is  not  sufficiently  coloured, 
it  is  made  red  by  adding  the  juice  of  mul- 
berries, or  even  ripe  blackberries.  Where 
the  vinegar  is  required  to  be  white,  put 
any  quantity  over  the  fire,  and  boil  it  till 
a fourth  part  is  reduced;  then,  distilling 
it  in  an  alembic,  draw  off  what  is  wanted. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK  89 


The  hint  afforded  by  this  practice  of  pre- 
paring the  barrel,  is  deserving  of  particular 
attention;  as  it’s  principle  seems  susceptible 
of  being  beneficially  applied  in  a variety 
of  ways. 

Spring  Vinegar  of  Herbs,  as  made  in  France. 

The  French  are  famous  for  their  vinegars, 
of  which  they  have  a prodigious  variety; 
they  make  them  of  almost  every  herb, 
flower,  fruit,  spice,  &c.  separately  as  well 
as  in  innumerable  combinations,  with  a 
skill  which  can  only  result  from  consider- 
able experience.  This  spring  vinegar  of 
herbs  is,  of  course,  more  or  less  agreeable, 
according  to  the  taste  and  judgment  exer- 
cised in  the  selections  and  preparations 
of  the  different  vegetables  used  on  the  oc- 
casion. The  following  are  genuine  direc- 
tions for  making  it — Toward  the  end  of 
May,  or  beginning  of  June,  gather  all 
sorts  of  small  herbs;  such  as  cresses,  pim- 
pernel, chervil,  &c.  dry  them  in  the  sun; 
and  put  them  in  a jar  which  holds  about 
six  quarts,  with  ten  cloves  of  garlic,  as 
many  shallots,  six  onions,  a good  pinch 
of  mustard  seed,  twenty  cloves,  half  a 
dram  of  mace,  a dram  of  long  pfepper,  and 
a lemon  sliced  with  it’s  rind.  Fill  the 
jar  with  vinegar;  and,  having  well  closed 
it,  let  it  stand  exposed  to  the  heat  of  the 
sun  for  jeight  or  ten  days.  Afterward, 
strain  it  through  a cotton  or  flannel  bag, 
put  it  in  bottles,  close  them  with  cork  and 
leather,  and  keep  the  vinegar  for  use. 

Cure  for  Chilblains. 

If,  before  any  inflammation  takes  place, 
the  teet  or  hands  affected  are  well  washed 
morning  and  evening  with  hot  Water,  or 
even  with  cold  water  on  going  to  bed,  it 
will  generally  stop  their  progress;  espe-  | 


cially,  if  warm  socks  or  gloves  be  constant- 
ly worn : but,  when  they  are  actually  in- 
flamed, dip  a four-times  folded  rag  into  a 
mixture  composed  of  four  ounces  of  spirits 
of  wine  and  camphor,  and  one  ounce  of 
Venice  treacle;  which  must  be  tied  every 
night  on  the  chilblains  till  they  quite  dis- 
appear. With  these  precautions,  they 
will  seldom  or  never  be  found  to  ulcerate; 
or,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  to  break: 
when  this  happens,  dissolve  an  ounce  of 
common  turpentine  in  the  yolk  of  an  egg, 
and  mix  it  up  into  a balsam,  with  half  an 
ounce  of  lampblack,  or  even  soot,  and  a 
dram  of  oil  or  spirits  of  turpentine.  Spread 
this  balsam  on  a plegit  of  lint  large  enough 
entirely  to  cover  the  ulcer,  tie  it  on  with, 
warm  cloths  all  over  the  parts  affected; 
and  renew  the  dressings  every  morning 
and  evening,  which  will  speedily  effect  a 
cure.  Soft  leather  socks,  if  began  to  be 
worn  before  the  first  approach  of  winter, 
in  October  at  farthest,  and  never  suffered 
to  get  wet  or  hard,  will  generally  preserve 
from  chilblains  even  those  who  are  most 
subject  to  be  troubled  with  them. 

Ingenious  French  Vegetative  Liquid,  for  mak- 
ing Bulbous  Boots  beautifully  Flower  in 
ornamental  Glasses,  without  Earth,  during 
the  Winter  Season. 

Dissolve,  gradually,  in  a glazed  earthen 
or  glass  vessel,  three  ounces  of  saltpetre, 
one  ounce  of  common  salt,  and  half  an  ounce 
of  salt  of  tartar,  with  a pint  of  rain  water. 
When  the  solution  is  complented,  add  half 
an  ounce  of  loaf  sugar,  filtre  the  whole 
through  a bag  or  blotting  paper,  and  keep 
it  bottled  for  use.  Into  each  flower-glass, 
filled  with  rain  or  river  water,  are  to  be 
put  eight  or  ten  drops  of  this  liquid.  The 
glasses  must  be  kept  constantly  full, 
Z 


90 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


and  the  water  renewed  every  tenth  or  j 
twelfth  day  at  farthest;  to  which  must  al-  ! 
ways  be  added,  the  requisite  number  of  I 
drops  of  the  vegetative  liquor.  To  ensure  I 
com  pleat  success,  however,  the  glasses 
ought  to  stand  on  a mantle  or  chimney- 
piece  where  a fire  is  regularly  kept  in  cold 
weather.  The  fibres  of  the  roots  must, 
of  course,  always  imbibe  the  liquid:  and, 
w ith  proper  management,  a fine  succes- 
sion of  flowers,  may  be  then  kept  up  during 
the  most  rigorous  seasons;  such  as  cro- 
cuses of  different  colours,  tulips,  hyacinths, 
snow-drops,  &c. 

Art  of  Extracting  the  finest  Carmine  Powder 
from  Clippings  of  Scarlet  Cloth. 


the  liquor  will  run  out  clear;  but,  if  it  be 
at  all  tinged,  it  is  again  to  be  boiled,  with 
the  addition  of  a small  quantity  of  dissolved 
alum,  and  passed  through  the  bag  a third 
time,  when  all  the  carmine  will  be  left 
behind.  Fresh  water  is  then  to  be  poured 
repeatedly  into  the  bag,  till  all  the  alum 
is  washed  away:  after  which,  the  colour 
must  be  dried,  so  as  to  prevent  any  dust 
from  settling  on  it ; and,  being  previously 
reduced  to  an  impalpable  powder,  on  glass 
or  marble,  it  is  immediately  fit  for  use. 
The  best  carmine  generally  sold,  however, 
is  supposed  to  be  manufactured  from  co- 
chineal, by  a process  which  is  carefully 
concealed  among  the  few  who  are  interest- 
ed in  keeping  the  secret. 


That  incomparable  crimson  colour,  call- 
ed carmine,  which  so  beautifully  partici- 
pates in  the  most  delicate  tints  of  scarlet 
and  of  purple,  is  so  very  expensive,  that 
miniature  painters  are  often  induced  to 
substitute  for  carmine  a composition  of  i 
lake;,  by  the  following  process,  however, 
it  is  credibly  asserted,  that  a better  car- 
mine may  with  certainty  be  manufactured 
than  much  of  what  is  imported  from  France 
— Take  five  or  six  gallons  of  the  purest 
water,  and  dissolve  in  it  a sufficient  quan- 
tity of  pot-ash  to  make  a strong  ley.  Af-  j 
ter  having  filtered  the  solution,  put  it  in  a j 
brass  pot,  and  boil  in  it  a pound  of  the  | 
dean  shreds  or  clippings  of  the  finest  scar-  j 
let  broad  cloth  dyed  in  grain,  till  they 
have  entirely  lost  their  colour;  then  i 
squeeze  the  shreds,  and  pass  all  the  ley 
through  a flannel  bag.  Dissolve  two 
pounds  of  alum  in  a proper  quantity  of 
water,  and  add  this  solution  to  the  ley; 
stir  them  well  together,  and  the  whole 
will  become  rather  thick.  It  is  then  to 
t>e  repassed  through  the  flannel  bag,  and 


Choicest  Green  and  Yellow  XJsquebaugh. 

These  cordial  liquors  are  seldom  made 
w7ell  for  sale,  or  they  would  be  in  much 
higher  estimation.  The  best  way  of  pre- 
paring them  is  as  follow's — Take  a gallon  of 
the  best  brandy,  an  ounce  of  cinnamon, 
half  an  ounce  each  of  mace  and  cloves,  a 
quarter  of  an  ounce  each  of  nutmeg  and 
ginger,  and  the  rind  of  a Seville  orange; 
beat  the  whole  of  the  spices  in  a mortar, 
and  infuse  them  in  the  brandy  for  eight 
days.  Then  boil  two  ounces  of  sliced  and 
bruised  stick  liquorice,  and  a pound  of 
stoned  sun  or  jar  raisins,  in  three  pints  of 
water,  till  reduced  to  half  the  quantity;  and, 
straining  the  liquid,  dissolveinit  two  ounces 
of  powdered  loaf  sugar.  Mix  this,  in  ano- 
ther vessel,  with  the  clear  infusion  of  the 
brandy  and  spices,  and  the  usquebaugh  will 
want  nothing  but  the  respective  colours.  To 
makehalfthis  quantity  of  usquebaugh  green, 
pound  sufficient  spinach  to  produce  half 
a gill  of  juice;  mix  it  with  as  much  w^ater; 
simmer  them  slowly  over  the  fire  for  ten 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


91 


minutes;  and,  when  cool,  add  this  green 
decoction  to  colour  that  portion  of  the 
liquor:  for  the  other  half,  which  is  wanted 
to  be  made  yellow,  steep  half  an  ounce  of 
saffron,  in  brandy  or  white  wine,  press  it 
through  a soft  linen  bag,  and  add  it  to  the 
remainder  of  the  liquor.  Put  into  each 
quantity  a few  drops  of  warm  alum  finings ; 
well  shake  the  bottles  two  or  three  times 
a day,  for  three  or  four  da\?s,  carefully 
giving  it  vent  each  time;  and,  in  less  than 
a month,  these  excellent  stomachic  cordials 
will  be  sufficiently  fine,  and  fit  for  use. 

Method  of  mailing  Alum  Finings  for  all  Sorts 

of  Spirituous  Compounds  and  Cordials. 

The  method  of  preparing  alum  water 
for  the  purpose  of  making  what  is  called 
finings,  is  by  boiling  a dram  of  alum  in  a t 
pint  of  water,  till  half  the  water  has  evapo- 
rated; and  putting  in  the  cordial  liquor, 
which  requires  fining,  after  the  rate  of  only 
half  a tea-spoonful,  made  the  warmth  of 
new  milk,  for  every  gallon.  This  small 
quantity  will  not  be  found  at  all  to  affect 
the  flavour  of  the  liquor;  but  great  care 
must  be  taken  never  to  exceed  that  pro- 
portion. 

Fine  English  Hollands,  and  other  Cordial  Gins. 

By  the  following  easy  method,  an  ex- 
cellent imitation  may  be  made  of  the  best 
Hollands  gin — Take  a lump  or  two  of 
sugar,  two  tea-spoonfuls  each  of  oils  of 
juniper,  turpentine,  and  almonds,  and 
twenty  drops  of  oil  of  vitriol;  and  rub 
them  in  a marble  mortar,  with  about  half 
a gill  of  the  strongest  spirits  of  wine,  such 
as  will  burn  dry  in  a silver  spoon,  intro- 
duced by  a little  at  a time,  till  the  spirit 
kills  or  overpowers  all  the  oily  appearances. 
Then  dissolve  half  a pound  of  lump  sugar 


! in  two  quarts  of  clear  water  which  has  been 
| boiled  or  distilled;  and,  having  procured 
| two  gallons  of  rectified  malt  spirit,  or  rather 
of  whiskey,  mix  it  first  with  the  combined 
| oils  and  spirits  of  wine,  and  afterward  add 
the  dissolved  sugar  and  water.  After  stir- 
ring the  whole  well  together,  put  inatea- 
| spoonful  of  warm  alum  finings,  shake  the 
whole  well  together,  let  it  stand  steadilv 
to  settle  and  clear,  and  draw  it  off  or  bottle 
it  for  use.  If  the  spirits  be  good,  particu- 
larly with  w'hiskey,  and  the  whole  well 
managed,  it  will  so  resemble  the  best  Hol- 
lands as  not  easily  to  be  distinguished  from 
it.  Cordial  gins,  of  different  flavours,  may 
be  made  in  a similar  way,  more  or  less 
lowered  with  boiled  or  distilled  water; 
but,  except  for  the  imitation  of  Hollands, 
whiskey  is  not  to  be  used.  By  judicious 
combinations  of  dill  and  coriander  seed, 
with  a very  small  proportion  of  liquorice, 
angelica  root,  carraway  seeds,  ginger,  and 
orange  or  lemon  peel,  and  a quantity  of 
juniper  berries  equal  to  the  whole,  all 
pounded  in  a mortar,  boiled  in  a close 
vessel  for  two  hours,  with  water  enough 
to  extract  their  virtues,  strained  off  when 
cold,  and  sweetened  with  clarified  or  burnt 
sugar,  a richness  of  flavour  may  be  acquired 
far  beyond  that  of  any  known  gin,  without 
the  use  of  pernicious  ingredients.  The 
additions  of  this  flavouring  liquid,  which 
would  be  improved  by  passing  it  through 
a still,  and  with  which  may  be  united  rose 
or  orange-flower  water,  must  be  put  into 
the  spirits  previously  to  the  alum  linings. 

Mr.  Speechlfs  Ingenious  Method  of  Renovat- 
ing old  Mulberry  Trees. 

THIS  respectable  horticulturist  observes, 
that  old  mulberry  trees  often  become  bad 
bearers,  or  cast  their  fruit  without  it’s 


92 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


coming  to  maturity;  in  either  of  these  cases, 
lie  directs  that  a trench  of  about  two 
feet  deep,  and  four  feet  distant  from  the 
bole,  should  be  cut  round  the  tree.  This 
trench  is  to  be  filled  with  fresh  mould,  en- 
riched with  cow-dung;  and,  as  the  large 
roots  may  be  raised  without  injury,  some 
of  the  compost  must  be  put  under  them, 
so  as  to  make  the  bed  over  which  the  tree 
stands  as  rich  as  possible.  At  the  same 
time,  the  old  wood  is  to  be  cut  from  the 
head  of  the  tree,  that  the  young  may  have 
sufficient  space  to  grow  in.  If  these  ope- 
rations are  judiciously  conducted,  an  old 
mulberry  tree  will,  Mr.  Speedily  says,  in 
a very  few  years,  be  converted  into  a young 
one.  The  ground  near  the  tree,  however, 
must  never  be  cropped,  if  much  fruit  is 
expected;  for  the  feeding  fibres  of  the 
roots  will  otherwise  be  cut  off  by  the  spade, 
at  a time  when  the  fruit  requires  the  ut- 
most nourishment.  The  advantages  of 
this  process  may,  perhaps,  be  in  part  ex- 
tended to  other  weak  or  aged  trees. 

Art  of  preparing  Carrot  Seed,  so  as  to  prreent 

the  Crop  from  being  spoiled  by  the  quicker 

Growth  of  Weeds. 

This  ingenious  contrivance  appears  to 
have  originated  with  Dr.  Hunter,  the  libe- 
al  and  celebrated  author  of  the  Georgical 
Essays.  As  carrot  seed  must  be  sown 
early,  that  gentleman  remarks,  and  as  it 
also  remains  a long  time  in  the  ground, 
the  weeds  frequently  spoil  the  crop.  The  fol- 
lowing method,  however,  he  assures  us,  has 
been  found  effectually  to  prevent  the  above 
inconvenience — Mix  any  quantity  of  car- 
rot seed  with  about  five  times  the  quantity 
of  earth;  moisten  the  whole  with  water; 
and,  every  second  day,  turn  it  all  over. 
As  soon  as  the  seeds  begin  to  swell  and 


|j  sprout,  they  may  be  sown  along  with  the 
earth.  By  this  method,  the  carrot  seeds 
will  vegetate  before  the  weeds;  and  the 
farmer  will  be  sure  of  a good  crop,  which 
may  be  easily  and  cheaply  hoed.  This 
plan,  if  due  care  be  taken  not  to  carry 
1 the  previous  vegetation  of  the  seed  too  far, 
may  be  usefully  adopted  with  regard  to 
i other  seeds  and  grain;  such,  especially, 
as  are  of  slow  growth,  and  liable  to  be 
■i  devoured  by  insects  which  will  not  feed 
on  them  when  the  germs  once  begin  to 
unfold. 

Curious  French  Modes  of  Fattening  the  famous 
Languedoc  Geese. 

The  following  methods  of  fattening 
geese  in  Languedoc  deserve  to  be  uni- 
versally known,  as  they  afford  some  hints 
which  may  be  useful  in  fattening  other 
animals.  As  soon  as  the  geese  have  got  into 
full  flesh,  by  being  well  kept  on  green  food, 
the  fattening  of  them  must  not  be  delayed, 
j lest  the  season  should  be  entirely  lost.  They 
enter  into  rut  about  the  middle  of  Decem- 
ber; and,  after  the  end  of  that  month,  they 
will  not  fatten  at  all.  'When  the  frost  sets 
in,  usually  toward  the  end  of  November, 
ten  or  twelve  geese,  never  more  together, 
are  shut  up  in  a dark  and  still  place,  where 
they  can  neither  see  light,  nor  by  any  means 
hear  the  cries  of  other  geese  which  may 
be  kept  for  laying.  In  this  close  confine- 
ment they  are  to  remain  till  they  have  at- 
tained the  utmost  degree  of  fatness,  and  are 
ready  for  killing:  that  moment,  however, 
must  be  carefully  seized;  for,  otherwise, 
it  is  said,  they  w’ould  very  soon  turn  lean 
and  die.  There  are  turn  wavs  of  fattening 
them,  while  thus  imprisoned;  the  first  is, 
either  by  giving  them  a trough  plentifully 
filled  with  a grain,  called  sarde,  supposed 

i 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


93 


to  be  buck-wheat,  and  the  geese  fattened 
on  this  grain  are  very  delicate;  or,  by  sup- 
plying the  trough  with  sufficient  grains 
of  maize  or  Indian  corn  boiled  in  water: 
and,  carefully  keeping  the  coop  in  which 
they  are  confined  always  clean,  as  well 
as  the  trough  constantly  filled,  the  geese 
are  all  fully  fattened  in  two  or  three  weeks. 
They  are  then  taken  out  of  the  coop,  and 
allowed  to  go  at  large  in  a piece  of  water 
for  twenty-four  hours;  without  which  pre- 
caution, their  flesh  would  have  a disagree- 
able flavour.  This,  which  is  their  first 
mode  of  fattening  geese,  may  be  deno- 
minated the  natural  method;  the  second 
way  of  fattening  them,  which  may  be  call- 
ed the  artificial  mode,  is  as  follows — The 
geese  are  put  up  in  the  same  manner  as 
the  other;  but,  instead  of  being  only 
tempted  to  eat  by  enticement,  they  are 
twice  every  day  literally  crammed,  by 
putting  into  their  craws,  through  a tin 
tube,  as  much  maize  boiled  in  water  as 
they  can  possibly  contain.  This  tube  is 
found  to  be  necessary,  as  the  serrated  beak 
of  the  geese  would  otherwise  soon  scratch 
and  tear  the  hand  of  the  unwelcome  opera- 
tor. Geese,  it  is  said,  crammed  in  this 
way,  soon  acquire  such  a prodigious  fat- 
ness, as  sometimes  to  weigh  from  twenty- 
five  to  thirty  pounds.  Their  livers,  which 
weigh  from  a pound  to  a pound  and  a half 
each,  are  white  and  delicate;  but  have 
a slight  bitterness  to  the  taste  which  is  not 
found  in  those  of  ducks.  The  hearts,  which 
are  as  big  as  a small  apple,  make  an  excel- 
lent broil. 

Cruel  Mode  of  Cramming  Languedoc  Ducks. 

When  the  ducks  are  rendered  pretty 
fat  by  the  common  modes  of  feeding,  they 
are  shut  up  in  a dark  place ; and,  every 


morning  and  evening,  the  person  who  at- 
tends them  puts  their  wings  across,  places 
them  between  his  knees,  and  opens  their 
bills  with  his  left  hand,  while  with  the  right 
he  fills  their  craws  with  boiled  maize.  They 
sometimes  die  suffocated,  under  the  ope- 
ration; but  are  not  considered  as  the  worse 
for  that  circumstance,  provided  they  are 
immediately  bled.  The  unfortunate  ani- 
mals usually  pass  fifteen  days  in  a state  of 
oppression  and  suffocation ; the  prodigious 
enlargement  of  the  liver  keeping  them 
in  a perpetually  panting  state,  and  almost 
without  the  power  of  breathing.  When 
the  tail  of  each  suffering  victim  spreads 
out  like  a fan,  it  is  known  that  they  are 
as  fat  as  they  can  be : they  are  then  turned 
out  to  bathe ; and,  immediately  after,  they 
are  killed.  When  the  ducks,  as  well  as 
the  geese,  which  are  thus  crammed,  have 
been  plucked,  they  appear  to  be  balls  of 
fat,  none  of  their  limbs  being  discernible. 
Though  there  is  much  which  cannot  be 
humanely  recommended  to  imitation  in 
these  practices,  some  inferences  not  a lit- 
tle curious  may  be  drawn  from  the  facts 
which  they  contain  with  regard  to  fatten- 
ing other  animals.  Not  only  do  they  con. 
firm  the  general  position,  that  the  more 
food  an  animal  can  be  made  to  take,  in  a 
given  time,  the  quicker  it  will  be  fattened; 
but  the  rule  seems  equally  to  hold  when 
it  is  given  in  even  a hurtful  quantity,  phy- 
sically considered,  and  far  beyond  what  the 
animal  could  have  been  induced  without 
compulsion  to  have  swallowed:  besides, 
it  is  farther  manifest  that,  by  certain  modes 
of  feeding,  when  well  understood,  the  size 
of  particular  parts  of  the  body  can  be  aug- 
mented beyond  their  natural  proportions; 
and,  on  this  principle,  it  has  been  observed,, 
could  the  quantity  of  tallow  be  augment- 
21  A. 


94 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ed  in  quadrupeds,  nearly  in  proportion 
to  the  enlargement  of  the  liver  in  ducks 
and  geese,  the  profits  to  the  owner  would 
be  greatly  increased. 

Infallible  Ointment  for  the  Scab,  &;c.  in  Sheep. 

The  following  account  of  this  valuable 
remedy  for  the  scab  and  other  complaints 
in  sheep,  is  published  under  the  authority 
of  Sir  Joseph  Banks:  who  says,  that  it  was 
brought  into  that  part  of  Lincolnshire 
where  his  property  is  situated  about  twenty 
years  ago,  by  Mr.  Stephenson  of  Mare- 
ham;  and  is  now  so  generally  received, 
that  the  scab,  which  used  to  be  the  terror 
of  the  farmers,  and  which  frequently  de- 
terred the  most  careful  of  them  from  tak- 
ing the  advantage  of  pasturing  their  sheep 
in  the  fertile  and  extensive  commons  with 
which  that  district  abounds,  are  no  longer 
regarded  with  any  apprehension.  Indeed, 
far  the  most  of  them  have  their  flocks 
anointed  in  autumn,  when  they  return  from 
the  common,  whether  they  shew  any  symp- 
toms of  scab  or  not;  and,  having  so  done, 
conclude  them  safe,  for  some  time,  from 
either  giving  or  receiving  infection.  There 
are,  in  fact,  persons  in  Lincolnshire,  w ho 
contract  to  anoint  their  large  sheep  for 
five  shillings  a score;  so  far  insuring  the 
success  of  the  operation,  as  to  repeat  it 
gratis,  should  they  again  break  out  some 
months  afterward.  The  ointment  used  for 
this  purpose  is  thus  made — Rub  together, 
in  a mortar,  a pound  of  quicksilver  and 
half  a pound  of  Venice  turpentine,  till  the 
globules  of  the  mercury  or  quicksilver  dis- 
appear; then  add  half  a pint  of  oil  of  tur- 
pentine and  four  pounds  of  hog’s  lard,  and 
mix  the  whole  into  an  ointment.  The  me- 
thod of  using  it,  as  described  by  Sir  Joseph 
Banks,  is  to  begin  at  the  head  of  the  sheep; 


and,  proceeding  from  between  the  ears, 
along  the  back  to  the  end  of  the  tail,  di- 
vide the  wool  in  a furrow  till  the  skin  can 
be  touched:  in  the  mean  time,  while  the 
furrow  is  making,  a finger  slightly  dipped 
in  the  ointment  is  to  be  drawn  along  the 
bottom,  where  it  will  leave  a blue  stain  on 
the  skin  and  adjoining  wool.  From  this 
furrow,  similar  ones  must  be  drawn  down 
the  shoulders  and  thighs  to  the  legs,  as  far 
as  they  are  woolly:  and,  if  the  animal  be 
much  infected,  two  more  should  be  drawn 
along  each  side,  parallel  to  that  on  the 
back ; and  one  down  each  side,  between 
the  fore  and  hind  legs.  Immediately  af- 
ter being  dressed,  it  is  usual  to  turn  the 
sheep  among  other  stock,  without  any 
fear  of  the  infection  being  communicated; 
and  there  is,  Sir  Joseph  assures  us,  scarcely 
any  instance  of  a sheep’s  suffering  in- 
jury from  the  application.  In  a few  days, 
the  blotches  dry  up,  the  itching  ceases,  and 
the  animal  is  compleatly  cured.  The  in- 
sect called  in  Lincolnshire  the  sheep  fag, 
being  the  hippobosca  ovina  of  the  Lin- 
nsean  system,  an  animal  which  lives  among 
wool,  and  is  too  well  known  to  shepherds, 
as  hurtful  to  the  thriving  of  sheep,  both 
by  the  pain  of  it’s  bite,  and  the  blood  it 
sucks,  is  compleatly  destroyed  by  this  ap- 
plication. At  the  same  time,  the  ointment 
is  so  far  from  injuring  the  wool,  that  the 
buyers  usually  prefer  the  wool  where  it 
has  been  used,  as  being  found  less  liable  to 
defects  of  joints  or  knots;  a fault  which  is 
observed  to  proceed  from  every  sudden 
stop  in  the  thriving  of  the  animal,  either 
from  want  of  food  or  from  disease.  The 
fly,  or  maggot,  which  breeds  in  the  skin 
of  sheep,  usually  destroyed  by  the  ap- 
plication of  tar;  and  also  the  well  known 
tick,  with  which,  as  well  as  other  vermin, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


95 


these  animals  are  so  much  infested ; may, 
probably,  all  be  equally  well  destroyed 
by  a moderate  application  of  this  excellent 
sheep  ointment.  This  powerful  remedy 
should  not  be  used  in  very  cold  weather  ; 
when,  indeed,  it  is  but  seldom  needed. 

Substitute  for  Verdigrease,  in  'producing  a fine 

Black  Dye  without  injury  to  the  Cloth,  8$c. 

As  verdigrease,  though  generally  combin- 
ed with  logwood  for  dyeing  black,  is  extreme- 
ly apt  to  corrode  the  texture  of  the  cloth,  &c. 
the  Society  for  the  Encouragement  of  Arts, 
Manufactures,  and  Commerce,  in  the  Adel- 
phi,  some  years  ago,  rewarded  Mr.  Clegg 
for  his  discovery  of  a substitute  in  dyeing 
that  colour.  For  this  purpose,  equal  parts 
of  pot-ash,  or  any  other  strong  alkaline 
salt,  and  vitriol  of  copper,  are  to  be  se- 
perately  dissolved,  and  the  two  solutions 
gradually  mixed.  If  the  vitriol  be  suf- 
ficiently saturated,  the  water  on  the  surface 
will  become  transparent  on  adding  a few 
drops  of  the  alkaline  solution;  but,  if  not, 
it  will  produce  a blue  colour,  so  that  more 
pot-ash  should  be  added,  till  a compleat 
saturation  is  effected.  These  proportions 
of  vitriol  and  alkaline  salt  will  be  equiva- 
lent to  a similar  quantity  of  verdigrease; 
and,  on  being  combined  with  decoctions 
of  logwood,  in  the  same  manner  as  verdi- 
grease, will  impart  a fine  black  dye,  which 
is  by  no  means  prejudicial  to  the  texture 
of  cloth,  hats,  or  other  articles,  so  often 
rotted  by  pernicious  black  dyes. 

Artificial  Musk. 

The  mode  of  making  an  artificial 
musk,  which  is  often  used  in  Germany  for 
that  expensive  odorous  drug,  is  simply 
as  follows — Add,  to  one  dram  of  oil  of 
amber,  by  small  portions  at  a time,  four 
times  the  quantity  of  nitrous  acid,  com- 


monly called  aqua-fortis;  carefully  stir- 
ring them  together  with  a glass  rod  all 
the  time,  and  continuing  so  to  do  till  the 
whole  be  converted  into  a yellow  resin, 
possessing  the  smell  of  musk  in  great 
perfection.  It  must,  of  course,  be  kept 
closely  stopped  up,  like  real  musk;  and 
may  sometimes  supply  the  place  of  that 
high-priced  article,  not  forgetting  the  na- 
ture of  it’s  chief  ingredient. 

Syrup  and  Oxymel  of  Garlic,  for  Old  and 
Asthmatic  Coughs. 

The  syrup  of  garlic,  though  one  of  the 
least  pleasant  syrups  which  is  made,  gives 
the  virtues  of  garlic  in  the  best  manner 
they  can  possibly  be  acquired  and  retained 
by  means  of  any  watery  menstruum.  It 
is  prepared,  according  to  the  Dublin  dis- 
pensatory, for  it  does  not  appear  to  be 
now  used  either  in  the  English  or  Scotch 
regular  practice,  in  the  following  manner 
— Macerate  one  pound  of  sliced  garlic, 
in  a close  vessel  containing  two  pounds 
of  boiling  water,  for  twelve  hours ; and  add 
four  pounds  of  double-refined  sugar  to  the 
strained  liquor.  This  syrup  may  be  ad- 
vantageously taken,  a tea-spoonful  or  two 
at  a time,  in  obstinate  coughs,  whenever 
they  are  troublesome;  and  it  is  particular- 
ly adapted  to  be  used  on  such  occasions 
during  the  night.  Garlic  is  well  known 
to  be  not  only  a powerful  expectorant, 
but  a good  diuretic,  and  even  a sudorific, 
provided  the  patient  be  kept  tolerably 
warm.  For  these  purposes,  however,  the 
oxymel  of  garlic,  neglected  by  all  the  new 
dispensatories,  seems  to  be  still  better  than 
the  syrup.  It  is  thus  easily  made — Boil 
a quarter  of  an  ounce  each  of  carraway 
and  sweet  fennel  seeds,  in  a glazed  earthen 
vessel  containing  about  half  a pint  of  vine- 


96  FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


gar;  when  they  have  boiled  a short  time, 
add  an  ounce  and  a half  of  garlic  cut  in 
slices,  cover  the  whole  closely  up,  and 
let  it  stand  till  cold.  The  liquor  must 
then  be  expressed ; and  mixed,  in  a boil- 
ing water  bath,  with  half  a pound  of  clari- 
fied honey.  This  medicine,  if  persisted 
in,  will  frequently,  it  is  said,  not  only  re- 
lieve, but  absolutely  cure,  an  old  asthma- 
tic cough. 

Wonderful  but  Easy  and  Effectual  Method  of 

rendering  all  Sorts  of  Paper  Fire-Proof 

THIS  astonishing  effect  is  produced  by  a 
most  simple  cause.  It  is  only  necessary,  whe- 
ther the  paper  be  plain,  written  or  printed 
on,  or  even  marbled,  stained  or  painted, 
for  hangings,  to  immerse  it  in  a strong  so- 
lution of  alum-water,  and  then  thoroughly 
dry  it,  when  it  will  immediately  become  fire- 
proof. This  experiment  is  readily  ascertain- 
ed,by  holding  a slip  of  paper  thus  prepared 
over  a candle.  Some  paper,  however,  will  re- 
quire to  imbibe  more  of  the  solution  than 
it  may  receive  by  a single  immersion;  in 
which  case,  the  operation  of  dipping  and 
drying,  must  be  repeated  till  such  paper 
becomes  fully  saturated:  when,  it  is  posi- 
tively asserted,  neither  the  colour  nor  qua- 
lity of  the  paper  will  be  in  the  smallest  de- 
gree affected;  but  that,  on  the  contrary, 
both  will  be  even  improved. 

Admirable  Imitation  of  the  Rich  Cyprus  Wine. 

To  four  gallons  of  water,  put  one  gal- 
lon of  the  juice  of  white  elder-berries,  ex- 
pressed gently,  and  passed  through  a sieve, 
without  bruising  the  kernels  of  the  berries; 
then  add  twenty  pounds  of  loaf  sugar,  three 
quarters  of  an  ounce  of  sliced  ginger,  and 
half  an  ounce  of  cloves.  Let  the  whole 
boil  together  half  an  hour,  taking  off  the 


scum  as  it  rises,  pour  it  in  a tub  or  pan 
to  cool,  and  ferment  it  with  ale  yeast  on  a 
toast  for  three  days.  Afterward,  put  it_ 
into  a cask  which  will  just  hold  the  quan- 
tity, with  a pound  of  split  and  stoned  raisins 
ofthe  sun;  and,when the  fermentation  ceases, 
add  live  pints  of  genuine  French  brandy. 
It  must  generally  remain  in  the  cask  till 
about  the  middle  of  January,  before  it  is 
fine  enough  to  be  drawn  off;  when  it  will 
so  much  resemble  the  rich  wine  brought 
from  Cyprus,  both  in  flavour  and  colour, 
asto  deceive  even  the  best  judges. 

Ortolans . 

These  delicate  birds,  though  much  smal- 
ler than  the  lark,  form  one  of  the  richest 
and  most  favourite  repasts  of  luxurious 
epicures;  who,  it  has  been  remarked,  are 
little  regardful  of  that  pleasing  song  for 
which  it  is  caged  in  it’s  native  country, 
and  would  much  rather  hear  that  it  is  ex- 
peditiously prepared  for  eating.  It  might 
easily  be  shut  up  in  the  egg  of  a common 
fowl,  and  dressed  either  with  water  or 
amid  the  ashes;  but  it  is  generally  pre- 
ferred to  the  spit,  as  a roast  of  the  highest 
estimation,  in  every  part  of  Europe.  These 
birds  are  natives  of  the  southern  parts  of 
France,  Italy,  &c.  but  they  are  accustomed 
to  quit  these  countries  in  the  spring,  and 
often  undertake  long  journies,  for  a few 
of  them  are  found,  not  only  in  this  country, 
from  April  to  September,  with  the  swal- 
low and  other  birds  of  passage,  but  in  Ger- 
many and  Sweden  also.  They  are  every 
where  taken  with  birdlime  or  nets;  and, 
though  always  lean  when  first  caught,  are 
soon  rendered  excessively  fat,  by  being 
confined  in  a dark  place,  with  a gleam  of 
light  on  plenty  of  millet,  which  appears 
to  be  their  favourite  food.  They  are  roast- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


97 


<*d,  at  Paris,  as  well  as  in  Italy,  in  the  same 
manner  as  quails;  being  spitted  side  by 
side,  each  wrapped  in  a vine  leaf,  with  a thin 
slice  of  the  fat  of  bacon  on  the  breast,  and 
basted  with  a little  melted  bacon.  They 
are  served  up  with  a garnish  of  fried 
crumbs  of  bread,  and  the  juice  of  a Seville 
orange.  Ortolans  thus  constitute  an  ex- 
tremely delicious  viand,  so  highly  relished 
by  many  persons  as  to  be  thought  the  most 
exquisite  of  all  species  of  game.  Certain- 
ly, when  the  birds  are  young,  and  skil- 
fully dressed,  the  flesh  is  wonderfully  light 
and  tender;  it  is  admitted,  however,  to 
have  more  of  delicacy  than  of  flavour,  but 
that  it  is  yet  too  luscious  for  much  to  be 
eaten.  Few  persons,  when  these  small 
birds  are  full  fed,  wish  to  eat  more  than 
two  of  them.  They  are  seldom  to  be  had 
in  London,  at  a lower  price  than  half  a 
guinea  each.  The  greatest  trade  in  orto- 
lans is  carried  on  in  the  Island  of  Cyprus, 
where  they  more  abound  than  in  any  other 
part  of  the  world.  They  are  then  pickled 
in  spice  and  vinegar,  with  their  heads  and 
feet  cut  off,  and  exported  in  casks  which 
contain  from  three  to  four  hundred  each, 
among  the  various  epicures  of  Europe ; and, 
as  four  hundred  of  such  casks  are  said  to 
be  annually  shipped,  a hundred  and  forty 
thousand  of  these  little  warblers  are,  on  the 
average,  every  year  sacrificed,  from  that 
small  island,  to  the  appetites  of  luxurious 
opulence. 

The  Bishop  of  Landaff’s  most  important  and 
invaluable  Liquid  Test  for  discovering  the 
Poisonous  Adulteration  of  Lead  in  J Vines, 
Cyder,  $c. 

It  is  dreadful  to  reflect  on  the  horrible 
injuries  which  are  sustained  by  society, 
through  the  unprincipled  artifices  of  ava- 


ricious adventurers  in  trade;  who  too 
often  accumulate  princely  fortunes,  with 
j apparent  honour,  by  practices  which, 
I if  publicly  known,  and  duly  punished, 
| would  consign  their  persons  to  an  igno- 
| minious  death  under  the  hands  of  the  com- 
mon executioner,  and  their  memories  to 
everlasting  infamy.  These  indignant  sen- 
timents must  have  been  felt,  even  by  the 
mild  and  amiable  prelate  whose  liberal  sen- 
timents, enlarged  and  cultivated  intellect, 
unaffected  piety,  and  most  exemplary 
life,  dignify  the  mitre  which  adorns  his 
venerable  brow,  when  he  traced,  in  the 
following  account,  the  enormities  of  some 
of  these  miscreants,  with  regard  to  the 
abused  application  of  the  saccharine  prin- 
ciple in  the  poison  of  lead,  and  so  inge- 
niously and  humanely  contrived  and  pro- 
mulgated the  means  of  instantly  detecting 
it’s  presence  with  the  utmost  ease  as  well 
as  certainty.  “ Neither  ceruse,  nor  li- 
tharge, nor  minium,”  says  his  lordship, 
“ have  any  taste;  but  either  of  these  sub- 
stances, being  boiled  in  distilled  vinegar, 
which  has  an  acid  taste,  will  be  dissolved 
in  it;  and,  the  solution  being  crystallized, 
will  give  one  of  the  sweetest  substances 
in  nature,  called  saccharum  Saturni,  or 
sugar  of  lead.  It  is  this  property  which 
lead  has  of  acquiring  a sweet  taste  by  so- 
lution in  an  acid,  that  has  rendered  it  so 
serviceable  to  those  wine-merchants  who, 
respecting  their  own  profit  more  than  the 
lives  of  their  customers,  have  not  scrupled 
to  attempt  recovering  wines  which  had 
turned  sour,  by  putting  into  them  large 
quantities  of  ceruse  or  litharge.  I believe,” 
continues  the  worthy  bishop,  “ this  adul- 
teration is  punished  with  death,  in  some 
parts  of  Germany;  and  it  is  to  be  wished, 
that  it  met  with  that  punishment  every 
2 B 


98 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


iv here.  In  17«$9,  the  farmers-general  in 
France,  being  astonished  at  the  great 
quantities  de  vin  gate  which  were  brought  j 
into  Paris  in  order  ' to  be  made  into 
vinegar,  redoubled  their  researches  to 
find  out  the  cause  of  the  great  increase 
of  that  article;  for  near  thirty  thousand 
hogsheads  had  been  annually  brought  in  for 
a few  years  preceding  the  year  17-^0,  where- 
as the  quantity  brought  in  forty  years  be- 
fore did  not  exceed  one  thousand  two 
hundred  hogsheads.  They  discovered, 
that  several  wine-merchants  brought  these 
sour  wines,  which  were  still  rendered  more 
sour  by  the  custom  of  pouring  into  each 
hogshead  six  pints  of  vinegar  before  it 
was  sold;  and,  afterwards,  by  means  of 
litharge,  rendered  then  potable,  and  sold 
them  as  genuine  wines.  Our  English  vint- 
ners, there  is  reason  to  fear,  are  not  less 
scrupulous  in  the  use  of  this  poison,  than 
the  French  wine-merchants:  for  it  not 
only  corrects  the  acidity  of  sour  wines, 
but  it  gives  a richness  to  meagre  ones; 
and,  by  this  property,  the  temptation  to 
use  it  is  much  increased.  The  reader  may 
soon  furnish  himself  with  the  means  of  de- 
tecting lead  when  dissolved  in  wine — Let 
him  boil  together,  in  a pint  of  water,  an 
ounce  of  quick-lime  and  half  an  ounce  of 
flour  of  brimstone:  and,  when  the  liquor, 
which  will  be  of  a yellow  colour,  is  cold, 
let  him  pour  it  into  a bottle;  and,  corking 
it  up,  reserve  it  for  use.  A few  drops  of 
this  liquor,  being  let  fall  into  a glass  of  wine 
or  cyder  containing  lead,  will  change  the 
whole  into  a colour  more  or  less  brown, 
according  to  the  lead  which  it  contains. 
If  the  wine  be  wholly  free  from  lead,  it 
will  be  rendered  turbid  by  the  liquor,  but 
the  colour  will  be  rather  a dirty  white  than 
a blackish  brown.”  The  learned  bishop 


adds — “ Van  Helmont  was  of  opinion, 
that  Paracelsus  made  no  vain  boast,  in  say- 
ing that  he  could  cure  two  hundred  dis- 
eases by  preparations  of  lead;  but  he  does 
not  tell  us  of  the  many  hundred  persons 
he  probably  sent  to  their  graves  by  his 
attempt.  But,  it  is  beyond  my  ability, 
and  falls  not  within  my  design,”  concludes 
his  lordship,  “ to  discuss  either  the  salu- 
brious or  poisonous  qualities  of  lead;  es- 
pecially, as  the  labours  of  Sir  George  Ba- 
ker and  Dr.  Percival  have  so  fully  illustrat- 
ed the  subject:  the  former,  in  his  Medical 
Essays;  and  the  latter,  in  his  Essay  on  the 
Poison  of  Lead.”  It  is  to  be  feared,  that 
all  our  British  sweets,  or  made  wines, 
manufactured  for  sale,  and  vauntingly  re*- 
commended  as  equal  to  foreign,  will  not 
bear  the  Bishop  of  LandafTs  test;  and 
we  suspect,  that  the  saccharine  poison  of 
lead  egregiously  prevails,  not  only  in  these 
and  many  pretended  different  fruit  wines 
of  English  growth,  made  from  one  perni 
cious  source,  with  counterfeit  flavours; 
but  that  it  also  abounds  in  much  of  our 
sweet  cyder,  &c.  where  even  the  taste 
seems  often  recognizable.  Perhaps,  not- 
withstanding the  mildness  of  our  penal 
laws,  if  it  could  be  proved  that  liquors  sold 
as  wholesome  wine,  cyder,  &c.  so  imme- 
diately killed  any  purchaser  as  to  leave  no 
doubt  of  his  being  poisoned,  and  it  could 
also  be  proved  that  the  vendor  actually  put 
in  the  deleterious  art  icle,  or  sold  the  liquor 
knowing  that  it  was  dangerously  drugged, 
he  might  be  convicted  of  wilful  murder, 
and  consequently  executed,  even  as  the 
law  at  present  stands:  but  the  difficulty 
of  adducing  such  proofs,  enables  the  un- 
principled to  sin  thus  in  full  security; 
though  it  is  not  quite  impossible,  that 
some  of  these  outrageous  offenders,  who 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  99 


riot  in  opulence  by  sporting  with  the  lives 
as  well  as  property  of  their  fellow-crea- 
tures, may  sooner  or  later  be  brought  to 
justice. 

Test  for  Detecting  the  Presence  of  Lead  in  Oils. 

Lead  is  not  only  employed  by  unprin- 
cipled cyder,  wine,  and  vinegar  manu- 
facturers, merchants,  and  dealers,  but  by 
those  also  who  make  or  traffic  in  oils; 
though,  certainly,  to  a less  dangerous  ex- 
tent. It  is  particularly  used  for  correcting 
the  rancidity  of  damaged  rape-seed  oil, 
as  well  as  oils  of  olives  and  of  almonds. 
This  pernicious  abuse  may  be  detected  by 
mixing  a small  quantity  of  the  suspected 
oil  with  a solution  of  orpiment,  or  liver 
of  sulphur,  in  lime-water;  for,  if  the  oil 
be  adulterated,  it  will,  after  the  liquids  have 
been  shaken  together  and  suffered  to  sub- 
side, acquire  an  orange-red  colour;  but, 
if  pure,  it  will  only  assume  a pale  shade  of 
yellow.  This  test  is  very  similar  to  that 
of  the  Bishop  of  Llandaff  for  wines;  as, 
indeed,  are  all  the  genuine  liquid  tests 
sold  in  the  shops  for  these  purposes. 

Curious  Moorish  Method  of  preparing  Elcholle , 

or  the  Flesh  of  Camels,  as  well  as  Mutton 

and  Beef,  so  as  to  Keep  for  Two  or  Three 

Years  in  the  warmest  Climates. 

This  favourite  food  of  the  Moors,  which 
they  call  elcholle,  whether  made  of  beef, 
mutton,  or  earners  flesh,  is  always  ready 
for  eating;  and  will  keep  perfectly  good 
two  or  three  years,  even  in  their  hot  cli- 
mate. The  method  of  preparing  it  is  said 
to  be  as  follows — Cut  the  meat,  of  what- 
ever kind,  but  beef  is  the  most  esteemed,  into 
long  slices;  and,  having  well  salted  them, 
let  them  remain  twenty-four  hours  in  the 
pickle.  Then  remove  them  into  other 


vessels,  filled  with  cold  water;  and,  after 
thus  soaking  them  all  night,  lay  them  on 
ropes,  in  the  sun  and  air,  till  they  become 
quite  dry  and  hard.  After  this,  cut  them 
into  pieces  of  about  three  inches  long; 
throw  them  into  a pot  of  warm  oil, 
mixed  with  melted  suet,  sufficient  to  cover 
all  the  meat;  and,  when  it  has  boiled  till 
it  looks  clear  and  red  on  being  cut,  take 
the  whole  out,  and  set  it  to  drain  and  cool. 
It  is  thus  ready  to  put  away  in  the  jars 
provided  for  keeping  it;  and,  on  being 
there  deposited,  is  covered  with  the  oil 
and  grease  in  which  it  was  boiled.  When 
quite  cold,  the  jars  are  closely  stopped; 
and  the  meat  will  thus  be  preserved  hard, 
and  continue  good,  for  at  least  two  or  three 
years.  In  this  state,  it  is  often  eaten  by  the 
Moors;  who  consider  it,  when  hardest,  as 
best  and  most  palatable.  They  sometimes  fry 
it  with  eggs  and  garlic;  and,  occasionally, 
eat  it  stewed,  with  a little  lemon  juice 
squeezed  over  it.  European  travellers, 
who  have  frequently  tasted  this  elcholle 
of  the  Moors,  pronounce  it  to  be  a very 
good  dish,  eaten  either  hot  or  cold. 

Art  of  Pickling  Melons  and  Cucumbers  to 
resemble  Indian  Mangoes. 

THOUGH  Indian  mangoes  are  never  like- 
ly to  be  cultured  in  our  climate,  and  we 
must  despair  of  equaling  that  line  pickle, 
a very  good  imitation  may  be  made  by 
means  of  our  melons  and  cucumbers,  when 
prepared  after  the  following  methods — 
Slit  green  melons  sufficiently  up  the  mid- 
dle to  gain  admittance  for  a spoon,  and 
take  out  all  the  seeds  without  breaking  the 
fruit:  then,  putting  the  melons  in  a strong 
cold  brine  of  salt  and  spring  water  for 
twenty-four  hours,  and  afterward  draining 
them  in  a sieve,  mix  a good  quantity  of 


100 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


mustard-seed,  sliced  horse-radish,  and 
cloves  of  garlic;  some  long  and  Cayenne 
pepper, afew  cloves,  and alittle  mace.  Fill  in 
as  much  of  these  ingredients  as  each  melon 
will  conveniently  hold,  stick  a very  small 
skewer  through  the  slit,  and  tie  the  fruit 
round  with  packthread  close  to  the  skewer, 
for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  parts  to- 
gether; afterward,  boil  up  plenty  of  vine- 
gar with  a good  quantity  of  the  mixture, 
pour  the  whole  boiling  hot  over  the  melons, 
cover  them  up  close,  and  let  them  stand 
twenty-four  hours.  Repeat  this  boiling 
and  pouring  over  the  vinegar,  &c.  at  least  ' 
three  or  four  times;  and,  lastly,  if  they  are 
not  of  a fine  colour,  set  the  jar  in  an  almost 
cold  oven  two  or  three  times,  or  simmer 
them  over  a slow  fire,  till  they  are  suffici- 
ently green.  But  the  utmost  care  must  be  | 
taken  not  to  let  them  nearly  boil,  as  that  | 
"would  entirely  spoil  the  pickle.  Cover 
them  up  close,  till  quite  cold;  then  tie 
them  down,  covered  with  bladder,  and  lea- 
ther above  that,  in  which  state  all  pickles 
should  be  kept  for  use.  The  largest  green 
cucumbers,  before  they  get  too  ripe  or 
have  yellowish  ends,  may  be  treated  ex- 
actly in  the  same  manner  as  melons,  and 
thus  make  a very  fine  pickle.  Both  melons 
and  cucumbers,  however,  are  frequently 
pickled  as  mangoes  by  other  methods;  of 
which,  perhaps,  the  following  is  the  best 
— Cut  a square  piece  out  of  the  side  of 
the  melons  or  cucumbers,  take  away  the 
seeds  with  atea-spoon,  and  put  the  fruit  into 
very  strong  salt  and  water  for  a week,  stir- 
ring them  well  two  or  three  times  a day. 
Then  place  them  in  a pan,  on  a good  quan- 
tity of  vine-leaves,  and  cover  them  over 
with  as  many  more;  beat  very  fine  a little 
roche-alum,  put  it  into  the  salt  and  water 
out  of  which  the  melons  or  cucumbers  were 


taken,  pour  it  over  them,  and  set  them  on  a 
very  slow  fire  for  four  or  five  hours,  or  till 
they  get  of  a good  green.  Take  them  out, 
and  drain  them  in  a hair  sieve;  and,  when 
cold,  fill  into  them  horse-radish,  mustard- 
seed,  garlic,  and  pepper-corns.  If  the  fruit 
be  cucumbers,  put  a few'  slices  of  cucumber 
in  the  centre  of  this  mixed  stuffing.  Sew 
on,  with  a large  needle  and  thread,  the 
pieces  taken  out:  and,  to  every  gallon  of 
vinegar  for  covering  and  preserving  them, 
put  an  ounce  each  of  mace  and  cloves; 
two  ounces  each  of  all-spice,  sliced  ginger, 
and  long  and  black  pepper;  two  ounces 
of  garlic;  a large  stick  of  horse-radish ; and 
three  ounces  of  mustard-seed,  tied  up  in  a 
bag.  Boil  this  well  together  for  a few 
minutes  only;  and,  pouring  it  on  the 
pickles,  close  up  the  jar  air-tight.  The 
confinement  of  the  mustard-seed  in  a bag 
is  a very  good  method  to  adopt  on  other 
occasions.  Cucumbers  or  melons  pickled 
in  this  last  mode,  are  very  excellent  sub- 
stitutes for  mangoes:  the  former,  of  course, 
from  their  softer  nature,  come  soonest  into 
use;  but  the  latter  are,  certainly,  the  near- 
er imitation  of  real  Indian  mangoes. 

Quin’s  excellent  Fish  Sauces. 

The  celebrated  Quin,  contemporary 
and  friend  of  Garrick,  was  not  only  famous 
as  a player,  but  greatly  renowned  as  a 
wit,  and  an  epicure  or  gourmand  of'  the 
first  order.  Several  valuable  additions  to 
the  culinary  art  were,  no  doubt,  made  by 
this  brilliant  character,  but  scarcely  any 
appear  to  have  been  preserved  under  the 
respectable  sanction  of  his  name.  The 
two  following  fish  sauces,  however,  are 
both  so  fur  honoured.  For  the  first — Put, 
to  a quart  of  walnut  pickle,  six  anchovies; 
the  same  number  of  bay -leaves  and  shal- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


101 


lots;  a few  doves;  and  a little  mace  and 
whole  pepper:  boil  the  whole  together 
till  the  anchovies  are  dissolved;  and,  when 
cold,  put  in  half  a pint  of  red  wine,  and 
bottle  it  up.  Two  spoonfuls  of  this,  in  a 
little  rich  melted  butter,  make  an  admi- 
rable sauce.  The  other  fish  sauce,  called 
Quin’s,  is  thus  readily  made,  and  is  also 
very  good — Take  half  a pint  of  mushroom 
ketchup,  a quarter  of  a pint  of  pickled 
walnut  liquor,  three  anchovies,  two  cloves 
of  garlic  pounded,  and  a quarter  of  a tea- 
spoonful of  Cayenne  pepper;  put  the  whole 
into  a bottle,  shake  it  well,  and  keep  it  for 
use. 

Art  of  manufacturing  Genuine  Chocolate. 

From  the  similarity  of  names,  between 
the  cocoa  and  the  cacao  tree,  both  natives 
of  the  warmer  regions,  they  have  been  «o 
confounded  by  speculative  authors,  that 
the  generality  of  people  in  this  country 
consider  them  as  actually  the  same;  and 
believe  that  chocolate  is  manufactured  with 
the  large  cocoa-nuts  which  afford  so  delici- 
ous a milk,  instead  of  with  the  small  cacao- 
nut  which  is  not  much  bigger  than  a large 
kidney-bean.  By  the  same  error,  too,  the 
hard  and  tasteless  shell  of  the  cocoa-nut 
has  been  supposed  to  produce  what  is  ab- 
surdly sold  under  the  name  of  coco,  or 
cocoa;  but  really  is,  and  ought  to  becalled, 
cacao-shell:  being,  in  fact,  the  shell  of  the 
cacao-nut,  from  which  alone  genuine  cho- 
colate is  manufactured.  The  manner  of 
preparing  chocolate  for  use  is  regularly 
thus — Gently  parch  the  cacao-nuts  in  an 
iron  vessel,  over  a slow  fire,  to  facilitate 
the  taking  off  their  external  shells,  the 
future  coco,  which  would  be  injured  or 
destroyed  by  too  much  heat:  then  bruise  and 
work  the  kernels  into  a paste,  on  a smooth 


concaved  stone,  with  a moderate  charcoal 
fire  beneath;  occasionally  introducing  a 
little  water,  and  a small  quantity  of  sugar, 
vanilla,  and  Spanish  annotta.  As  soon  as 
the  paste  is  sufficiently  fine  and  smooth,  put 
it  quite  hot  into  tin  moulds,  where  it  will 
speedily  congeal,  and  become  hard  cakes 
similar  to  those  usually  sold.  This  is  ge- 
nuine common  chocolate;  which  would 
be  bitter  without  a little  sugar,  receives 
improved  flavour  from  the  vanilla,  and  de- 
rives additional  colour  from  the  annotta. 
Good  and  unadulterated  chocolate  should 
be  of  a brown  colour  inclining  to  red,  and 
rather  of  a lively  than  faint  hue;  it  should 
have  a smooth  and  firm  surface,  not  affected 
by  mere  contact  with  the  hand ; it  should 
appear  of  a fine  and  uniform  consistence 
on  breaking  it,  without  any  of  those  gra- 
nulated particles  which  arise  from  a con- 
siderable addition  of  sugar  to  conceal  base 
ingredients;  and,  lastly,  which  is  consider- 
ed as  the  grand  criterion,  it  should  readily 
melt  in  the  mouth,  leaving  a cooling  sen- 
sation on  the  tongue,  without  the  smallest 
degree  of  roughness  or  astringency.  It 
may  be  proper  to  remark  that,  though  we 
have  thus  given  instructions  for  manufac- 
turing genuine  chocolate,  the  manufacture 
of  it,  even  in  private  families,  is  forbidden 
by  our  excise-laws,without  giving  three  days 
previous  notice  at  some  excise-ollice,  and 
making  use  of  not  less  than  half  a hundred 
weight  of  cacao-nuts  at  a time.  Genuine 
chocolate,  when  made  in  the  usual  man- 
ner, by  sliceing  it  small  with  a knife,  boil- 
ing it  in  a proper  chocolate-pot,  well  mill- 
ing and  frothing  it  as  poured  hot  into  the 
cups,  sweetening  it,  and  softening  it  with 
cream,  forms  a most  nourishing  and  agree- 
able food  for  valetudinarians.  Thejesuits, 
by  whom  it  is  said  to  have  been  originally 
% C 


102 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


introduced  from  South  America,  always 
drank  a glass  of  spring  water  after  taking 
their  chocolate,  by  way  of  diluting  a food 
which  they  considered  as  of  itself  too  rich 
for  persons  not  in  a convalescent  state. 

Common  Coco,  or  Cacao-Shell. 

This  article,  which  is  merely  the  parch- 
ed shell  of  the  cacao,  coarsely  ground  or 
pounded,  partakes  slightly  of  the  flavour 
and  salubrity  of  the  nut;  which  it  imparts 
by  long  decoction  in  water,  and  thus  makes 
a very  cheap,  agreeable,  and  wholesome 
breakfast,  when  drank  with  moist  sugar 
and  new  milk. 

Easy  Method  of  making  Macaroni  and  Ver- 
micelli in  every  Family. 

These  very  useful  articles  of  domestic 
eeconomy  are  in  some  measure  lost  to  the 
greater  number  of  families  in  England, 
by  the  high  price  which  they  necessarily 
bear  when  imported  from  Italy.  It  is 
true  that,  without  expensive  machinery, 
these  celebrated  pastes,  for  they  are  nothing 
more,  cannot  be  manufactured  in  that 
precise  form  which  we  behold  them  thus 
imported:  but  they  lose  nothing  of  their 
excellence,  and  no  important  degree  of 
even  their  neatness  and  beauty,  by  being 
made  up  in  less  uniform  and  pleasing 
shapes;  while,  on  the  contrary,  the  stale 
macaroni  and  vermicelli  often  lose  much 
of  their  goodness  by  keeping,  to  detract 
from  the  slight  advantage  of  preserving 
their  preferable  form:  insomuch  that  it  is 
very  common,  even  in  countries  where 
they  are  cheapest,  to  make  these  pastes, 
or  rather  this  paste,  for  they  are  both  alike 
in  every  thing  but  shape,  from  time  to  time, 
as  they  want  it,  for  all  household  purposes, 
exactly  in  the  following  manner — Take 


as  much  fine  flour  as  will  be  requisite  to 
make  an  egg  and  two  table-spoonfuls  of 
water  into  a very  stiff  paste;  and,  breaking 
the  egg  in  the  centre  of  the  heap,  add  the 
water,  and  make  up  the  paste  as  hard  as 
possible:  then  cut  it  in  pieces  ; roll  them 
out  with  a large  rolling-pin,  made  pur- 
posely all  of  one  size,  except  a small  handle 
at  each  end ; well  flouring  whatever  the 
paste  is  rolled  or  placed  on,  to  preserve 
it  from  sticking.  If  the  paste  be  intended 
to  be  used  as  vermicelli,  it  must  be  rolled 
extremely  thin;  but,  for  macaroni,  should 
be  nearly  the  thickness  of  a crown-piece. 
Before  it  gets  quite  dry,  when  it  would  be- 
come too  brittle,  roll  up  one  or  more  of  the 
flat  pieces  at  a time;  and, with  a sharp  knife, 
shred  the  vermicelli  as  fine  as  possible, 
because  it  will  swell  and  enlarge  in  boil- 
ing. When  cut,  shake  and  separate  the 
pieces  with  two  forks,  and  put  them  on 
floured  cloths  to  dry:  if  wanted  for  im- 
mediate use,  they  may  be  soon  sufficiently 
dried  by  the  fire;  but  are  generally  left 
to  dry  gradually,  when  they  will  keep  well 
for  several  months.  Macaroni  is  to  be 
treated  in  the  same  manner,  only  being 
rolled  and  cut  in  pieces  of  a larger  size, 
frequently  the  width  of  narrow  ribbons. 
It  is  common,  in  many  parts  of  Germany, 
for  good  housewives  thus  to  make  a consi- 
derable quantity  of  macaroni  and  vermi- 
celli during  the  season  when  eggs  are  most 
plentiful,  which  they  put  up  in  paper  bags 
for  winter  use;  well  knowing  that,  in  careful 
hands,  nothing  can  be  better,  or  more 
wholesome,  or  of  greater  general  use  in  a 
family.  This  macaroni  and  vermicelli 
require  less  boiling  than  what  are  manu- 
factured with  a powerful  and  complex 
machinery,  which  not  only  makes  them 
tubular  and  uniformly  round,  but  renders 


FAMILY  HECEIPT-BOOK. 


them  harder  and  more  compact  than  they 
can  any  way  be  made  by  hand,  and  con- 
sequently somewhat  better  adapted  for  very 
long  keeping.  These  last  are  the  sole  pre- 
ferences of  what  are  made  in  Italy.  Ma- 
caroni and  vermicelli,  whether  for  broth, 
water,  or  milk,  should  always  be  put  in 
when  the  liquor  is  boiling  hot,  and  they 
are  sufficiently  done  in  a very  few  minutes. 
A little  salt  should  always  be  boiled  in 
the  water  or  broth,  before  putting  in  the 
vermicelli  or  macaroni. 

Various  Modes  of  rendering  Shoes,  Boots,  8$c. 

Water-Proof. 

The  following  preparation  has  long  been 
successfully  used  by  fishermen,  in  diffe- 
rent parts  of  the  world,  and  particularly 
in  America,  to  preserve  their  boots  from 
being  penetrated  by  water — Melt  together, 
over  a slow  fire,  a quart  of  boiled  linseed 
oil,  a pound  of  mutton  suet,  three  quarters 
of  a pound  of  yellow  bees-wax,  and  half 
a pound  of  common  rosin;  and,  with  this 
mixture,  when  the  boots  or  shoes  are  new, 
quite  clean,  and  have  been  a little  warmed, 
rub  them  well  over,  soles  as  well  as  upper- 
leather,  till  the  leather  be  compleatly  satu- 
rated by  the  composition.  They  will  then, 
it  is  said,  be  absolutely  impenetrable  by 
water;  in  which,  by  way  of  experiment,  if 
firmly  made,  and  well  covered  with  the 
mixture,  they  may  be  safely  left  for  several 
days  together.  Another  preparation  is, 
by  some  persons,  chiefly  on  account  of 
it’s  superior  softness,  preferred  even  to 
this;  it  is  made  with  a quart  of  drying  oil, 
a quarter  of  a pound  of  yellow  bees-wax, 
four  ounces  of  oil  or  spirits  of  turpentine, 
and  an  ounce  of  Burgundy  pitch,  all  care- 
fully melted  together  over  a slow  fire.  This 
mixture  is  rubbed  over  the  shoes  or  boots. 


103 

either  at  a small  distance  from  the  fire  or  in 
the  heat  of  the  sun,  with  a brush  or  sponge; 
an  operation  which  must  be  repeated  as 
often  as  they  become  dry,  till  the  leather 
is  fully  saturated  : when  they  will  not  only 
be  rendered  impervious  to  wet,  but  last 
much  longer  than  boots  or  shoes  made  of 
the  same  leather  without  undergoing  this 
water-proof  process;  they  will,  too,  at  the 
same  time  acquire  such  a durable  softness 
and  pliability  as  never  to  grow  shrivelled, 
hard,  and  inflexible,  so  that  they  prove 
most  effectual  preservatives  against  colds 
and  chilblains,  and  perhaps  even  fits  of  the 
gout.  It  will  be  necessary,  however,  not 
to  wear  boots  or  shoes  thus  prepared  till 
they  have  gradually  become  perfectly  dry 
and  elastic,  which  requires  a considerable 
length  of  time;  as  they  are  very  apt,  from 
the  extreme  softness  of  the  leather  before 
it  is  thoroughly  dried,  to  v7ear  out  much 
sooner  than  when  made  in  the  common 
way.  It  is  said,  that  both  boots  and  shoes 
may  be  preserved  from  the  effects  of  wet, 
by  simply  rubbing  them  well  over  with 
linseed  oil  which  has  stood  about  half  a 
year  in  any  leaden  vessel  so  as  to  have  ac- 
quired some  degree  of  consistency. 

Bellamy's  Patent  Methods  of  making  Leather 
of  all  Soits  Water-Proof 

The  patentee  and  inventor  of  these  me- 
thods, Mr.  John  Bellamy,  makes  use  of 
two  compositions;  which,  according  to  his 
specification  in  the  Patent  Office,  regis- 
tered 1794,  are  as  follow — A gallon  each 
of  nut  and  poppy  oils  are  to  be  mix- 
ed with  three  gallons  of  linseed  oil:  or, 
one  gallon  of  either  nut  or  poppy  oil  may 
be  added  to  three  of  that  expressed  from 
linseed;  or,  two  gallons  of  linseed  oil  may 
be  combined  with  a pint  of  nut  oil  and  the 


104 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


like  quantity  of  poppy  oil.  These  ingre- 
dients, either  in  the  above  proportions,  or 
such  others  as  may  be  required  by  the 
nature  of  the  oils,  being  mixed  in  an  iron  i 
pot,  are  to  be  placed  over  a gentle  fire; 
and,  to  each  gallon  of  oil  must  be  added  a 
pound  of  white  copperas,  sugar  of  lead, 
colcothar,  or  any  other  drying  substance. 
When  the  whole  has  remained  six  or  seven 
hours  over  such  a degree  of  heat  as  it  will 
bear  without  rising,  till  it  become  suffici- 
ently dry,  it  is  to  be  taken  off,  and  suffered 
to  cool  : this  first  compound  is  then  fit 
for  use.  The  second  compound,  for  the 
same  purpose  of  rendering  all  kinds  of 
leather  water-proof,  is  thus  directed  to  be 
made — Take  a pound  of  gum  resin,  half  a 
pound  of  pitch,  and  a quarter  of  a pound 
each  of  tar  and  turpentine  ; well  mix 
these  ingredients  with  one  gallon  of  the 
oils  prepared  according  to  the  first  method, 
by  gently  heating  the  entire  mass,  and  then 
increasing  the  fire  till  the  whole  become 
thoroughly  incorporated.  Mr.  Bellamy 
specifies  various  other  proportions  in 
which  the  several  ingredients  may  be  used ; 
but  these,  it  may  be  supposed,  are  merely 
to  secure  his  patent  from  pretended  im- 
provements, the  advantages  or  disadvan- 
tages of  which  a very  little  actual  practice 
will  soon  discover.  When  the  oils  pre- 
pared according  to  the  first  method,  or  the 
gums  according  to  the  second,  are  suffici- 
ently cool,  either  is  to  be  rubbed  into  the 
leather  with  a brush  dipped  in  the  respec- 
tive composition;  and  the  thoroughly  im- 
pregnated leather  being  stretched  on  an 
even  board,  the  superfluous  matter  is  to 
be  removed  from  it’s  surface.  Sole  leather, 
and  other  thick  substances,  are  to  be  first 
gently  warmed ; and,  after  being  fully  sa- 
turated with  the  composition,  and  pro- 


perly dried  in  a warm  place,  they  are  ready 
for  use. 

French  Manner  of  Boasting  a Sucking-Pig. 

“ Whether,”  says  the  shrewd  and  vi- 
vacious French  writer  to  whom  we  are 
indebted  for  sc  much  information  in  the 
culinary  arts  as  now  practised  in  France, 
" our  inclinations,  as  a part  of  the  mul- 
titude, are  naturally  swinish;  or  that,  hav- 
ing been  familiarly  brought  up,  from  our 
infancy,  with  this  amiable  child  of  nature, 
we  entertain  for  it  the  tender  sentiment 
which  attaches  us  to  all  whose  birth  we 
have  witnessed:  certain  it  is,  that  the  suck- 
ing-pig has  ever  a hearty  welcome  at 
our  tables,  even  when  they  are  most  select, 
and  that  his  presence  constitutes  an  actual 
feast.  The  commonest  method  of  dressing 
it,  and  which  is,  perhaps,  also  the  best,  is 
that  of  roasting  it.  After  having  scalded 
it  in  boiling  water,  and  stuffed  a large  piece 
of  fresh  butter  in  the  belly,  mingled  with 
sweet  herbs,  and  accompanied  by  chives, 
onions  stuck  with  cloves,  crumbs  of  bread, 
&c.  it  is  spitted,  and  put  to  a good  fire; 
where  it  must  be  vigilantly  attended,  and 
continually  basted  with  the  purest  oil,  to 
give  it  a rich  colour.  If  it  is  wished  to  be 
dressed  in  a superior  stile,  it  must  be  stuff- 
ed with  it’s  liver  and  bacon  fat  nicely  minc- 
ed, tru flies,  champignons,  rocamboles,  fine 
capers,  anchovies  of  Nice,  and  sweet  herbs, 
seasoned  with  salt  and  Jamaica  pepper,  all 
tossed  up  in  a stew'pan.  When  our  little 
friend  has  all  this  in  his  belly,  it  is  tied  up 
with  packthread,  and  roasted  of  a fine  co- 
lour, as  already  directed.  In  either  mode, 
he  is  alike  served  up,  with  a sauce  of  orange 
juice,  salt,  and  white  pepper,  by  way  of 
companion.  When  the  pig  thus  roasted 
arrives  on  the  table,  we  must,  all  business 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


lojr 


being  at  an  end,  commence  with  making 
him  a gentleman;  that  is  to  say,  in  the 
old  language  of  France,  by  cutting  off  his 
head:  otherwise,  his  skin,  naturally  crisp, 
and  the  best  part  of  him  in  the  opinion 
of  many  amateurs,  will  become  soft  and 
flabby.  These  rules  are  to  be  observed 
with  the  utmost  rigour,  and  cannot  be  too 
strongly  enforced:  as  to  what  follows,  it 
would  have  been  better  for  the  poor  ani- 
mal if  he  had  not  quitted  the  nipple  of  his 
mother.”  This  article  is  almost  literally 
translated  from  the  ingenious  French  wri- 
ter ; who  has,  it  must  be  confessed,  a most 
exuberant  portion  of  vivacity. 

Orgeat  Paste. 

This  paste,  which  will  keep  twelve 
months,  is  nearly  as  soon  made  into  or- 
geat as  even  the  syrup.  The  mode  of 
preparing  it,  in  Paris,  is  by  well  pounding 
blanched  almonds  with  a little  water  to 
prevent  their  turning  to  oil ; then  adding 
half  the  weight  of  the  almonds  in  pounded 
sugar,  and  mixing  both  up  together  into 
a paste.  Of  this  orgeat  paste,  when  want- 
ed, mix  a bit  about  the  size  of  an  egg  in 
a pint  of  spring  water,  and  strain  it  through 
a napkin.  The  usual  English  mode  of  mak- 
ing orgeat  paste,  is  by  pounding  in  like 
manner  half  an  ounce  of  bitter  to  a pound 
of  sweet  almonds;  and,  boiling  a quart 
of  common  syrup  till  it  comes  to  what  is 
called  blow,  mixing  the  almonds  with  it 
over  the  fire,  well  stirred  all  the  time  to 
prevent  burning,  till  it  becomes  a stiff  paste, 
and  then,  on  it’s  getting  quite  cold,  put- 
ting it  up  in  pots,  to  be  used  after  the  same 
manner  as  the  other.  AVe  cannot  too  of- 
ten enforce  the  free  use  of  orgeat,  as  one 
of  the  finest  and  most  lubricating  liquids 
for  all  public  speakers,  readers,  singers,  &c. 


Genuine  Receipt  ft,r  mailing  the  Invaluable 
Cordial  Liquor,  called  Vespctro,  recom- 
mended by  the  late  King  of  France’s 
Physicians  at  Montpellier. 

This  truly  excellent  and  agreeable  cor- 
dial liquor,  which  comes  thus  sanctioned 
to  the  world,  is  recommended  for  all  com- 
plaints in  the  stomach,  indigestion,  sick- 
ness, colic,  obstructions,  stitches  of  the  side, 
spasms  in  the  breast,  diseases  of  the  kid- 
nies,  strangury,  gravel,  oppression  of  the 
spleen,  loathing,  vertigo,  rheumatism,  short- 
ness of  breath,  &c.  The  following  are  the 
genuine  instructions  for  making  it — Take 
a thick  glass  or  stone  bottle  which  will 
hold  considerably  more  than  two  English 
quarts,  and  put  in  it  two  Paris  pints,  being 
equal  to  about  two  English  quarts,  of  the 
best  brandy:  adding  the  following  seeds, 
first  grossly  pounded  in  a mortar;  that  is 
to  say,  two  drams  of  angelica  seeds,  one 
ounce  of  coriander  seeds,  and  a large  pinch 
or  pugil  each  of  fennel  seeds  and  anniseeds. 
Then  squeeze  in  the  juice  of  two  fresh  le- 
mons, putting  in  also  their  yellow  rinds; 
add  a pound  oi  loaf  sugar;  and,  well  shak- 
ing the  bottle  from  time  to  time,  let  the 
whole  infuse  five  days.  After  this,  to  ren- 
der the  liquor  clearer,  pass  it  through  a 
cotton  bag,  or  filtering  paper,  and  bottle 
it  up  carefully  and  closely  corked.  To 
be  taken,  a small  cordial  glass  at  a time, 
more  or  less  frequently,  according  to  cir- 
cumstances. A table-spoonful,  taken  four 
or  five  successive  mornings,  is  said  to  kill 
the  worms  in  children;  and,  on  rubbing 
with  that  small  quantity  the  nose  and  tem- 
ples fasting,  it  is  a preservative  of  the  per- 
son so  using  it,  against  the  ill  effects  of 
damp  or  unwholesome  air.  “ In  short,” 
says  the  communicator,  “ this  liquor  will 
abundantly  satisty  all  who  may  have  oc- 
2 D 


106 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


casion  to  use  it;  and  a gentleman  of  ho-  : 


been  long  afflicted  with  an  hepatic  flax, 
which  gave  him  continual  torment,  the 
use  of  this  liquor  carried  it  off,  and  com- 
pleatly  cured  him.” 

Art  of  preparing  the  celebrated  Portable 
Soup  Cakes. 

THERE  are  many  different  modes  of  pre- 
paring portable  soup ; which  is  generally 
made  up  for  sale,  into  small  cakes,  and 
found  a very  convenient  article  of  sca- 
store.  It  is,  also,  extremely  useful  in  fa- 
milies; serving  as  a general  keeping  stock, 
for  instantly  making  broth,  soups,  gravies, 
& c.  The  following  is  one  of  the  best  and 
readiest  modes  by  which  portable  soup  is 
usually  prepared — Take  a shin  of  beef,  a 
knuckle  of  veal,  and  a ham  bone,  with  some 
of  the  lean  left ; and,  breaking  all  the  bones, 
put  the  whole  in  a proper  vessel  for  boil- 
ing, with  barely  sufficient  water  to  cover 
the  meat.  Then  put  in  Cayenne  pepper, 
but  no  salt,  a little  mace,  and  a couple  of 
onions,  with  or  without  any  other  vege- 
tables or  spice;  and,  after  letting  it  boil 
slowly  for  three  hours,  or  till  the  meat  is 
done  to  pieces,  strain  oft’  the  liquid,  and 
leave  it  in  a cool  situation  till  it  becomes 
quite  cold.  Then,  taking  away  the  cake 
of  fat  from  the  top,  for  other  uses,  pour 
the  soup  in  a saucepan,  and  set  it  over  a 
tolerably  quick  fire ; where  it  must  be  kept 
fast  boiling,  and  constantly  stirred,  for  six 
hours.  After  this,  pour  it  oft’,  and  let  it 
stand  in  a cold  situation  till  next  day; 
when,  putting  it  in  a large  bowl,  or  deep 
pan,  set  it  in  astewpan  of  boiling  water  on 
a stove,  and  make  it  boil,  being  occasion- 
ally stirred,  till  the  soup  become  quite 
thick  and  glutinous.  This  being  duly  at- 


tended to,  the  portable  soup  will  be  made; 
and  has  only  to  receive  the  intended  form 
of  cakes,  by  being  poured  into  little  tin 
moulds,  or  the  small  round  part  seen  on 
breakfast  cups  or  china  basons  when  thev 
are  turned  bottom  upward.  When  these 
cakes  are  cold,  they  should  be  turned  out 
to  dry  on  new  flannel,  where  they  may 
remain  till  rendered  hard  enough,  by  the 
sun  or  other  heat,  for  putting  up  to  keep 
in  tin  cannisters  or  boxes.  While  drying, 
the  cakes  must  be  frequently  turned ; and, 
on  putting  them  up  to  keep,  a piece  of 
writing  paper  should  be  laid  between  every 
two  cakes.  One  small  cake,  when  dissolv- 
ed by  well  stirring  it  in  a pint  of  boiling 
water,  and  the  addition  of  a little  salt,  will 
make  a bason  of  rich  soup,  in  five  minutes 
or  less;  and  good  gravy  for  poultry,  &c. 
may  by  the  same  means  speedily  be  made. 
Portable  soup,  in  well  hardened  cakes,  will 
keep  a great  length  of  time,  and  in  all 
climates;  being,  in  fact,  a sort  of  glue. 

Cheap  and  Excellent  Custards. 

Boil,  in  a quart  of  milk,  a little  lemon 
peel,  a small  stick  of  cinnamon,  and  a 
couple  of  laurel  leaves,  sweetened  with  a 
few  lumps  of  sugar;  and,  rubbing  down 
smoothly  two  table-spoonfuls  of  rice  flour 
in  a small  bason  of  cold  milk,  mix  it  with 
the  beaten  yolk  of  a single  egg.  Then 
take  a bason  of  the  boiling  milk;  and, 
well  mixing  it  with  the  contents  of  the  other 
bason,  pour  the  whole  into  the  remainder 
of  the  boiling  milk,  and  keep  stirring  it  all 
one  way  till  it  begins  to  thicken  and  is 
about  to  boil.  It  must  then  be  instantly 
taken  oft’,  and  put  into  a pan;  stirred  a 
little  together;  and  may  be  served  up,  either 
together,  in  a dish,  or  in  custard  cups,  to 
be  eaten  hot  or  cold. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


The  Reverend  Mr.  Hagget’s  (Economical 
Wheat cn  Bread. 

THIS  admirably  ceconomical  bread,  is 
wholly  made  with  wheat,  and  the  respec- 
table contriver  deserves  great  praise  for 
his  invention;  but,  it  is  to  be  feared,  the 
invincible  prejudices  of  the  poor  against 
brown  bread,  will  always  prevent  them 
from  sufficiently  receiving  the  benefit  of 
this  gentleman’s  benevolent  intentions. 
It  is  our  duty,  however,  to  assist  in  pro- 
mulging  the  possibility — For  the  purpose 
of  making  this  bread,  only  the  coarse  bran 
is  to  be  taken  from  the  wheat;  and  the 
second  coat,  or  pollard,  ground  with  the 
meal,  as  is  usual  for  wheaten  bread.  Five 
pounds  of  this  bran  are  to  be  boiled  in 
somewhat  more  than  four  gallons  of  water; 
in  order  that,  when  perfectly  smooth,  three 
gallons  and  three  quarts  of  clear  bran- 
water  may  be  poured  into,  and  kneaded  up 
with,  fifty-six  pounds  of  the  brown  flour; 
adding  salt,  as  well  as  yeast,  in  the  same 
wray  as  for  other  bread.  When  the  dough 
is  ready  to  bake,  the  loaves  are  to  be  made 
up,  and  baked  two  hours  and  a half.  As 
flour,  when  thus  made  up,  will  imbibe  three 
quarts  more  of  this  bran  liquor  than  of 
common  water,  it  evidently  produces  not 
only  a more  nutritious  and  substantial 
food,  but  augments  one-fifth  part  the 
usual  quantity  of  bread;  which  forms  a 
saving  of  no  less  than  one  day’s  consump- 
tion out  of  six.  What  this  might  effect, 
were  it  adopted  throughout  the  united 
kingdom,  would  have  been,  during,  the 
late  scarcity,  at  it’s  then  price  and  calcu- 
lated consumption  of  two  hundred  thou- 
sand bushels  a day,  no  less  a saving  than 
ten  millions  sterling  a year ! This  oscono- 
mical  bread,  too,  when  ten  days  old,  if  put 


10? 

into  the  oven  for  twenty  minutes,  will 
again  appear  quite  new. 

Incomparable  Method  of  Salting  Meat , as 

adopted  by  the  late  Empress  of  Russia. 

The  following  method  of  salting  meat 
is  asserted  to  have  been  used  by  the  great 
Empress  Catharine,  in  her  household  esta- 
blishment, with  the  utmost  success — Boil 
together,  over  a gentle  fire,  six  pounds  of 
common  salt,  two  pounds  of  powdered  loaf 
sugar,  three  ounces  of  saltpetre,  and  three 
gallons  of  spring  water.  Carefully  scum  it, 
while  boiling;  and,  when  quite  cold,  pour 
it  over  the  meat,  every  part  of  which  must 
be  covered  with  the  brine.  In  this  pickle, 
it  is  said,  the  meat  will  not  only  keep  for 
many  months,  but  the  hardest  and  toughest 
beef  will  thus  be  rendered  as  mellow  and 
tender  as  the  flesh  of  a young  fowl;  while 
either  beef,  pork,  or  even  mutton,  will 
have  a fine  flavour  imparted  bjr  it.  In 
warm  weather,  however,  the  blood  must 
be  expressed  from  the  meat,  and  the  whole 
well  rubbed  over  with  fine  salt,  before  it 
is  immersed  in  the  liquor.  Young  pork 
should  not  be  left  longer  than  three  or 
four  days  in  this  pickle,  as  it  will  then  be 
quite  sufficiently  softened:  but  hams,  in- 
tended for  drying,  may  remain  a fortnight 
before  they  are  hung  up;  when  they  should 
be  rubbed  with  pollard,  and  closely  cover- 
ed with  paper  bags,  to  prevent  their  being- 
fly-blown.  Though  this  pickle  is,  at  first, 
somewhat  more  expensive  than  common 
brine,  as  it  may  be  again  used,  on  being 
boiled  with  additional  water  and  the  other 
ingredients,  it  is  far  from  being,  on  the 
whole,  importantly  more  dear;  while  it 
seems  to  promise  advantages  which  most 
people  would  be  happy  to  purchase  at  a 
much  higher  price. 


108 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Singular  Contrivance  for  Catching  Bats , as 
practised  in  Germany. 

Tins  contrivance  is  the  recent  invention, 
or  rather  improvement,  of  an  ingenious 
apothecary,  named  Muller,  at  Wernige- 
rode,  in  Germany;  so  that,  if  we  are  really 
indebted  to  that  country,  as  has  been  as- 
serted, for  the  present  innumerable  race  of 
rats,  which  are  said  to  have  nearly  anni- 
hilated the  old  English  black  species,  it 
also  affords  us  the  means  of  compleatly 
extirpating  them,  according  to  the  bold 
asseverations  of  the  late  Dr.  Willich.  This 
writer  thus  roundly  expresses  himself  on 
the  occasion — “ If,”  says  the  learned  doc- 
tor,  “ it  be  true  that  a whole  inhabitable 
island,  on  the  western  coast  of  Scotland, 
be  infested  with  these  destructive  vermin, 
we  are  of  opinion  that  they  would,  by  the 
following  method,  be  speedily  exterminat- 
ed; and  that  the  carcases  of  such  animals 
as  have  hitherto  been  considered  as  useless, 
might  be  advantageously  employed  for  the 
purposes  of  manuring  the  barren  soil  of 
these  inhospitable  regions.”  Though  we 
are  not  so  sanguine  as  the  learned  doctor, 
in  our  expectations  of  the  effects  of  this 
contrivance,  and  are  fearful  that  the  sterility 
of  the  Scottish  soil  must  not  trust  for  it’s 
future  fecundity,  if  any  tolerable  harvest 
be  expected,  entirely  to  the  manure  afford- 
ed by  the  carcases  of  all  the  rats  which 
may  be  so  caught,  we  nevertheless  seriously 
think  that  it  may  be  adopted  with  consi- 
derable success  in  particular  situations, 
and  shall  therefore  proceed  to  describe  the 
plan  thus  zealously  recommended — Place 
a capacious  cask  of  moderate  height  in  the 
vicinity  of  a place  infested  with  numerous 
rats;  and,  by  strewing  oatmeal,  or  any 
other  favourite  food,  every  day,  on  hoards 


1 1 arranged  from  the  top  of  the  cask  to  the 
j floor,  as  well  as  on  the  top  itself,  entice 
them  to  visit,  with  confidence,  the  head  of 
the  cask,  for  the  first  week.  Having  thus 
accustomed  them  to  find  a regular  supply, 
a skin  of  parchment  must  be  substituted 
for  the  wooden  top  of  the  cask,  cut  for 
several  inches  with  transverse  incisions 
through  the  centre,  so  as  to  give  way  on 
the  slightest  pressure.  At  the  same  time, 
a few  gallons  of  water,  to  the  depth  of  about 
six  inches,  are  to  be  poured  into  the  cask; 
and,  in  the  middle  of  the  water,  is  to  be 
placed  a brick  or  stone  rising  an  inch 
or  two  above  it’s  surface,  where  a single 
rat  only  may  find  refuge.  This  being  done, 
and  the  boards  and  top  well  covered  with 
the  usual  bait,  no  sooner  does  one  of  the 
rats  plunge  through  the  section  of  the 
parchment  into  the  cask,  than  it  instantly 
retreats  to  the  brick  or  stone  in  the  centre, 
and  commences  it’s  cries  for  relief.  The 
whining  notes  of  the  animal  soon  invite 
others  to  follow,  and  immediately  share 
the  same  fate;  when  a dreadful  conflict 
takes  place  between  them,  for  possession 
of  the  brick  or  stone  in  the  middle.  “ Bat- 
tles follow,”  says  Dr.  Willich,  “ in  rapid 
succession,  attended  with  such  loud  and 
noisy  shrieks,  that  all  the  rats  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood hasten  to  the  fatal  spot,  where 
they  experience  similar  disasters.  Thus 
hundreds  may  be  caught  by  this  stratagem.” 
The  doctor  suggests,that  the  business  would 
be  greatly  facilitated,  by  exposing  on  the 
stone  or  brick  a living  rat;  which  might  be 
taken  in  a trap,  or  purchased  from  a pro- 
fessional rat-catcher. 

Dr.  Macbride’s  Simple  Remedy  for  the  Stone. 

Boil  thirty  unroasted  coffee-berries  in  a 
quart  of  water,  till  the  liquid  becomes  of  a 


±j  o 

«*  U 

r-  r J 


rg  *4$  irW  ***  *^r 

O N CO  ^ 10  C* 

U *-»’"'  »H 

Cfitt(*«**|« 

— — =2^2 

£ 00  CO  00  00  f^°0  00  00  00  00  c> 


a, 

X 


O g . . **>  . 

So  • • • ^ O ^ 

**  ~ * ,-, 

^ ^ ^ 

j;  00  00  00  00  00  °0  C'iCC  00  o’K* 

S ®>-"  I?  £ 2«  2 £«S* 

'"e  . , . . 

g _Q  ^ -JO  -Q  _Q  • -O  „Q  -Q  -Q 

'“  "m  ° O O 00  CTiO^CTiai"0® 

*-*  **  ’“'  *1  *■*  I* 

? 

~^:£.2;£:2:£-fl:2— *:2:20 

£ "p*  t'*  t's  f^’K,  tv  tX  tV  IV 


e f-3‘4 

O M 1. 

S rS  u - 

• “ 5 2 a 

C -Q  n!  2 s o <« 

•“  . O b=  U SK« 

-a  © • , ^ . Ji  E 

• 1 >44 


o o 

V3 

4J 

, E ! 

<*  os 

« u 2 

a . «. 

3 i^J-E 

‘ o’  © “P 

"a  -a  | 


■50^00000 

> '"O  no  »T3  *"0  wj  -q  '-q 

^ rr 

-U  w 

CO  lo 

C*  , CO 


OOO 
nj  *T3  H3 


f ( 4*  ) 

Good  Bread. 

Two  bufhels  of  wheat,  half  abufhel  of  planting  beans, 
one  peck  of  barley  and  one  peck  of  oats  ground  together, 
with  the  addition  of  a good  quantity  of  potatoes,  make 
excellent  flour  for  bread.  The  potatoes  to  be  pared  as  if 
for  dinner,  then  thrown  into  a cullender  and  fuffered  to 
ftand  dry  and  cold  and  are  then  fit  to  be  mingled  with 
the  other  ingredients,  without  wafting  any  part  of  them. 

One  third  of  barley  flour  and  two  thirds  of  wheat  flour 
make  alfo  very  good  bread. 

I have  tried  three  fourths  wheat  flour  mixed  with  one 
fourth  bailey  flour  and  the  bread  is  very  good.  J T. 

A fubflitute  for  Ytajl , much  preferable  to  it,  and  not 
a jixthport  of  the  expence,  now  in  general  ufe. 

Take  one  ounce  of  hops  and  boil  them  in  a quart  of 
water  over  a flow  fire  for  an  hour.  Take  half  a pound  of 
flour,  and  drain  the  fealding  water  from  the  hops  among 
it;  ftir  it  about  till  it  cools  to  milk  warm, then  cover  it’ 
clofe  and  let  it  ftand  48  hours.  Then  boil  the  hops  again 
in  three  quarts  of  water,  letting  it  foak  on  the  fire  for 
three  hours.  Take  half  this  liquor  off  the  hops,  better 
than  milk-warm  and  put  it  among  the  firft,  ftirring  it 
wellabout,  with  two  ounces  of  frefh  flour.  Lettlie  whole 
ftand  about  three  hours  more;  then  put  it  in  the  other  half 
of  the  hop-liquor,  making  it  alfo  milk-warm  and  ftirring 
it  well  about  with  two  ounces  moreof  frefh  flour  : let 
the  whole  ftand  about  three  hours  more  and  then  ufe  it. 
If  two  table  fpoonfuls of  this  be  kept  as  ftore  and  put  a- 
mong  the  fealded  flour  when  cold,  it  will  be  fuflicicnt  to 
let  it  ftand  twenty-four  hours inftead  of  forty-eight. 

On  K’hin  feed. 

Mr.  Iphnftone,  of  Hill-houle,  near  Kirk-newton  in 
Mid-Lothian,  Scotland,  feeds  his  horfesin  winter  on  the 
(hoots  of  green  Whins  or  Furze.  He  has  a machine  for 
bnaifing  them,  like  that  ufed  for  tan  bark  ; but  the  late 
I.ord  King,  who  fed  his  farm  horfes  the  fame  way,  had 
them  bruifed  on  a barn  floor  with  a flail,  to  take  off  the 

7 prickles. 


prickles.  An  acre  in  the  natural  itate  will  keep  fix  horfes 
four  months,  but  as  you  cannot  cut  your  whins  butevery 
other  year,  two  acres  will  ferve  fix  horfes  for  two  winters. 
With  one  feed  of  corn  and  whins,  the  horfes  are  kept  in 
as  good  condition  as  with  two  feeds  of  com  and  llraw; 
fo  that  all  the  ftraw  and  one  feed  of  corn  is  faved,  which 
valued  only  at  7d.  a day,  on  each  liorfc  for  >7  weeks  a- 
mount  to  17  guineas.  From  this  deduft  the  expence  of 
cutting  and  bruilingthe  whins,  about  live  fhillings,  which 
leaves  13I.  12s.  as  the  produce  of  two  acres  of  whins,  or 
61.  16s.  yearly. 

On  feeding  Cows. 

The  above  Gentleman  in  fummer  feeds  his  Cows  in  the 
lioufe  in  the  day  time  with  green  clover  and  turns  them 
out  to  grafs  at  nights.  Much  lefs  quantity  of  grafs  fufficcs 
and  more  manure  is  obtained,  and  the  cattle  are  inbetter 
condition  than  when  at  pafture  day  and  night.  In  winter 
he  feeds  them  with  turnips,  ftraw,  and  boiled  chaff : and 
from  a fuccefsful  refultof  an  experiment,  he  means  to 
feed  them  in  a proportion  daily  of  boiled  Linfeed,  it  is 
cheap  and  has  a capital  effeft.  A peck  of  Scotch  feed  va- 
lue is.  8d.  is  fufficientto  convert  45  fcotch  pints  of  water 
(by  boiling  it  down  to  40)  almoft  to  a jelly,  ftrong  and 
nourifhing,  of  which  the  cows  eat  with  great  avidity. 
Flalf  an  acre  of  turnips  drawn,  will  keep  a cow  well  from 
the  beginning  of  November,  to  the  end  of  March.  Five 
months. 

To  wean  Calves. 

One  gallon  of  fkim  milk.  To  about  one  pint  add  half 
an  ounce  of  common  treacle,  ftirring  it  till  well  mixed. 
Then  take  one  ounce  of  linfeed  oil-cake  finely  powdered, 
and  with  the  hand  let  it  fall  gently  and  gradually  in  very 
finall  quantities  into  the  milk,  ftirring  it  at  the  fame  time 
with  a fpoontill  it  is  thoroughly  mixed  ; then  add  this 
mixture  to  the  reft  of  the  milk  and  make  the  whole  as 
warm  as  new  milk. 

The  oil-cake  powder,  may  be  increafed  as  the  Calf  be- 
comes 


comes  Inured  to  the  flavour  of  it.  Thirty-two  gallons  thus 
made  coft  6-pence  befides  the  milk. 

Calves  might  he  weaned  without  Milk  : thus. 

One  quart  of  linfeed  boiled  10  minutes  in  6 quarts  of 
water  makes  a good  jelly  (linfeed  is  4s.  6d.  a bufhel  and 
lobulhels  will  wean  35  Calves  betterthan  thofe  reared 
with  milk  and  don’t  fall  off  when  turned  to  grafs  ) Mix 
this  jelly  with  a final  1 quantity  of  hay  tea  (the  beft  havthe 
tea  maae  by  fteeping  the  hay  in  boiling  water. 

t Drum-head  Cabbage. 

One  pound  of  feed  (value  4d.)  Town  on  10  rods  of 
ground  will  produce  fufficicnt  plants  for  3 acres.  But  the 
feed  bed  muft  be  rich,  and  the  feed  fown  the  beginning  of 
March.  Plough  your  land  at  Michaelmas,  let  it  lie  till 
fpring,  then  plough  it  4 or  5 times  and  before  the  laft 
ploughing  drefs  it  well  with  15  or  20  loads  per  acre,  as 
much  as  three  horfes  can  draw.  The  laft  ploughing  at 
the  end  of  June,  then  put  out  your  plants  in  rows  2 feet 
a funder  and  18  inches  between  plant  and  plant.  As  they 
grow  large  take  up  every  other  one  to  give  the  reft  room 
to  fwell ; or  you  may  plant  them  2 feet  apart ; they 
ftiould  be  watered  when  planted,  and  then  hoed  three 
times.  In  dry  feafons  they  grow  very  blue  and  without  a 
good  deal  of  rain  after  this  will  be  Hinted  and  not  produce 
half  a crop.  An  acre  will  thus  produce  near  1 1,000  plants 
and  will  keep  four  milch  cows  from  the  end  of  Offober 
to  the  middle  of  March,  (each  Cow  eating  about  16 
Cabbages  per  day.  In  this  cafe  they  muft  be  large)  when 
they  (hould  all  be  taken  from  the  land  or  they  will  draw 
it.  They  are  good  for  Calves. 

Note.  Three  quarters  of  an  acre  will  fatten  2 beafls  of 
50  ftone  each,  if  they  have  had  a fummers  grafs. 

To  bring  up  Turkeys  without  trouble. 

As  foon  as  hatched  dip  them  in  cold  water,  and  put 
3 pepper-com  down  the  throat  of  each. 

They  Ihould  not  be  expofed  to  the  rain  for  the  firft  6 

•.  weeks, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


109 


greenish  hue;  half  a pint  of  which  is  to  be 
taken  every  morning  and  evening,  with 
ten  drops  of  the  sweet  spirit  of  nitre.  It 
will  be  proper,  while  using  this  medicine, 
occasionally  to  open  the  bowels  by  taking 
a spoonful  or  two  of  castor  oil.  This  sim- 
ple remedy  is  said  to  have  been  adminis- 
tered with  great  success,  in  this  most  pain- 
ful and  dangerous  disease. 

Art  of  making  the  best  Black  Ink  Powder. 

This  curious  and  very  useful  article  is 
thus  directed  to  be  made — Infuse  a quar- 
ter of  a pound  of  finely  powdered  nut  galls 
in  three  pints  of  rain  or  river  water;  ex- 
posing it,  occasionally  well  stirred,  to  a 
moderate  degree  of  warmth,  for  a few  days, 
till  the  colouring  matter  seem  fully  ex- 
tracted : then  filtre  the  solution  into  a ves- 
sel slightly  covered,  and  place  it  in  the 
open  air,  for  several  weeks;  when,  on  re- 
moving the  mouldy  skin  from  the  top, 
which  has  gradually  been  formed,  it  must 
be  carefully  collected,  have  hot  water  pour- 
ed over  it,  undergo  another  filtration,  and 
then  be  evaporated  to  dryness.  Thus  will 
be  produced  a grey  crystalline  salt,  called 
the  acid  salt  of  galls,  and  which  is  the  es- 
sential basis  of  black  ink.  On  triturating 
a single  dram  of  this  salt,  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  vitriol  of  iron,  and  about  a pen- 
nyweight of  the  driest  gum  arabic,  a com- 
position will  be  obtained  which  affords  an 
excellent  black  ink,  merely  on  being  dis- 
solved in  warm  water.  This  will  be  found 
much  better  than  the  greater  part  of  ink- 
powder  commonly  sold;  which,  however, 
it  must  be  acknowledged,  sufficiently  an- 
swers the  ordinary  purposes  of  business, 
and,  being  sold  remarkably  cheap,  may 
supercede  the  trouble  or  expence  of  form- 
ing the  above  superior  composition. 


Best  JMeiliods  of  making  Black , or  Hog's 
Puddings. 

Though  hog’s  puddings  are  generally 
so  ill  manufactured,  for  sale,  in  London, 
as  to  form  a food  by  no  means  very  in- 
viting, they  are  excellent  eating,  when 
properly  made;  we  often  meet  with  them 
at  the  houses  of  farmers  and  country  gen- 
tlemen in  different  parts  of  the  united 
kingdom.  They  are,  as  may  be  supposed 
of  so  general  an  article,  made  in  a great 
variety  of  ways : from  which,  however,  we 
shall  select  only  such  as  we  consider  to  be 
the  best;  commencing  with  what  is  the  most 
common,  yet  probably  not  the  worst — Boil  a 
quantity  of  what  are  called  grits,  or  groats, 
in  sufficient  water,  for  about  half  an  hour, 
and  put  them  into  a tub  or  pan;  on  killing 
the  hog,  save  two  quarts  of  the  blood,  which 
must  be  continually  stirred  till  it  become 
quite  cold.  Then  mix  and  stir  well  toge- 
ther the  blood  and  grits;  and  season  them 
with  a table-spoonful  of  salt,  some  pounded 
allspice,  a good  quantity  of  penny-royal, 
a little  thyme,  winter  savoury,  and  sweet 
marjoram,  all  finely  shred.  The  skins,  or 
guts  having  been  in  the  mean  time  pro- 
perly cleansed,  salted,  and  soaked,  some 
of  the  leaf  or  flair  of  the  hog  is  next  day 
to  be  cut  into  very  small  dice,  and  plen- 
tifully mixed  with  the  other  ingredients,  at 
proper  distances,  as  the  whole  are  filled  in. 
Tie  them  in  links  when  only  three  parts 
full, and  put  them  in  boiling  water;  prick- 
ing them  as  they  swell,  to  prevent  their 
bursting.  Boil  them  gently  for  about  an 
hour,  and  then  put  them  on  straw,  or  clean 
cloths,  to  drain  and  dry;  after  which 
they  may  be  hung  up  for  use,  and  will 
keep  good  a considerable  time.  Some, 
who  are  desirous  of  producing  them  in  a 
2 E 


no 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


superior  stile,  make  them  as  follows — They 
soak  all  the  preceding  night,  before  killing 
the  hog,  about  a quart  of  grits,  in  as  much 
boiling  hot  milk;  putting  in  a tolerable 
quantity  of  penny-royal,  with  some  savory, 
thyme,  pepper,  mace,  nutmeg,  and  a few 
cloves,  finely  powdered.  1 hese  being  mix- 
ed with  a quart  of  the  blood  which  has 
been  stirred  well  with  salt  till  quite  cold, 
are  filled  into  the  skins  with  some  of  the 
diced  fat,  and  boiled  in  the  same  manner 
as  already  directed.  These  methods  are 
occasionally  diversified,  by  adding  a crumb 
of  bread  soaked  in  milk  or  water,  a small 
quantity  of  finely  shred  leeks,  beef  suet, 
beaten  eggs,  &c.  according  to  peculiar  fan- 
cies, local  partialities,  or  immediate  con- 
venience. Before  using  black  puddings, 
whether  broiled,  or  dressed  in  a Dutch 
oven,  they  should  be  scalded  for  a few  mi- 
nutes, and  afterwards  wiped  dry. 

French  Hog’s  Puddings. 

In  France,  where  hog’s  puddings  are 
in  far  higher  estimation  than  with  us,  they 
are  usually  made  in  the  following  simple 
manner — Boil  a few  onions,  cut  small,  in  a 
little  water,  with  some  of  the  fat  or  flair; 
when  the  water  has  entirely  boiled  away, 
cut  some  fresh  flair  into  small  dice,  and 
put  it  in  the  stewpan  to  the  onions,  with 
the  blood  of  the  hog,  and  a fourth  part  as 
much  cream,  seasoned  with  salt  and  spices  to 
palate.  Stir  the  whole  well  together;  andfill 
the  skins  with  them,  by  means  of  a shallow 
funnel,  the  tube  of  which  is  adapted  to  the 
size  of  the  guts,  which  is  first  cut  into  the 
proposed  length  of  the  puddings;  for,  in 
France,  they  are  not  made  up  in  links, 
being  actually  sold  by  measure.  The  ends 
being  properly  tied,  with  due  care,  not  to 
endanger  their  bursting  by  being  over- 


filled, they  are  put  in  hot  water;  and,  hav- 
ing boiled  for  a quarter  of  an  hour,  one 
of  them  is  taken  up  with  a skimmer,  and 
pricked  with  a pin:  when,  if  blood  does 
not  come  out,  but  the  fat  only,  it  is  a satis- 
factory proof  that  they  are  enough  done. 
They  must  then  be  set  to  cool ; and,  before 
they  are  served  up,  they  must  be  broiled 
on  a gridiron. 

Parsnip  Fritters. 

Boil,  peel,  and  grate  or  scrape  to  a 
pulp,  two  large  parsnips;  beat  them  up 
with  four  yolks  and  two  whites  of  eggs, 
two  spoonfuls  each  of  cream  and  white 
wine,  and  a little  grated  nutmeg.  Beat 
them  together  for  nearly  an  hour,  till  the 
batter  becomes  very  light:  then  fry  it  in 
the  usual  manner  of  fritters,  with  a great 
quantity  of  lard;  and  serve  them  up  either 
with  lemon  or  orange  juice  and  sugar,  or 
with  melted  butter,  sugar,  and  white  wine. 

Vast  Advantages  of  Baking  instead  of  Boiling 
Beet-Root. 

The  beet-root  too  forcibly  intrudes  it- 
self on  the  improved  sagacity  of  mankind 
to  be  entirely  neglected,  as  a source  of 
cheap  and  salubrious  food;  and  a very  po- 
pular physician,  some  few  years  since,  took 
uncommon  pains  to  recommend  a variety 
of  one  species  of  this  genus,  the  German 
mangel-wurzel,  or  famine-root,  under  the 
appellation  of  the  root  of  scarcity,  or  large 
white  beet-root,  as  an  article  worthy  of 
being  universally  cultivated.  The  time, 
however,  seems  not  yet  arrived  for  the  full 
value  of  even  the  more  attractive  red  species 
to  be  generally  known,  and  duly  appreci- 
ated; so  that  this  philanthrophic  design 
may  be  said  to  have  hitherto  totally  failed. 

In  speaking  of  the  beet-root,  generally,  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Ill 


red  beet-root,  therefore,  is  to  be  consider- 
ed as  alone  designated;  and  we  are  about 
to  offer  a few  hints  for  bringing  it’s  modest 
and  humble  merits  into  a little  more  de- 
served estimation.  Every  observant  per- 
son must  have  noticed,  that  slices  of  raw 
beet-root  are  commonly  sold,  in  London, 
to  accompany  sallad;  which,  of  course, 
serve  merely  as  garnish,  without  being  at 
all  more  eatable  than  a slice  of  undressed 
carrot:  and  though,  it  is  true  enough, 

there  are  few  families  who  do  not  well 
know  that  beet-root  should  be  dressed  for 
sallad;  it  is,  by  many,  considered,  as  too 
much  trouble  for  the  small  quantity  want- 
ed, and  by  all  who  do  dress  it,  it  is  uni- 
versally boiled.  The  rich  saccharine  juice 
of  the  beet-root  is  thus  in  a great  degree 
lost,  and  the  root  itself  rendered,  at  once, 
less  nutritious  by  the  adventitious  watery 
weakness,  which  it  is  made  to  imbibe,  as 
well  by  parting  with  the  native  palatinous 
syrup,  of  which  it  is  thus  forcibly  deprived. 
It  is, therefore,  most  strongly  recommended, 
to  adopt  the  mode  of  baking  beet-roots,  in- 
stead of  boiled  them,  for  general  use;  when 
they  will,  unquestionably,  be  found  to  afford 
a very  delicious  and  most  wholesome  food. 
This  is  not  offered  as  an  untried  novelty; 
beet-roots  are  very  universally  baked  all 
over  the  continent  of  Europe;  and,  in  Italy 
particularly,  they  are  carried  about,  warm 
from  the  oven,  twice  a day,  like  hot  loaves, 
&c.  in  London.  They  are  there  purchased 
by  all  ranks  of  people;  and  afford  to  many 
thousands,  with  bread  and  a little  salt  only, 
a very  satisfactory  meal.  There  are  few 
purposes,  indeed,  for  which  baked  beet- 
root will  not  be  found  far  preferable  to 
boiled;  and  the  only  objection  to  oppose 
it’s  adoption,  is  the  covetous  trading  prin- 
ciple which  struggles  in  so  many  ways 


against  the  best  interests  of  society,  that 
the  roots,  not  being  swelled  by  the  im- 
poverishing gratuitous  simple  element,  will 
rather  appear  smaller  than  larger  than  their 
natural  size  when  they  come  out  of  the 
oven.  Were  beet-roots  duly  cultivated  in 
England,  baked  and  sold  as  cheap  as  they 
might  be,  many  a poor  person  would  have 
a hearty  and  good  meal,  who  is  now  often 
obliged  to  go  without  one. 

Boiled  Shoulder  of  Mutton  dressed  d la  Sau~ 
cisson,  or  Collared  to  eat  Hot. 

This  favourite  and  fashionable  French 
dish  is  by  no  means  very  difficult  to  pre- 
pare, nor  is  it  at  all  expensive — Take  away 
the  entire  bone  and  gristle  of  a shoulder  of 
mutton,  without  dividing  the  meat  in  pieces, 
and  lay  it  all  as  flat  as  possible ; cover  it 
with  a force-meat  stuffing  about  the  thick- 
ness of  a half-crown  ; over  this  stuffing,  ar- 
range a layer  of  sliced  pickled  gerkins  and 
ham ; put  above  it  a thin  covering  of  the 
force-meat,  merely  to  keep  the  whole  to- 
gether; roll  it  all  up  tight;  and,  confining 
it  closely  with  a cloth,  boil  it  in  a little  broth, 
with  a bunch  of  parsley,  chives,  a clove  of 
garlic,  a few  onions,  some  carrots  and  par- 
snips, a little  salt  and  pepper,  and  three 
cloves.  When  the  meat  is  done,  skin  and 
strain  the  liquor  for  sauce;  and,  if  it  be 
too  weak,  thicken  it  with  some  cullis,  and 
pour  it  over  the  meat.  This  is  a very  ex- 
cellent dish;  and  would,  perhaps,  be  improv- 
ed to  some  English  palates,  by  substituting 
a little  good  caper  sauce  for  the  uncertain 
cullis. 

Cheap  Ham  Stock , for  Gravy  and  Sauces. 

Take  a ham  bone,  when  nearly  done 
with;  pick  out  all  the  bits  of  meat  which 
are  not  rusty,  whether  fat  or  lean;  smash 


112 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  bone  to  pieces,  beat  the  meat  with  a 
rolling  pin,  and  put  the  whole  into  a sauce- 
pan, over  a slow  lire,  w ith  about  a quarter 
of  a pint  of  broth  or  gravy.  Stir  it  well 
continually,  to  prevent  it’s  sticking  to  the 
bottom;  and,  when  it  has  been  on  some 
time,  add  a small  faggot  of  sweet  herbs, 
a little  pepper,  and  half  a pint  of  beef 
gravy:  then  cover  it  up,  and  let  it  continue 
gently  to  stew  till  the  herbs  give  it  a good 
flavour.  It  is  then  to  be  strained  off,  and 
carefully  kept  to  improve  rich  gravy  or 
sauces  of  almost  every  description ; being, 
in  fact,  a sort  of  essence  of  ham,  though 
thus  easily  and  cheaply  obtained. 

Good  Potcitoe  Cheesecakes. 

Beat  three  ounces  of  lemon  peel,  with 
six  ounces  of  sugar,  in  a marble  mortar: 
then  add  half  a pound  of  nicely  boiled  and 
mashed  mealy  potatoes,  beating  the  whole 
up  together  with  six  ounces  of  butter  melt- 
ed in  cream,  and  mixing  two  ounces  of 
picked  and  cleaned  currants.  When  cold, 
put  crust  in  patty-pans;  fill  them  a little 
more  than  half  full;  sift  over  them  a little 
double-refined  sugar;  and  bake  them  for 
about  half  an  hour,  in  a quick  oven. 

American  Snow-Balls. 

Pare  as  many  apples  as  you  wish  to 
have  snow-balls;  and,  scooping  out  the 
cores,  put  a little  very  finely  shred  lemon 
rind,  about  half  a clove,  or  a morsel  of 
cinnamon  or  mace,  and  a bit  of  sugar,  in 
the  place.  Then  having  washed  with  wa- 
ter, and  soaked  in  milk,  rice  sufficient  to 
cover  them,  put  into  as  many  thin  cloths  as 
there  are  apples,  enough  rice  compleatly 
to  surround  each,  tie  them  all  up  separate- 
ly, and  set  them  over  the  fire  in  a pot  of 
cold  water.  They  will  require  to  be  kept 


boiling  somewhat  more  than  an  hour;  and 
must  be  gently  turned  into  the  dish,  to 
prevent  breaking  the  rice,  when  they  will 
appear  literally  as  white  as  snow.  They 
may  be  served  up  with  a good  quantity  of 
very  sweet  sauce,  composed  of  sugar  and 
butter,  a little  grated  nutmeg,  beaten  cin- 
namon, and  a glass  of  white  wine;  or,  with 
plenty  of  sugar  and  melted  butter  only. 
These  snow-balls,  have  a very  pretty  ap- 
pearance at  table,  and  may  be  made  ex- 
tremely cheap. 

Experienced  Excellent  Receipt  for  a Dropsy. 

In  a memorandum  annexed  to  this  re- 
ceipt, which  is  extracted  from  a large  ma- 
nuscript collection  of  the  highest  respect- 
ability, the  remedy  characterised  in  the 
words  of  the  above  title,  is  expressly  said 
to  have  been  taken  by  Lady  Betty  Bed- 
ingfield;  and  to  have  proved  successful, 
after  the  artichoke  medicine,  and  several 
others,  had  compleatly  failed — Boil  three 
handfuls  of  the  tops  of  green  broom,  in  a 
gallon  of  spring  water,  and  keep  taking- 
off  the  scum  as  long  as  any  continues  to 
arise;  then  after  letting  it  stand  till  cold, 
pour  the  broom  and  decoction  together 
into  an  earthen  jug,  and  keep  it  closely 
covered  for  use.  Take  every  night  and 
morning,  a large  spoonful  of  unbruised 
mustard  seed;  and,  immediately  after  swal- 
lowing it,  drink  half  a pint  of  the  broom 
water.  This  remedy  ought  to  be  continued 
for  some  months,  when  it  will  seldom  fail 
finally  proving  effectual,  when  the  disease 
is  not  in  it’s  worst  state. 

Wonderful  Cure  for  Inflamed  or  Sore  Eyes. 

This  curious  and  very  singular  remedy 
is  also  extracted  from  the  valuable  collec- 
tion noticed  in  the  preceding  article;  and. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


113 


when  properly  considered,  will  afford  a 
fine  and  most  satisfactory  proof  of  the  vast 
advantages  derivable  to  mankind  from  such 
genuine  registers  of  facts  as  relate  to  ex- 
perimental knowledge,  without  too  hasty 
a condemnation  of  positive  effects,  often 
occasioned  by  a deficient  acquaintance  with 
causes,  which  the  improving  state  of  science 
may  hereafter  be  enabled  to  ascertain,  and 
fully  establish,  on  grounds  not  afterward 
to  be  disputed.  This  preliminary  parergon 
is  addressed  to  every  liberal  and  laudably 
aspiring  mind;  not  to  discourage  enquiry, 
but  to  check  presumption.  The  wonderful 
remedy,  as  it  may  at  first  appear,  is  found 
thus  described — “ Get  some  clay  that  has  a 
blue  vein,  and  separate  this  blue  vein  from 
the  rest  of  the  clay.  Wash  it  clean;  and 
then  soften  it,  and  work  it  into  a sort  of 
ointment,  with  strong  white-wine  vinegar. 
Spread  it  on  apiece  of  linen;  and,  covering 
it  over  with  part  of  the  same  cloth,  bind 
it  over  the  eyes  every  night,  for  a fortnight, 
on  going  to  bed.  At  the  same  time,  this 
application  being  a repellant,  a little  gen- 
tle physic  should  be  taken.  Northampton- 
shire abounds  with  a proper  clay  for  the 
purpose.”  The  following  memorandum  is 
added — “ Note,  A poor  clergyman,  who 
was  reduced  to  solicit  alms  at  a lady’s 
door,  and  charitably  received  by  her,  gave 
her  this  nostrum  for  her  son,  who  had 
nearly  lost  his  sight;  and  it  not  only  re- 
stored it,  but  also  that  of  a poor  person  in 
the  neighbourhood  who  had  long  been 
totally  blind.  This  receipt  was  given  me 
by Mr.Templeman,  in  the  year  lV-^O:”  pro- 
bably, afterward,  Dr.  Templeman,  the  ce- 
lebrated Secretary  to  the  Society  for  the 
Encouragement  of  Arts,  Manufactures, 
and  Commerce,  since  established  in  the 
Adelphi.  Be  this  as  it  may,  we  can  have 


no  doubt  of  the  facts,  as  above  related : 
and,  when  it  comes  to  be  reflected,  that 
the  Bishop  of  Llandaff,  when  Dr.  Watson, 
published,  twenty  years  after  the  above 
date,  in  his  Chemical  Essays,  an  analysis 
which  he  had  made  from  a stratum  of  lead- 
coloured  clay,  in  the  neighbouring  county 
of  Cambridge,  without  any  medical  inten- 
tions on  the  subject,  in  which  it  appears 
that  he  found  it  to  contain  not  only  “ the 
resemblance  of  an  earthy  salt,  resulting 
from  a union  of  the  acid  of  vitriol  with 
calcareous  earth,  which  is  usually  called 
selenites;”  but  that  “ there  was  also  se- 
parated, by  washing,  a greyish  earth,  which 
was  chiefly  iron:”  this  apparently  simple 
remedy  will  lose  much  of  it’s  marvellous 
complexion,  in  the  mind  of  every  philoso- 
phical and  intelligent  reader,  whether  more 
or  less  familiar  with  the  known  medical 
properties  of  these  potent  productions  in 
one  of  the  very  complaints  for  which  they  are 
prescribed  by  the  faculty,  under  modifi- 
cations of  art,  it  may  be,  without  disgrace 
to  science,  less  skilfully  combined  and  pro- 
portioned, for  this  particular  purpose,  than 
by  the  often  inscrutable  processes  of  nature. 

The  Honourable  Mr.  Boyle’s  Genuine  Syrup, 
for  Coughs , Spitting  of  Blood,  yc. 

THIS  excellent  remedy  for  that  frequently 
very  alarming  symptom,  cannot  be  made 
too  public.  “ He  must,”  says  the  learned 
and  liberal  Dr.  Fuller,  “ be  a mere  stranger 
in  physic,  who  is  not  acquainted  with  this 
most  noble  syrup,  and  how  mightily  it  suc- 
cours those  who  cough  up  blood.”  It  is 
thus  made — Take  six  ounces  of  cornirey 
roots,  and  twelve  handfuls  of  plantain 
leaves:  cut  and  beat  them  well;  strain  out 
the  juice;  and,  with  an  equal  weight  of 
sugar,  boil  it  up  to  a syrup. 


114 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Famous  Portland  Ponder  for  the  Gout. 

Though  this  once  popular  remedy,  like 
every  other  specific  for  all  the  various  de- 
grees of  such  chronic  diseases,  must  always 
be  subjected  to  frequent  failure,  some  of 
the  most  learned  and  judicious  of  the  fa- 
culty, who  are  seldom  wanting  in  that 
liberality  which  so  characterises  the  least 
informed  and  most  imbecile  individuals 
among  all  professional  men,  very  candidly 
admit  the  Portland  powder  for  the  gout 
to  form  a potent  alterative,  capable  of  be- 
ing taken  with  considerable  advantage  by 
persons  who  are  subject  to  that  tedious, 
tormenting,  and  finally  fatal  disease.  The 
genuine  receipt,  which  was  imported  from 
Switzerland  by  an  ancestor  of  his  Grace 
the  Duke  of  Portland,  and  thus  obtained 
the  name  of  the  Portland  powder,  is 
as  follows — Take  equal  parts  of  round 
birthwort  and  gentian  roots ; and  the  tops 
and  leaves  of  germander,  ground  pine,  and 
centaury.  Well  dry,  pulverize,  sift,  and 
incorporate,  all  these  ingredients,  and  this 
famous  powder  will  be  produced;  of  which, 
a single  dram  is  directed  to  be  every  morn- 
ing taken  in  tea,  or  any  other  warm  liquid, 
fasting  for  at  least  an  hour  and  a half  after 
each  dose.  This  course  having  been  un- 
remittingly persisted  in  for  three  months,  ' 
the  dose  must  be  reduced  to  half  a dram, 
taken  daily  for  six  months,  and  afterward 
every  other  day  only  for  twelve  months 
longer.  To  persons  who  are  best  acquaint- 
ed with  the  generally  characteristic  want 
of  patience,  manifested  by  those  who  are 
the  greatest  sufferers  in  this  agonizing 
disease,  which  needs  a much  larger  stock 
of  that  meek  virtue  than  most  men  possess, 
will  not  be  greatly  surprised  to  learn,  that 
few  gouty  patients  can  be  induced  thus 


regularly  to  continue  the  medicine,  a« 
directed,  even  for  half  the  length  of  time 
prescribed.  It  is  not,  therefore,  at  all  won- 
derful, that  such  an  alterative  should  in 
time  have  lost  much  of  it’s  celebrity,-  by 
whatever  merit  it  might  be  originally  ob- 
tained, or  may  still  deserve  to  be  upheld. 

Easy  Method  of  restoring,  and  rendering  legible, 
damaged  Parchment  Deeds,  &;c. 

The  peculiar  importance  of  preserving 
as  much  as  possible  all  deeds  written  on 
parchment,  is  evident  from  the  very  na- 
ture of  the  substance  thought  proper  to 
be  used  on  the  occasion;  but,  notwith- 
standing every  care,  unsuspected  dampness 
of  situation,  or  unavoidable  accidents,  will 
sometimes  impair  even  that  stout  substance, 
and  render  title-deeds  of  estates,  and  other 
important  written  instruments,  quite  illegi- 
ble. When  a parchment  deed  becomes 
thus  obliterated  and  discoloured  by  mois- 
ture, on  simply  immersing  it  in  the  coldest 
and  clearest  spring  water,  immediately  as 
it  is  drawn  from  the  well,  for  about  a mi- 
nute, and  then  pressing  it  between  sheets 
of  blotting-paper,  to  prevent  it’s  shrivelling 
up  while  getting  dry;  it  will  generally, 
when  it  has  nearly  approached  that  state, 
be  found  to  have  resumed  it’s  original  co- 
lour, and  appear  uniformly  alike;  but,  should 
the  characters  not  prove  legible  on  it’s  be- 
coming moderately  dry,  the  operation 
must  be  repeated  as  often  as  it  may  be 
necessary.  The  following  mixture,  it  is 
asserted,  will  make  writing  which  has  been 
obliterated,  faded,  or  sunk,  either  on  paper 
or  parchment,  immediately  legible — Bruise 
two  or  three  nut-galls,  infuse  them  in  half 
a pint  of  white  wine,  and  let  the  bottle 
stand  for  two  days  in  the  sun  or  any  other 
equally  warm  situation;  then  wash  that 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


1 15 


part  of  the  parchment  or  paper  which  is 
■wanted  to  have  the  writing  recovered,  by 
means  of  a sponge  or  soft  brush  dipped  in 
the  vinous  infusion;  and  the  purpose  will 
be  immediately  answered,  if  it  be  sufficient- 
ly strong.  Should  that  not  happen,  it’s 
powers  must  be  increased,  by  an  aditional 
quantity  of  galls;  and,  perhaps,  in  some 
cases,  stronger  heat,  and  even  stronger 
wine,  may  also  be  necessary. 

German  Mode  of  keeping  Cherries  in  a sound 
State  all  the  Winter. 

This  mode  of  keeping  cherries  is,  at 
least,  curious;  being  different  from  either 
pickling  or  preserving,  in  our  customary 
sense  of  those  words,  yet  partaking  a little 
of  both.  It’s  principle  seems  to  rest  on 
properly  combining  the  naturally  mixed 
acid  and  sweet  found  in  the  fruit  which 
it  is  to  protect  from  injury ; and,  indeed, 
the  most  acid  cherries  seem  alone  calcu- 
lated to  benefit  by  this  process,  according 
to  any  present  known  experience.  The 
following  are  the  directions,  as  published 
in  Germany,  for  effecting  the  proposed 
intention — Boil,  for  four  pounds  of  sour 
cherries,  a pound  of  loaf  sugar  in  a quart 
of  white-wine  vinegar,  carefully  skimming 
off  all  the  impurities  as  they  rise.  Then, 
taking  off  the  liquor,  let  it  stand  till  it  re- 
mains only  lukewarm;  and,  in  the  mean- 
time, having  prepared  half  an  ounce  of 
einnamon,  and  a quarter  of  an  ounce  of 
cloves,  both  grossly  bruised,  or  pounded, 
cut  off  half  the  length  of  the  stalks,  place 
a layer  of  cherries  at  the  bottom  of  a stone 
jar,  and  strew  it  over  with  the  spice:  and  so 
proceed,  layer  after  layer,  till  all  the  cher- 
ries are  thus  deposited,  with  spice  between. 
Lastly,  pour  on  the  top,  to  cover  the  whole, 
all  the  vinegar  syrup  at  first  prepared,  and 


close  up  the  jar  air-tight.  These  cherries 
are  not  only  as  useful  as  in  the  fresh  state, 
for  many  culinary  purposes;  but  are  said 
to  form  an  equally  excellent  article  of  do- 
mestic medicine  in  the  scurvy,  putrid  fe- 
vers, obstructions  of  the  alimentary  canal, 
vitiated  state  of  the  bile,  foul  eructations, 
offensive  breath,  &c.  particularly,  when 
frequently  eaten  in  considerable  quantities, 
on  an  empty  stomach.  Though  we  can- 
not conscientiously  vouch  for  this  very  com- 
mon fruit’s  possessing  all  these  medicinal 
virtues,  cherries  will  sometimes  prove  ser- 
viceable on  such  occasions,  and  their  use  or 
abuse  may  safely  enough  be  left  to  every 
grown  person’s  discretion. 

Ready  Way  to  dress  the  Blood  of  Lambs, 

Calves,  Hogs,  8$c.  without  making  it  into 

Black  Puddings. 

The  blood  of  these  animals,  and  even 
of  poultry,  is  in  France,  and  many  other 
parts  of  the  world,  regularly  made  use  of 
as  food,  without  always  taking  the  trouble 
to  make  it  up  into  black  puddings;  for 
this  purpose,  some  onions  being  chopped 
into  small  dice,  and  well  fried  in  a stew- 
pan  over  a stove,  with  plenty  of  butter  or 
hog’s  lard,  the  blood  is  then  added,  and 
gently  stirred  together  with  the  onions, 
sufficiently  seasoned  with  salt  and  pepper, 
till  the  whole  be  thoroughly  incorporated 
and  fit  for  eating.  This,  though  not  of  so 
compact  an  appearance  as  when  made  up 
in  skins,  has  at  least  a similar  flavour,  and 
is  done  in  a few  minutes  without  the  smallest 
expence. 

The  Countess  of  Rutland's  famous  Banbury 
Bride-Cake. 

This  celebrated  cake,  the  method  of 
making  which  has  been  preserved  nearly 


*\ 


n 6 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


two  ce ut u ties,  as  a bride-cake  of  the  very 
first  order,  was  first  made,  under  the  coun- 
tess’s directions,  on  the  marriage  of  her 
daughter,  Lady  Chavvorlh.  The  genuine 
receipt  is  as  follows — Take  a peck  of  the 
finest  (lour;  half  an  ounce  each  of  beaten 
and  sifted  mace,  nutmegs,  and  cinnamon; 
two  pounds  of  fresh  butter;  ten  }mlks  and 
six  whites  of  eggs;  and  somewhat  more  i 
than  a pint  of  good  ale  yeast.  Beat  the 
eggs  well;  strain  them,  with  the  yeast  and 
a little  warm  water,  into  the  flour;  and 
add  the  butter  cold,  broken  into  small  bits. 
The  water  with  which  the  paste  is  kneaded 
must  be  scalding  hot;  and,  on  being  thus 
well  worked  together,  it  is  to  be  set  to  rise 
near  the  fire,  covered  by  a warm  cloth,  for 
about  a quarter  of  an  hour.  This  being 
done,  ten  pounds  of  picked  and  cleansed 
currants  are  to  be  prepared,  with  a little 
musk  and  ambergrease  dissolved  in  rose- 
water. The  currants  must  be  made  very 
dry,  otherwise  they  will  render  the  cake 
heavy;  and  finely  powdered  loaf  sugar 
is  to  be  strewed  among  them,  fully  sufficient 
for  supplying  all  the  natural  sweetness  of 
which  they  have  been  deprived  by  the  wa- 
ter wherein  they  were  washed.  The  paste 
being  now  all  broken  into  small  pieces, 
the  currants  are  to  be  added  in  alternate 
layers,  a layer  of  paste  and  a layer  of 
currants,  till  the  whole  are  well  mingled, 
but  without  breaking  the  currants.  A piece 
of  paste,  after  it  has  risen  in  a warm  cloth 
before  the  fire,  must  be  takeit  out,  before 
putting  in  the  currants,  to  cover  the  top  of 
the  cake,  as  well  as  for  the  bottom.  Both 
the  paste  for  the  top  and  bottom  must  be 
rolled  rather  thin,  and  wetted  with  rose- 
water ; but  it  may  be  closed  either  at  the 
bottom,  on  the  side,  or  in  the  middle,  as 
shall  seem  best.  Prick  the  top  and  sides 


with  a small  long  pin;  and,  when  the  cake 
is  ready  to  go  into  the  oven,  cut  it  with 
a knife,  in  the  midst  of  the  side,  an  inch 
deep  all  round;  and,  if  it  be  of  the  size 
thus  directed,  it  must  stand  two  hours  in  a 
brisk  oven. 

Exquisite  French  Essence  of  Hypocras. 

Take  an  ounce  of  cinnamon,  half  an 
ounce  of  cloves,  a pinch  of  coriander  seeds, 
half  a dram  of  ginger,  & blade  of  mace, 
and  two  pieces  of  long-pepper:  beat  the 
whole  into  very  fine  powder,  and  mix  them 
well  together,  with  half  a pint  of  spirits  of 
wine,  in  a thick  glass  bottle;  which  must 
be  carefully  and  closely  stopped,  and  placed 
in  the  sun,  on  sand,  during  the  entire  sum- 
mer. It  will  then  become  an  admirably 
agreeable  essence;  which  may,  after  these 
operations,  be  readily  improved,  by  adding 
a little  essence  of  amber,  to  make  it  still 
more  delightful  to  the  taste  and  smell. 

Hypocras,  as  made  in  France. 

Put  into  a quart  of  the  best  and  strong- 
est red  wine,  half  a pound  of  powdered  loaf 
sugar,  half  a dram  of  cinnamon,  a pinch  of 
coriander  seeds,  two  white  pepper-corns,  a 
little  Seville  orange-peel,  a blade  of  mace, 
a small  quantity  of  lemon-juice,  and  four 
cloves;  the  spices,  &c.  being  all  previous- 
ly beaten  in  a mortar.  When  the  whole 
has  infused  three  or  four  hours,  add  a table- 
spoonful of  milk;  and,  filtering  the  liquid 
through  a flannel  or  cotton  bag  till  it  be- 
come quite  clear,  it  will  prove  an  excel- 
lent hypocras  for  present  or  future  use. 

Admirable  English  Hypocras. 

The  method  of  making  a truly  admira- 
ble English  hypocras,  or  hippocras,  as 
highly  recommended  for  it’s  medicinal  vir- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


tues  in  easing  all  palpitations  and  tremors 
of  the  heart,  removing  the  causes  of  fearful 
apprehensions  as  well  as  of  sudden  frights 
and  startings,  warming  a cold  stomach,  and 
even  giving  rest  to  wearied  limbs,  &c.  is 
as  follows — Infuse,  for  a few  hours,  in 
about  three  quarts  of  the  best  white  wine, 
a pound  and  a half  of  loaf  sugar,  an  ounce 
of  cinnamon,  two  or  three  tops  of  sweet 
marjoram,  and  a little  long  pepper,  all 
grossly  beaten  in  a mortar.  Let  the  li- 
quid run  through  a filtering  bag,  with  a 
grain  of  musk;  add  the  juice  of  a large 
lemon;  give  it  a gentle  heat  over  the  fire; 
pour  it  again  on  the  spices;  and,  when  it 
has  stood  three  or  four  days,  strain  it 
through  a filtering  bag,  and  bottle  it  for 
use.  This  hypocras  is  strongly  recom- 
mended, not  only  as  a most  excellent  and 
generous  wine,  but  as  a very  curious  cor- 
dial to  refresh  and  enliven  the  spirits.  If 
a red  colour  be  preferred,  the  hypocras 
may  be  made  of  any  required  hue,  by  sub- 
stituting red  for  white  wine;  or  adding 
juice  of  elder  berries  or  mulberries,  syrup 
of  clove-gilliflowers,  cochineal,  &c. 

Portuguese  Method  of  dressing  Souls. 

Split  the  fish,  take  out  the  bones,  and 
put  it  into  the  frying-pan,  with  a little  but- 
ter and  lemon  juice.  After  thus  giving  it 
a fry,  lay  it  on  a dish,  and  spread  force- 
meat over  the  whole.  If  the  soals  are  very 
large,  they  should  be  divided  into  two  or 
more  parts,  before  they  go  into  the  pan. 
The  force-meat  being  well  spread  over 
every  fish,  or  piece,  they  are  to  be  severally 
rolled  up  round,  and  each  roll  is  to  be  fast- 
ened with  a few  very  small  skewers.  These 
rolls  are  to  be  next  wetted  with  a beaten 
egg,  and  then  strewed  over  with  crumbs 


H 7 

J of  bread,  as  they  are  placed  in  a baking- 
dish;  and  the  remainder  of  the  egg,  with 
some  meat  gravy,  an  anchovy  minced,  chop- 
ped parsley,  and  a table-spoonful  of  caper 
liquor,  put  also  into  the  dish;  which  is  to 
be  closely  covered  up,  and  set  in  a slow 
oven,  where  it  must  remain  till  sufficiently 
done.  The  rolls  of  fish  are  then  to  be  pro- 
perly placed  on  the  dish  in  which  it  is  in- 
tended they  should  be  taken  to  table;  be- 
ing covered  up,  and  kept  quite  hot,  while 
the  baked  gravy  is  skimmed  with  which 
they  are  to  be  served  up.  If  there  should 
not  be  enough  gravy,  more  must  be  made, 
by  adding  warm  gravy,  &c.  so  as  to  pre- 
serve the  regular  flavour.  The  head's  of  the 
fish  are  to  be  left  on  one  side  of  the  split 
part,  and  kept  on  the  outside  of  the  roll; 
and  these  heads  must  be  turned  toward 
each  other  on  placing  them  in  the  dish, 
which  is  to  be  garnished  with  fried  parsley. 
The  Portuguese  method  of  making  the  force- 
meat for  this  purpose  is  by  pounding  either 
cold  boiled  or  roast  beef,  veal,  mutton,  or 
lamb ; with  the  addition  of  fat  fried  bacon, 
and  a little  chopped  garlic,  shallot,  pars- 
ley, and  anchovy:  mixing  them  up  with 
two  yolks  of  eggs,  a few  crumbs  of  bread, 
a very  small  quantity  of  pounded  long- 
pepper  and  nutmeg,  and  a little  salt. 

Mutton  Chops  dressed  in  the  Porluguese 
Fashion. 

The  chops  are  to  be  first  about  half  fried, 
with  sliced  onion  or  shallots,  a bay-leaf  or 
two,  some  chopped  parsley,  salt,  and  pep- 
per; force-meat  being  then  placed  or  spread 
on  apiece  of  writing-paper  for  each  chop, 
it  is  put  in,  covered  with  more  force-meat, 
and  twisted  closely  up;  a hole  being  left 
for  the  end  of  the  bone  to  pass  through. 
In  this  state,  it  is  broiled  on  a gentle  fire; 

£ G 


118 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


and  served  up,  either  with  sauce  Robert 
or  a little  good  gravy. 

Curious  Noddy  Puddings. 

Beat  blanched  almonds  very  fine,  with 
a spoonful  or  two  of  damask  rose-water;  ! 
and,  adding  cream,  strain  the  whole 
through  a sieve,  boil  it,  and  let  it  stand 
to  cool.  Then  thicken  it  with  beaten  eggs, 
sweeten  with  fine  loaf  sugar  dissolved  in 
rose-water,  and  tie  it  up  in  several  little 
bass.  Boil  them  half  an  hour  in  a skillet 
of  water;  and  melt  butter  with  rose-water 
and  sugar  for  the  sauce.  When  made  of 
several  different  colours,  as  was  formerly 
the  fashion,  they  are  said  to  have  had  a 
very  pretty  appearance.  This  is  easily 
effected,  by  means  of  spinach  juice,  saf- 
fron, beet,  &c. 

Black  Caps. 

The  best  black  caps  are  made  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner — Take  the  finest  and  larg- 
est baking  or  boiling  apples;  and,  cutting 
them  in  two,  but  without  paring  them, 
extract  the  cores:  then  pound  together  a 
few  cloves,  with  loaf  sugar  and  grated  le- 
mon peel,  and  fill  up  the  space  which  the 
core  had  occupied  with  this  mixture;  lay 
each  half,  thus  closely  stuffed,  with  the  flat 
part  downward,  in  a baking-dish;  add  some 
water,  in  which  cinnamon  and  sugar  have 
been  for  a long  time  boiled  together;  set 
them  in  moderate  oven,  taking  care  not 
to  bake  them  too  much;  and,  when  done, 
and  cold,  serve  them  up  with  their  own 
liquor  poured  over  them,  and  carraway 
comfits  in  small  saucers.  They  are  some- 
times dressed  in  a stewpan  closely  covered 
up,  over  a slow  fire,  instead  of  in  an  oven ; 
the  tops  being  afterward  blacked  with  a 
salamander:  they  are,  also,  often  served 


up  without  the  comfits,  which  are  con- 
sidered as  an  old-fashioned  accompaniment. 
We  are  of  opinion,  however,  that  they  have 
been  too  inconsiderately  discarded,  and 
had  better  be  again  taken  into  favour. 

Souse  for  Braxcn,  and  for  Pigs  Heads,  Feet,  $$c. 

Boil  a quart  of  oatmeal,  a quarter  of  a 
peck  of  bran,  a sprig  or  two  of  rosemary, 
a sprig  of  bay,  and  half  a pound  of  salt, 
in  two  gallons  and  a half  of  water,  for 
about  half  an  hour:  then  strain  the  liquor 
through  a sieve;  add  a little  vinegar;  and, 
when  cold,  it  is  fit  for  immediate  use. 
Should  this  sousing  liquor  be  required  for 
brawn,  &.c.  which  is  wished  to  be  kept  good 
all  the  year,  by  putting  into  it  a pint  of 
spirits  of  wine  or  good  brandy,  for  every 
six  quarts  of  the  liquor,  it  will  admirably 
answer  the  purpose,  without  imparting  to 
the  brawn  any  brandy  taste.  This  is  a 
valuable  secret  for  preserving  all  sorts  of 
souses  and  pickling  liquors,  though  much 
too  dear  for  common  use.  At  sea,  and 
where  spirits  are  cheap,  this  secret  is  well 
worth  knowing. 

Genuine  Receipt  for  making  the  Celebrated 
Brunsvoick  Mum. 

This  wholesome  and  restorative  drink, 
long  so  famous  for  it’s  efficacy,  seems  to  have 
lost  much  of  it’s  medicinal  reputation  since  it 
has  been  manufactured  in  England  instead 
of  being  imported  from  the  place  where 
it  probably  originated,  and  certainly  at- 
tained it’s  highest  degree  of  perfection. 
The  genuine  receipt,  however,  as  it  stands 
recorded  in  the  Town  House  of  Bruns- 
wick, is  as  follows — Take  sixty-three  gal- 
lons of  clear  water,  which  has  been  boiled 
to  the  consumption  of  a third  part;  and 
brew  it  according  to  art,  with  seven  bushels 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


of  wheat  malt,  and  one  bushel  each  of  oat- 
meal and  ground  beans.  When  it  is  tun- 
ned, the  hogshead  must  not  be  at  first  too 
full:  and,  on  it’s  beginning  to  work,  put 
in  three  pounds  of  the  inner  rind  of  fir; 
one  pound  each  of  fir  and  birch  tops ; three 
handfuls  of  carduus  benedictus;  a handful 
or  two  of  flow'ers  of  rosa  solis;  a handful 
and  a half  each  of  burnet,  betony,  avens, 
marjoram,  penny-royal,  and  mother  of 
thyme;  two  handfuls,  or  more,  of  elder 
flowers;  three  ounces  of  bruised  carda- 
moms ; and  an  ounce  of  bruised  barberries. 
The  herbs  and  seeds  must  not  be  put  into 
the  cask  till  the  liquor  has  worked  some 
time;  for,  after  they  are  added,  it  should 
flow  over  as  little  as  possible.  Fill  it  up, 
at  last,  on  it’s  ceasing  to  ferment:  and, 
when  it  is  stopped,  put  in  ten  new-laid 
eggs,  unbroken  or  cracked;  stop  it  up 
close;  and,  at  the  end  of  two  years,  it  will 
become  drinkable  and  pleasant.  Our  Eng- 
lish mum-makers,  there  is  good  reason  to 
believe,  use  a much  shorter  process  than 
this,  whatever  may  be  done  on  the  con- 
tinent. They  are  said  to  substitute,  for 
the  inner  rind  of  fir,  and  fir-tops,  as  most 
convenient,  either  cardamoms,  ginger,  sas- 
safras, walnut  rind,  madder,  red  sanders, 
or  elecampane  root;  while  some  add  brook- 
lime,  water-cresses,  rasped  alexander  and 
horse-radish  roots,  &c.  according  to  their 
respective  fancies,  W e are  of  opinion  that, 
in  order  to  make  or  brew  good  mum,  pro- 
perly so  called,  like  good  ale,  little  more  is 
necessary,  than  to  substitute  w heat  malt  for 
that  of  barley;  most  other  additions  to  the 
regular  modes  of  brewing  malt  liquors,  may 
be  considered  as  departures  from  the  origi- 
nal intention,  and  liable  to  form  medicinal 
beverage,  more  or  less  pleasant  or  salutary 
than  common  beer,  ale,  or  mum,  according 


119 

to  the  ingredients  which  form  a part  of  the. 
respective  compositions. 

Remedy  for  Wind  in  the  Veins. 

Tills  state  of  the  veins,  though  always 
visible  on  the  slightest  inspection,  often 
escapes  any  notice,  though  it  leads  to  many 
disorders.  Even  when  the  veins  are  too 
much  swelled  to  escape  observation,  it  is 
often  considered  as  rather  denoting  ex- 
treme fulness  of  blood,  than  any  inflation 
by  too  large  a portion  of  air  in  the  veins. 
The  following  remedy,  which  is  said  to  be 
effectual  in  expelling  all  offensive  windi- 
ness that  oppresses  the  veins,  may  be 
taken  with  advantage  whenever  they  ap- 
pear in  a suspicious  state — Take  equal 
quantities  of  powdered  liquorice,  carraway- 
seeds,  and  sugar-candy:  to  which  add  a 
third  part  of  rhubarb,  and  the  like  quantity 
of  cream  of  tartar,  both  finely  pulverized. 
Of  this  mixture,  take  a tea-spoonful  three  <j>r 
four  times  a day;  either  by  itself,  or  in  a 
glass  of  wine.  It  should  be  continued  about 
a week;  and,  being  gently  laxative,  it  very 
much  cools  the  blood,  expels  wind,  eases 
pains,  and  relieves  and  prevents  many  dis- 
orders. 

Excellent  Biscuits  for  Cordials. 

Take  the  weight  of  five  eggs  in  sugar, 
and  the  same  in  flour:  put  the  sugar  into 
a pan,  with  the  fresh  peel  of  a lemon  shred 
fine;  some  crisped  orange-flowers,  shred 
fine  also;  and  the  yolks  of  five  eggs. 
Beat  them  together,  till  the  sugar  is  wrell 
mingled  with  the  eggs;  then  stir  in  th^ 
flour,  and  beat  the  whole  together : beat  the 
whites  of  the  five  eggs  kept  apart,  till  they 
rise  in  froth,  and  then  mingle  them  with 
the  sugar  and  flour.  Have  ready  some  white 
paper  made  into  the  form  of  small  trenches. 


120 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


each  about  the  depth  and  length  of  a fin- 
ger; rub  them  with  hot  butter,  and  then 
put  two  spoonfuls  of  biscuit  into  each 
trench;  throw  some  powdered  sugar  over, 
and  set  them  in  a mild  oven.  When  they 
are  done  of  a good  colour,  take  them  out 
of  the  papers,  and  put  them  on  a sieve, 
in  a dry  place,  till  there  is  occasion  to 
use  them.  These  biscuits  are  excellent 
to  eat  with  cordials. 

Fine  Light  Biscuits. 

Put  the  yolks  of  five  eggs  into  a pan, 
with  a few  crisped  orange-flowers  and  the 
peel  of  a lemon,  both  shred  very  fine;  add, 
also,  three  quarters  of  a pound  of  fine  loaf 
sugar,  and  beat  them  together  till  the 
sugar  be  dissolved  and  well  mingled  with 
the  eggs.  Then  beat  the  whites  of  ten 
eggs;  and,  when  well  frothed,  mix  it  with 
the  sugar.  Stir  in  lightly,  by  degrees,  six 
ounces  of  flour,  and  put  the  biscuits  into 
buttered  moulds;  powder  them  with  fine 
sugar,  and  bake  them  in  an  oven  mode- 
rately heated. 

Rich  Sweetmeat  Biscuits. 

Pound  the  peel  of  a candied  lemon  in  a 
mortar,  with  some  orange-flowers  crisped ; 
add  two  spoonfuls  of  apricot  marmalade, 
three  ounces  of  fine  sugar,  and  the  yolks 
of  four  eggs.  Mix  the  whole  together,  and 
rub  it  through  a sieve  with  a spoon;  then 
add  the  whites  of  the  eggs  beat  up  to  a 
froth,  and  put  the  biscuits,  in  an  oblong- 
form,  on  some  white  paper;  sift  a little  fine 
sugar  over;  and  bake  them  in  an  oven 
moderately  heated.  These  biscuits,  when 
properly  made,  and  carefully  baked,  are 
not  only  very  rich,  but  truly  delicious.  It 
is  easy,  by  varying  the  kind  of  sweatmeats, 
or  adding  others,  to  suit  every  palate. 


Chocolate  Biscuits. 

' Break  six  eggs,  and  put  the  yolks  of  four 
into  one  pan,  and  the  whites  of  the  whole 
six  into  another;  add,  to  theyolks,  an  ounce 
and  a half  of  chocolate,  bruised  very  fine, 
with  six  ounces  of  fine  sugar.  Beat  the 
whole  well  together;  and  then  put  in  the 
whites  of  the  six  eggs  whipped  to  a froth. 
When  they  are  well  mingled,  stir  in  by  little 
and  little  six  ounces  of  flour,  and  put  the 
biscuits  on  white  paper,  or  in  small  paper 
moulds,  buttered;  throw  over  a little  fine 
sugar;  and  bake  them  in  an  oven  mode- 
rately heated. 

Almond  Biscuits. 

They  are  of  two  sorts,  bitter  almonds  and 
sweet.  To  make  the  last,  take  a quarter 
of  a pound  of  sweet  almonds,  blanch  and 
pound  them  fine  in  a mortar,  sprinkling 
them  from  time  to  time  with  a little  fine 
sugar;  then  beat  them  a quarter  of  an 
hour  with  an  ounce  of  flour,  the  yolks  of 
three  eggs,  and  four  ounces  of  fine  sugar, 
adding  afterward  the  whites  of  four  eggs 
whipped  to  a froth.  Have  ready  some  paper 
moulds,  made  like  boxes,  about  the  length 
of  two  fingers  square;  butter  them  within, 
and  put  in  the  biscuits,  throwing  over  them 
equal  quantities  of  flour  and  powdered 
sugar:  bakethem  in  a cool  oven;  and,  when 
done  of  a good  colour,  take  them  out  of 
the  papers.  Bitter  almond  biscuits  are 
made  in  the  same  manner;  with  this  dif- 
ference only,  that  to  every  two  ounces  of 
bitter  almonds  must  be  added  an  ounce  of 
sweet  almonds. 

Best  Method  of  Making  Sage  Cheese. 

Take  the  tops  of  young  red  sage;  and, 
having  pressed  the  juice  from  them  by 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


121 


beating  in  a mortar,  do  the  same  with  the 
leaves  of  spinach,  and  then  mix  the  two 
juices  together.  After  putting  the  rennet 
to  the  milk,  pour  in  some  of  this  juice, 
regulating  the  quantity  by  the  degree  of 
colour  and  taste  it  is  intended  to  give  the 
cheese.  As  the  curd  appears,  break  it 
gently,  and  in  an  equal  manner ; then, 
emptying  it  into  the  cheese  vat,  let  it  be  a 
little  pressed,  in  order  to  make  it  eat  mel- 
low. Having  stood  for  about  seven  hours, 
salt  and  turn  it  daily  for  four  or  five  weeks, 
when  it  will  be  fit  for  the  table.  The  spin- 
ach, besides  improving  the  flavour  and  cor- 
recting the  bitterness  of  the  sage,  will 
give  it  a much  more  pleasing  colour  than 
can  be  obtained  from  sage  alone. 

Smelts  yielded  after  the  Manner  of  Anchovies. 

WHEN  these  delicate  little  fish  are  well 
pickled,  many  persons  even  prefer  them  to 
anchovies.  The  method  of  thus  preparing 
them  is  as  follows — The  smelts  being  pro- 
perly cleansed,  but  these  fish  should  always 
be  as  little  as  possible  washed,  lay  regular 
rows  of  them  in  the  jar  or  other  vessel 
where  they  are  intended  to  be  kept; 
sprinkling,  plentifully,  on  each  layer  of 
fish,  a layer  of  mixed  common  and  bay  salt, 
with  saltpetre,  white  or  long  pepper,  nut- 
meg, mace,  and  a few  cloves,  all  finely 
powdered.  Cover  them  with  a sufficient 
quantity  of  good  cold  vinegar,  which  has 
previously  been  well  boiled.  If  a redder 
colour  be  wished,  a small  quantity  of  coehi-  i 
neal  may  be  mingled  with  the  other  in- 
gredients; among  which  there  must  always 
be  at  least  three  or  four  bay  leaves,  and  a 
small  bit  of  lemon  peel. 

Art  of  making  Carr  away  Comfits. 

In  order  to  facilitate  the  making  of  com- 


fits, a confectioner’s  copper  preserving-pan 
should  be  provided,  with  two  handles,  and 
proper  rings  or  pieces  of  iron  at  each  side, 
for  the  admission  of  hooks  fastened  at  the 
ends  of  a cord.  This  cord,  or  rope,  being 
put  round  a pulley  fixed  to  a beam,  and 
the  hooks  thus  connected  with  the  pan, 
it  swings  at  the  slightest  touch,  and  enables 
the  operation  to  be  more  readily  perform- 
ed. With  a little  management,  however, 
such  shifts  may  be  made,  with  other  culi- 
nary vessels,  as  will  nearly  as  well  answer 
the  purpose.  The  pan,  then,  being  in  rea- 
diness, and  the  carraway  seeds  cleansed  or 
sifted,  so  as  to  be  entirely  free  from  dust, 
some  common  syrup  must  be  boiled  in  a 
saucepan,  for  about  a quarter  of  an  hour; 
and  then  have  the  finest  white  starch,  just 
dissolved  or  softened  in  cold  water,  mixed 
with  it.  In  the  mean  time,  some  gum 
Arabic,  dissolved  likewise  in  water,  must 
be  made  slightly  warm  in  another  sauce- 
pan; and  the  pan,  slung  as  described,  or 
as  nearly  similar  as  can  be  contrived,  is 
to  have  a charcoal  fire  beneath  it,  placed 
at  the  bottom  of  a large  tub,  so  as  to  receive 
but  a gentle  heat.  When  all  is  ready,  and 
the  bottom  of  the  swinging  pan  just  warm, 
the  carraway  seeds  are  to  be  put  in,  a ladle- 
ful of  the  gum  water  immediately  added, 
and  the  seeds  briskly  stirred  and  rubbed  with 
the  hands  till  they  feel  dry;  a ladleful  of  the 
starch  syrup  is  then  to  be  thrown  in,  and 
stirred  in  the  same  manner  till  dry.  Tins 
process  must  be  more  or  less  repeated,  ac- 
cording to  the  size  or  goodness  of  the  com- 
fits ; and,  indeed,  the  proportions  of  sugar 
and  starch  will  be  governed  by  these  objects. 
In  very  common  comfits,  there  is  scarcely 
any  sugar  in  the  first  coatings,  and  not 
much  in  the  last;  the  best  comfits,  on  the 
contrary,  have  but  little  starch  even  at  first, 
2 H 


122 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


and  the  syrup  is  boiled  higher  for  the  last 
coats.  The  gum  only  may  be  used  for 
three  or  four  coatings,  and  then  the  starch 
and  sugar.  After  seven  or  eight  coatings 
and  dryings,  they  are  to  be  set  in  the  stove; 
anfl,  next  day,  undergo  a like  process. 
This  is  to  be  daily  pursued,  till  they  are 
of  the  requisite  size;  which,  for  the  largest 
and  best  sorts,  is  sometimes  repeated  five 
or  six  successive  days,  but  the  common 
carraway  comfits  may  easily  be  finished 
at  once. 

Scotch  Comfits. 

THESE,  which  may  be  considered  as 
among  the  largest  and  best  sorts  of  carra- 
way comfits,  must  not  only  be  gradually 
and  well  coated  with  rich  syrup,  but  should 
have  a small  quantity  of  rose  or  orange- 
flower  water  introduced  both  with  the 
starch  and  gum  solutions. 

Cardamom  Comfits,  commonly  called  Sugar 
Plums. 

PrCE  out  all  the  clean  seeds  from  the 
husks,  in  which  they  are  commonly  bought 
at  the  druggists  shops,  after  breaking  the 
skins  by  a slight  heat  in  the  oven  or  over 
a stove;  then  put  them  in  the  swinging 
pan,  as  prepared  for  carraway  comfits,  and 
proceed  in  the  same  way.  These  are  usu- 
ally done  with  a great  deal  of  starch,  and 
very  little  sugar.  The  form  of  the  seed 
makes  these  round,  in  the  same  manner  as 
that  of  the  carraway  renders  the  others 
oblong. 

Coloured  Sugar  Plums  and  Comfits. 

The  colouring  matter  for  confectionary, 
it  is  to  be  feared,  is  not  always  so  salutary 
as  it  should  be;  and  such  common  articles 
as  these  cannot  be  expected  to  have  much 


pains  bestowed  on  them.  Happily,  how- 
ever, there  is  but  little  of  any  colour;  as 
only  the  last  coating  receives  it,  whatever 
it  may  be.  If  gamboge  be  used  for  the 
yellow,  though  it  is  a most  violent  cathar- 
tic, there  may  be  danger  in  suffering  in- 
fants to  swallow  many  of  them;  and  we 
hope  that  the  greens,  &c.  are  never  mine- 
ral, when  they  may  be  so  well  made  with 
wholesome  vegetable  substances  sufficient- 
ly cheap.  A beautiful  green,  for  this  and 
other  purposes  of  confectionary,  may  be 
obtained  from  spinach  or  beet  leaves;  first 
pounding  them  well  in  a mortar  to  express 
the  juice,  and  then  boiling  it  in  a water 
bath,  by  putting  the  cup  which  contains 
it  in  a stewpan  of  water  over  the  fire,  to 
take  off  it’s  rawness.  Yellow  is  readily 
produced  by  a little  saffron;  and  a suffici- 
ently good  red,  from  boiling  water  poured 
over  beet-root.  Where  a more  beautiful 
red  is  wanted,  five  grains  of  cochineal,  boil- 
ed gently  with  half  a dram  of  cream  of 
tartar,  in  a tea-cupful  of  water,  for  about 
twenty  minutes,  with  the  addition  of  a bit 
of  alum  not  larger  than  a pin’s  head,  will 
be  at  once  exquisitely  rich,  and  very  whole- 
some. Other  colours  may  be  easily  man- 
aged, by  judicious  contrivances  with  these 
and  similar  innocent  ingredients.  The 
coloured  comfits,  or  sugar  plums,  with  the 
difference  only  of  the  last  coat,  are  made 
exactly  the  same  as  when  only  white;  but 
it  is  to  be  remembered,  that  one  colour 
can  alone  be  added  at  a time,  in  the  same 
pan.  The  colour  is,  in  general,  best  mixed 
with  a weak  solution  of  the  gum. 

Genuine  Method  of  making  the  Celebrated 
Parmasan  Cheese. 

This  famous  cheese,  so  esteemed  through- 
out Europe,  is  made  in  the  following  man- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


123 


ner — When  the  weather  is  warm,  and  the 
milk  abundant,  a cheese  is  made  everyday; 
but,  in  winter,  when  the  milk  will  keep, 
every  other  day  is  found  to  be  sufficient. 
During  the  summer,  the  milk  of  the  pre- 
ceding night  is  skimmed  in  the  morning, 
and  the  morning’s  milk  at  about  three 
o’clock  in  the  afternoon;  when  both  milks 
are  mixed,  and  the  making  of  the  daily 
cheese  immediately  commences,  by  put- 
ting the  milk  into  a large  boiler  of  red 
copper,  usually  three  feet  eight  inches 
deep,  and  nearly  of  that  diameter  at  the 
top,  but  larger  or  smaller  according  to  the 
intended  weight  of  the  cheeses,  and  lessen- 
ing to  the  bottom  like  an  inverted  bell. 
The  common  size  of  Parmasan  cheeses  is 
about  sixty  pounds;  but  they  are  often 
eighty,  not  unfrequently  a hundred,  and 
sometimes  even  a hundred  and  eighty 
pounds  weight.  This  boiler,  is  suspended 
by  it’s  handle  on  a moveable  arm  of  wood, 
which  turns  with  a pivot  on  it’s  own  axis, 
like  a common  crane,  so  that  the  boiler 
may  be  removed  from  the  fire,  and  re- 
placed, at  pleasure.  When  the  milk  is  in 
the  boiler,  and  the  fire  lighted,  the  dairy- 
woman  employs  herself  in  making  butter, 
till  the  milk  gets  a sufficient  heat;  that  is, 
about  a hundred  and  twenty  degrees  on 
Fahrenheit’s  thermometer.  The  milk  is 
then  well  stirred  up  from  bottom  to  top, 
that  the  heat  may  be  regularly  distributed 
throughout  the  whole  mass,  when  it  is  im- 
mediately taken  off  the  fire,  and  a wooden 
screen  placed  between  to  prevent  any  ad- 
ditional warmth.  After  waiting  five  or  six 
minutes,  till  the  internal  motion  caused  by 
the  different  degrees  of  heat  in  the  milk  has 
subsided,  a piece  of  rennet,  about  the  size 
of  a walnut,  tied  in  a little  linen  bag,  is  put 
in,  and  squeezed  with  the  hand  till  all  the 


dissolvable  matter  is  expressed;  when,  the 
bag  being  taken  out,  the  milk  is  well  stir- 
red, and  then  left  regularly  to  curdle.  In 
about  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  during 
which  time  the  dairy-woman  usually  con- 
trives to  finish  making  her  butter,  the  curd 
becomes  properly  formed;  which  is  proved 
by  cutting  it  with  a wooden  skimmer,  to 
see  if  the  milk  has  lost  all  it’s  fluidity.  The 
screen  is  then  moved  away,  and  the  boiler 
replaced  on  the  fire,  where  it  is  heated  to 
about  a hundred  and  fifty  degrees;  ap- 
parently, that  the  curd  may  have  the  power 
of  contracting  itself.  While  boiled,  it  is 
continually  well  stirred,  in  order  to  divide 
it;  and  thus  not  only  becomes  thicker,  but 
gains  addition  to  it’s  specific  weight.  Be- 
ing now  suffered  somewhat  to  sink,  about 
a quarter  part  of  the  whey  is  decanted, 
to  allow7  the  remainder  the  means  of  ac- 
quiring a hundred  and  eighty  degrees  of 
heat;  when  it  is  briskly  stirred  about,  to 
divide  the  curd  into  very  small  grains.  A 
few  pinches  of  saffron  are  then  thrown  in, 
to  impart  that  yellow  colour  which  is  so 
greatly  admired  in  Parmasan  cheese.  The 
saffron  smell  is  entirely  dissipated  in  six 
months.  It  is  remarked  that,  in  the  process 
of  boiling,  the  chief  workman  seems  to  pay 
the  strictest  attention.  This  boiling  not 
only  conveys  a power  of  one  particle’s  ad- 
hering to  another,  £s  coction  hardens  the 
white  of  an  egg ; but,  also,  the  faculty  of  con- 
tracting itself,  when  thus  formed  into  a body : 
there  posssibly  is  a certain  limit  to  be  reach- 
ed, but  not  over-passed;  a crisis,  as  it  may 
be  termed,  on  which  every  thing  depends. 
Certain  it  is,  that  the  principal  manufacturer 
is  now  observed  to  make  frequent  trials  of 
it’s  state;  frequently  taking  up  a handful  of 
curd— -which  is  easily  done,  as  the  mass  is 
continually  stirred  about — aud  strongly 


124 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


squeezing  it,  to  judge  how  nearly  it  ap- 
proaches the  requisite  power  of  being  able 
to  contract  itself.  When  it  has  reached 
the  desired  state,  the  boiler  is  instantly 
withdrawn  from  the  fire,  the  wooden  screen 
interposed,  and  even  the  fire  extinguished 
with  water.  As  the  stirring  ceases,  the 
curd  quickly  precipitates  itself  to  the  bot- 
tom; and  nearly  all  the  whey  being  taken 
out,  in  large  wooden  vessels,  about  two 
pailfuls  of  cold  water  are  poured  in,  to 
lower  the  heat,  and  enable  the  workman 
to  plunge  his  hands  into  it.  Then,  bend- 
ing over  the  boiler,  that  his  hands  may 
reach  the  bottom,  he  expeditiously  gathers 
all  the  curd  to  one  side;  and,  placing 
a square  cloth  beneath,  confines  it  by 
the  four  corners,  which  he  holds  tightly  in 
his  hands.  This  mass,  being  of  a great 
weight,  can  seldom  be  drawn  immedi- 
ately out:  to  assist  him,  therefore,  the 
whey  which  had  been  taken  away  is  care- 
fully returned  into  the  boiler,  so  as  to  pre- 
vent burning  his  hands  while  he  holds  the 
cloth;  and,  as  it  fills,  the  mass  of  curd, 
however  heavy,  is  easily  elevated  to  the 
surface.  When  the  boiler  is  full,  the  curd  is 
taken  out,  and  carried  quickly  in  the  cloth, 
to  be  placed  in  a round  mould  without  any 
bottom,  on  a smooth  and  strong  table.  This 
operation  requires  much  expertness ; as  the 
peculiar  power  of  contracting  itself,  which 
the  mass  has  acquired,  occasions  it  very 
suddenly  to  harden  ; and  it  would  form  an 
, unpleasing  appearance,  if  care  were  not 
taken  to  prevent  such  effect.  When  the 
curd  is  thus  deposited  in  the  mould,  it  has 
already  gained  so  considerable  a degree 
of  firmness  that  a finger  may  be  strongly 
pressed  on  it,  without  either  sinking  in, 
or  leaving  any  mark:  and  it  not  only  con- 
tinues hardening,  more  and  more,  without 


any  external  pressure  being  used;  hut 
actually  ejects,  or  expresses,  by  it’s  own 
internal  principle  of  contraction,  the  great- 
er part  of  the  whey  hitherto  retained.  The 
influence  of  this  natural  power  would  even 
have  the  effect  of  giving  the  cheese  a sphe- 
rical form ; but,  in  order  to  keep  it  flat,  and 
thus  render  it  more  convenient  for  hand- 
ling, they  put  over  it  a round  plate  of  iron, 
on  which  they  place  a very  heavy  stone. 
In  this  state  it  is  left  all  night  to  cool,  and 
takes  the  decided  figure  which  it  ever  after 
retains.  Next  day,  a coat  of  salt  is  laid  on 
one  of  the  flat  sides  of  the  cheese;  and,  the 
day  following,  it  is  turned,  and  has  the 
other  side  salted  in  like  manner.  This 
process  is  continued  for  about  forty  days; 
salt  being  alternately  laid  on  each  side, 
till  it  will  no  longer  dissolve.  It  is  sup- 
posed that  this  process  not  only  serves  to 
salt,  but  to  dry,  the  cheese;  extracting 
from  it  that  portion  of  whey  which  had 
resisted  the  expression,  at  the  moment  when 
the  curd,  still  hot,  possessed  the  power  of 
contracting  itself.  When  the  cheese  has 
thus  acquired  all  that  is  necessary  for  it’s 
preservation,  it  is  prepared  for  sale,  by 
being  well  scraped  all  over  with  a flexible 
knife,  to  take  off  the  small  crust  on  it’s 
surface,  till  the  paste  can  be  every  where 
seen  and  the  outside  appears  quite  smooth: 
it  then  receives  a slight  varnish,  or  coating, 
of  linseed  oil;  it’s  convex  sides  are  stain- 
ed with  a red  tint,  made  from  alkanet, 
beet,  or  some  other  vegetable  substance; 
and  it  is  then  such  as  we  see  the  genuine 
Parmasan  cheese  imported. 

Famous  German  Puffs. 

Beat  up  four  spoonfuls  of  flour,  with 
four  eggs,  to  a good  batter;  then  put  two 
ounces  of  clarified  butter,  with  a little 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


125 


grated  nutmeg  and  powdered  loaf  sugar 
in  a pint  of  cream;  mix  this  and  the  bat- 
ter well  together;  and,  buttering  cups  of 
whatever  size  may  be  most  agreeable,  fill 
them  with  the  mixture.  They  must  be 
baked  in  a quick  oven,  to  colour  them  at 
top  and  bottom  ; and  should  be  imme- 
diately turned  out  of  the  cups,  and  served 
up  quite  hot,  with  wine  sauce.  In  Ger- 
many, where  these  puffs  are  called  Krop- 
phen,  they  are  commonly  eaten  with  only 
a little  grated  sugar  thrown  over  them,  in- 
stead of  the  melted  butter,  sugar,  and  wine; 
there,  too,  so  very  common  are  they  in 
Germany,  instead  of  being  baked  singly 
in  cups,  a large  iron  plate  is  constructed 
for  the  sole  purpose  of  holding  them,  filled 
with  sunk  circular  cavities  of  about  three 
inches  diameter,  out  of  which  they  come, 
after  rising  in  the  oven,  with  nearly  the 
rotundity  of  a ball. 

Green  Ginger. 

This  is  called  green  ginger,  merely  from 
being  the  fresh  roots ; and  not  at  all  with 
any  reference  to  the  colour,  which  is 
white,  brown  of  different  hues,  and  even 
black,  but  never  in  the  smallest  degree 
green.  It  is  preserved  various  ways  in 
the  West  Indies,  both  wret  and  dry,  as 
well  as  made  into  what  are  denominated 
sugar  cakes.  These  are  all  excellent  com- 
binations of  the  purest  sugars  and  ginger, 
which  it  will  be  quite  impossible  ever  to 
equal  in  Europe;  for,  though  ginger  has 
been  cultivated,  by  curious  botanists,  even 
in  England,  it  is  never  likely  to  reach  any 
tolerable  degree  of  perfection  in  our  climate. 
The  green  ginger  of  the  East  and  West 
Indies,  as  the  rich  sweetmeat  made  with 
the  fresh  root  is  commonly  called,  forms  a 
njost  salubrious  condiment.  It  is  highly 


recommended,  by  the  faculty,  as  admirably 
warming,  comforting,  and  strengthening 
the  stomach ; and  a bit  occasionally  eaten, 
particularly  in  the  morning  fasting,  half 
an  hour  before  dinner,  and  at  retiring 
to  rest,  is  excellent  for  a cold  stomach,  as 
well  as  laxity  and  debility  of  the  intestines, 
flatulency,  &c.  Many  endeavours  have 
been  made  by  Europeans,  to  manufacture 
the  roots  imported  into  a sort  of  green  gin- 
ger, both  by  candying  and  preserving  them, 
and  sometimes  with  tolerable  success.  Cer- 
tain it  is,  that  they  form  a pleasant  sweet- 
meat, and  one  perhaps  equally  efficacious 
with  even  the  East  and  West  Indian  green 
ginger  in  medicinal  virtues,  when  properly 
managed.  As,  however,  the  young  roots 
only,  when  tender  and  full  of  sap,  are  in 
the  East  or  West  Indies  used  for  preserving 
in  syrup,  a state  in  which  they  cannot  here 
be  ever  obtained,  they  must  always  neces- 
sarily prove  inferior,  in  tenderness,  mildness^ 
and  clearness. 

English  Green  Ginger. 

The  following  is  one  of  the  best  methods 
of  making  English  green  ginger — Steep  a 
quarter  of  a pound  of  the  youngest  and 
freshest  roots  which  can  be  procured  in 
equal  parts  of  good  raisin  wine  and  vine- 
gar; and  keep  them  closely  covered  for 
ten  or  twelve  days,  stirring  them  every 
morning  and  evening  during  that  time. 
Then  make  a syrup,  by  boiling  in  a pint 
each  of  wine  and  vinegar,  three-quarters 
of  a pound  of  loaf  sugar;  put  in  the  gin- 
ger, let  the  whole  boil  a short  time  toge- 
ther, and  keep  it  closely  covered  till  next 
day.  Boil  it  thus  gently  up  in  the  syrup 
a little  every  day,  till  it  becomes  tolerably 
clear,  when  it  will  be  fit  for  use,  being  con- 
stantly kept  in  the  syrup.  Green  ginger 
$ I 


126 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


may  be  made  with  still  less  trouble  and 
expence,  by  steeping  the  roots  in  plenty 
of  water  only,  instead  of  wine  and  vinegar; 
boiling  them,  till  quite  tender,  in  the  same 
liquor;  taking  them  out,  and  draining 
them  dry;  making  the  liquor  into  a syrup 
with  sufficient  sugar,  and  a very  little  cin- 
namon and  Seville  orange  peel ; putting 
the  ginger  into  the  boiling  syrup;  letting 
it  there  boil  twenty  minutes;  setting  it  by 
in  a jar  or  earthen  vessel  well  covered  till 
next  day;  and  again  boiling  it  up,  for  ten 
minutes  daily,  till  it  looks  a little  clear. 
This,  like  the  former,  must  be  kept  in  the 
syrup.  Either  of  these  green  gingers  may 
be  candied  or  dried,  by  draining  the  gin- 
ger from  the  syrup,  drying  it  on  sieves  in 
a stove  or  cool  oven;  and,  when  quite  dry, 
boiling  up  the  syrup  till  it  approaches  a 
candy • height,  commonly  called  blow  by 
the  confectioners,  then  putting  in  the  gin- 
ger, and  rubbing  the  sugar  at  the  sides  all 
round  till  the  syrup  is  seen  wholly  to  can- 
dy. Then  take  out  the  ginger  with  a couple 
of  forks,  and  place  the  pieces  on  a wire  for 
the  sugar  to  drain  off;  and,  when  they  have 
stood  till  cold,  put  them  in  boxes  lined 
with  paper  for  use.  Great  care  must  be 
taken,  in  selecting  ginger  for  these  pur- 
poses, not  to  have  any  of  what  is  called 
the  black  sort;  which  consists  of  thick  and 
knotty  roots,  internally  of  an  orange  or 
brownish  colour,  but  externally  of  a yellow 
grey.  White  ginger,  which  is  less  thick 
and  knotty,  is  externally  of  a whitish  grey 
or  yellow,  and  internally  of  a reddish  yel- 
low; it  is  also  firm  and  resinous,  and  more 
pungent  than  the  black,  which  ought  to  be 
sold  at  least  a third  part  cheaper.  On  this 
last  account,  it  is  often  artfully  made  whiter 
than  any  of  the  whitest  ginger  in  a natural 
state.  Genuine  green  ginger,  as  prepared 


in  the  East  and  West  Indies,  is  almost  trans- 
parent; when  manufactured  in  Europe,  it 
appears  constantly  opaque,  and  is  more 
or  less  unpleasantly  fibrous  or  stringy. 

Syrup  of  Ginger. 

An  agreeable  and  moderately  aromatic 
syrup,  impregnated  with  the  flavour  and 
medicinal  virtues  of  ginger,  is  thus  pre- 
pared— Macerate  an  ounce  and  a half  of 
beaten  ginger  in  a quart  of  boiling  water, 
closely  covered  up,  for  twenty-four  hours: 
then,  straining  off  the  infusion,  make  it 
into  a syrup,  by  adding  at  least  two  pounds 
of  fine  loaf  sugar,  dissolved  and  boiled  up 
in  a hot  water  bath. 

Curious  Mode  of  easily  obtaining  a Brandy 

Spirit  from  Cyder , by  Means  of  Frost,  as 

practised  in  North  America. 

In  some  parts  of  North  America,  where 
cyder  is  very  plentiful,  the  inhabitants  of- 
ten put  a hogshead  of  it  in  the  open  air, 
during  the  hardest  frosts  of  their  severe 
winters,  purposely  that  it  may  freeze;  and, 
as  the  spirit  contained  inahogshead  of  sixty- 
three  gallons,  which  is  usually  from  twelve  to 
fourteen  gallons,  retires  to  the  centre  of  the 
whole,  and  cannot  be  frozen,  it  is  drawn 
off,  by  means  of  a passage  bored  through 
the  solid  ice,  into  a proper  receiving  ves- 
sel, and  is  said  to  be  an  excellent  brandy. 
According  to  this  estimate,  twelve  gallons 
of  good  cyder  contains  from  nine  quarts, 
to  ten  and  a pint,  of  a vinous  brandy  spirit. 
It  is  probable,  that  sometimes  the  coldness 
of  our  winters  may  be  sufficiently  intense 
to  produce  the  same  effect;  especially,  in 
vessels  of  a much  smaller  body.  This, 
though  a process  of  extreme  simplicity, 
developes  a principle  in  chemistry  which 
may  lead  to  important  advantages.  In  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


127 


meantime,  we  do  not  offer  it  as  any  absolute 
novelty:  the  practice  having  been  well 
known  in  America  for  a long  series  of  years; 
though,  it  is  probable,  even  yet,  by  com- 
paratively few  people  in  England. 

Wonderful  Power  of  the  Turkish  Glue,  or 
Armenian  Cement,  with  the  Art  of  making  it. 

The  jewellers  in  Turkey,  who  are  most- 
ly Armenians,  we  are  informed  by  that 
most  respectable  and  intelligent  traveller, 
Mr.  Eton,  formerly  a consul  in  that  country, 
and  author  of  the  celebrated  Survey  of  the 
Turkish  Empire,  have  a singular  method  of 
ornamenting  watch-cases,  &c.  with  dia- 
monds and  other  precious  stones,  by  sim- 
ply glueing  or  cementing  them  on.  The 
stone  is  set  in  silver  or  gold,  and  the  lower 
part  of  the  metal  made  flat,  or  to  correspond 
with  the  part  to  which  it  is  to  be  fixed;  it 
is  then  warmed  gently,  and  has  the  glue 
applied;  which  is  so  very  strong,  that  the 
parts  thus  cemented  never  separate.  This 
glue,  which  will  strongly  unite  bits  of  glass, 
and  even  polished  steel,  and  may  of  course 
be  applied  to  a vast  variety  of  useful  pur- 
poses, is  thus  made — Dissolve  five  or  six 
bits  of  gum  mastich,  each  the  size  of  a large 
pea,  in  as  much  spirit  of  wine  as  will  suffice 
to  render  it  liquid:  and,  in  another  vessel, 
dissolve  as  much  isinglass,  previously  a lit- 
tle swelled  or  softened  in  water,  though  none 
of  the  water  must  be  used,  in  French  brandy 
or  good  rum,  as  will  make  a two-ounce 
phial  of  very  strong  glue;  adding  two  small 
bits  of  gum  galbanum  or  ammoniacum, 
which  must  be  rubbed  or  ground  till  they 
are  dissolved.  Then  mix  the  whole  with 
a sufficient  heat.  Keep  the  glue  in  a phial 
stopped  close;  and,  when  it  is  to  be  used, 
set  the  bottle  in  hot  or  boiling  water.  Mr. 
Eton  observes,  that  some  persons  have,  in 


England,  prepared  and  sold  this  composi- 
tion under  the  name  of  Armenian  Cement; 
but  it  is  much  too  thin,  and  the  quantity 
of  mastich  in  it  too  small:  it  must,  this 
gentleman  adds,  be  like  strong  carpenters 
glue.  This,  certainly,  is  one  of  the  most 
valuable  known  cements  in  the  world. 
Nor  is  it  at  all  improbable,  that  a plan  said 
to  have  been  recently  invented  in  France 
or  Germany,  for  making  up  cloaths,  &c. 
by  uniting  cloth  without  sewing,  is  some 
attempt  founded  on  the  use  of  this  very 
cement;  with  what  ultimate  successive  must 
leave  time  to  develope.  In  the  mean  while, 
there  can  be  no  sort  of  doubt,  that  much 
may  be  effected  by  ingenious  applications 
of  so  powerful  an  agent. 

Valuable  Secret  in  preparing  Foil  for  Dia- 
monds, and  other  precious  Stones,  as  used 
by  the  Armenian  Jewellers. 

The  method  of  preparing  the  rich  foils 
with  which  the  Armenian  jewellers  set 
precious  stones,  particularly  diamonds,  to 
much  advantage,  and  which,  under  roses 
or  half-brilliants,  is  most  remarkably  beau- 
tiful, and  not  subject  to  tarnish,  is  general- 
ly kept  as  a great  secret;  and  such  foils, 
Mr.  Eton  assures  us,  sell  at  Constantinople 
for  from  half  to  three  quarters  of  a dollar 
each.  This  secret  mode  of  preparing  them, 
which  is  extremely  simple,  is  as  follows — . 
An  agate  is  cut,  and  highly  polished,  of 
the  shape  desired:  a cavity  of  about  it’s 
own  size  is  next  formed  in  a block  of  lead; 
and,  over  this  cpvity,  is  placed  a bit  of  tin, 
the  thickness  of  strong  brown  paper,  scraped 
very  bright.  The  agate  is  then  placed  on 
the  tin,  over  the  cavity,  and  struck  with  a 
mallet;  wdienthe  beautiful  polish  which  the 
tin  instantly  receives,  is  scarcely  to  be  ima- 
gined by  those  who  have  never  seen  it. 


128 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Easy  Method  of  Dyeing  Cotton  with  Madder, 
as  practised  at  Smyrna ; for  which  Secret, 
Five  Thousand  Pounds  are  said  to  have  been 
given  in  England. 

Cotton,  at  Smyrna,  Mr.  Eton  tells  us, 
is  dyed  with  madder  in  the  following  man- 
ner— The  cotton  is  boiled  in  common  olive 
oil,  and  then  in  mild  alkali;  being  thus 
cleaned,  it  will  then  take  the  madder  dye: 
and  this  is  the  fine  colour  which  we  see  and 
so  greatly  admire  in  Smyrna  cotton-yarn. 
“ I have  heard,”  adds  this  gentleman,  “ that 
the  sum  of  five  thousand  pounds  was  given  in 
England  for  this  secret!”  It  is,  doubtless, 
a secret  in  preparing  cottons,  and  perhaps 
otker  articles,  for  the  reception  of  a par- 
ticular dye,  very  well  worth  knowing. 

Curious  Mechanism  of  Turkish  Locks,  which 
can  never  be  Picked. 

Though  nothing  can  be  more  clumsy, 
Mr.  Eton  remarks,  than  the  door  locks  in 
Turkey,  their  mechanism  to  prevent  pick- 
ing is  |dmirable.  It  is  a curious  thing  to 
see,  particularly  in  Asia,  wooden  locks  on 
the  iron  doors  ol  their  caravansaries  and 
other  great  buildings,  as  well  as  on  house 
doors.  The  key  is  composed  of  a square 
stick,  with  five  or  six  iron  or  wooden  pins 
about  half  an  inch  long  placed  at  irregular 
distances  toward  the  end  of  it,  and  answer- 
ing to  holes  in  the  upper  part  of  the  bolt, 
which  is  pierced  with  a square  hole  to  re- 
ceive the  key.  This  key  being  put  in  as 
far  as  it  will  go,  is  lifted  up;  when  it’s 
pins  enter  the  corresponding  holes,  and 
raise  other  pins,  which  had  dropped  from 
the  part  of  the  lock  immediately  above  the 
bolt  into  these  holes,  and  which  pins  have 
heads  to  prevent  their  falling  lower  than 
necessary.  The  bolt,  thus  freed  from  the 


upper  pins,  is  immediately  drawn  back  by 
means  of  the  key;  which  is  then  lowered, 
and  may  be  drawn  out  of  the  bolt.  To 
lock  it  again,  the  bolt  is  merely  pushed  in, 
when  the  upper  pins  fall  into  the  holes  of 
the  bolt  by  their  own  weight.  This  idea 
might  certainly  be  improved  on;  but  the 
Turks,  it  seems,  never  think  of  improving. 
Perhaps,  this  principle  may  be  worthy  the 
attention  of  our  ingenious  English  lock- 
smiths. 

The  Dutchess  of  Marlborough’s  admirable 

Water  for  Thickening  the  Hair,  and  to  pre- 
vent it’s  falling  off. 

This  most  excellent  water  for  the  hair 
is  produced  in  the  following  manner — 
Distil,  as  cool  and  slowly  as  possible,  two 
pounds  of  honey,  a handful  of  rosemary, 
and  twelve  handfuls  of  the  curlings  or  ten- 
drils of  grape  vines,  infused  in  a gallon  of 
new  milk ; from  which  about  two  quarts  of 
the  water  will  be  obtained. 

Art  of  making  Barley  Sugar. 

THIS  well  known  and  very  common 
article  of  confectionary,  like  many  other 
preparations  in  different  branches  of  art, 
retains  the  name  of  an  ingredient  which  no 
longer  enters  into  it’s  composition.  It 
seems  indeed,  by  no  means  certain,  that 
it  ever  was  made  even  with  barley-water, 
though  this  is  not  improbable;  but  it  could 
not,  then,  possess  all  it’s  present  clearness, 
though  it  might  be  thought  a better  pec- 
toral lenitive.  The  regular  method  of  mak- 
ing it  is  as  follows — Put  some  common  or 
clarified  syrup  into  a saucepan  with  a spout, 
such  as  for  melting  butter,  if  little  is  want- 
ed to  be  made,  and  boil  it  till  it  comes 
to  what  is  called  carimel,  carefully  taking 
off  whatever  scum  may  arise;  and,  having 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


129 


prepared  a marble  stone,  either  with  but- 
ter or  oil,  just  sufficiently  to  prevent  stick- 
ing, pour  the  syrup  gently  along  the  mar- 
ble, in  long  sticks  of  whatever  thickness 
may  be  desired ; twist  it,  while  hot,  at  each 
end;  and  let  it  remain  till  cold,  when  it 
will  be  fit  for  immediate  use.  The  rasped 
rind  of  lemon,  boiled  up  in  the  syrup,  gives 
a very  agreeable  flavour  to  barley  sugar ; 
and,  indeed,  the  best  is  commonly  so  pre- 
pared. 

Barley  Sugar  Drops. 

The  only  difference  between  barley  su- 
gar with  lemon  rind,  and  barley  sugar  drops, 
consists  in  the  manner  of  dropping  them 
on  the  marble;  in  all  other  respects,  they 
are  exactly  alike.  They  are  dropped,  when 
the  syrup  is  of  a proper  consistency,  on  the 
buttered  marble,  in  round  pieces  rather 
larger  than  a sixpence;  and,  when  cold, 
put  up  in  papers,  with  a little  powdered 
sugar  to  keep  them  dry. 

Ginger  Drops. 

These  drops,  which  are  excellent  for  a 
cold  stomach,  may  be  made  in  the  follow- 
ing easy  manner — Beat,  in  a marble  mor- 
tar, an  ounce  of  the  best  candied  orange 
peel,  with  a little  loaf  sugar;  and,  when  it 
becomes  a smooth  paste,  add  half  a pound 
of  loaf  sugar,  and  half  an  ounce  of  the  best 
powdered  ginger.  Then,  with  a little  wa- 
ter to  dissolve  the  sugar,  boil  the  whole 
to  a candy,  or  carimel,  and  drop  it  off  from 
the  point  of  a knife  on  writing  paper,  in 
small  round  drops,  about  tjie  size  of  a sil- 
ver two-pence.  When  quite  cold,  they 
will  come  off  the  paper,  and  are  to  be  kept 
in  papered  boxes.  Among  other  good 
qualities  of  ginger,  it  is  said  to  be  benefi- 
cial in  dimness  of  sight,  &c. 


Peppermint  Drops. 

The  best  peppermint  drops  are  made  by 
sifting  finely  powdered  loaf  sugar  into  le- 
mon juice  sufficient  to  make  it  of  a proper 
consistence;  then,  gently  drying  it  over  the 
fire  for  a few  minutes,  and  stirring  in  about 
fifteen  drops  of  oil  of  peppermint  for  each 
ounce  of  sugar,  dropping  them  from  the 
point  of  a knife,  like  the  ginger  drops  in 
the  preceding  article.  Some,  instead  of 
using  lemon  juice,  or  any  heat,  merely  mix 
up  the  sugar  and  oil  of  peppermint  with 
the  whites  of  eggs;  beating  the  whole  well 
together,  dropping  it  on  white  paper,  and 
drying  the  drops  gradually  at  a distance 
from  the  fire. 

Irish  Method  of  raising  Potatoes. 

The  following  is  given  as  the  Irish  me- 
thod of  raising  potatoes,  in  Dr.  Hunter’s 
celebrated  Georgical  Essays,  on  the  au- 
thority of  Mr.  Hazard — Lay  the  potatoes, 
either  whole  or  cut,  on  turf,  at  about  twelve 
or  fourteen  feet  asunder,  and  on  beds  about 
sixteen  feet  wide.  Each  side  of  the  beds 
is  to  have  a trench  three  feet  in  width  open- 
ed, the  turf  of  which  must  be  laid  with  the 
grass  side  downward  on  the  potatoes;  and 
a spit  of  mould  be  next  taken  from  the 
trenches,  and  spread  over  the  turf.  In  this 
manner,  the  whole  of  the  ground  intended 
to  be  planted  with  potatoes  must  be  treat- 
ed; and,  when  the  young  shoots  appear, 
another  spit  of  mould  from  the  trenches  is 
to  be  strewed  over  the  beds,  so  as  to  cover 
the  tender  shoots;  which  will  preserve  them 
from  frost,  encourage  them  to  spread,  and 
totally  destroy  the  young  weeds.  So  far 
is  esteemed  always  necessary ; future  earth- 
ings are  discretionally  used,  according  to 
circumstances.  When  the  potatoes  are 
2 K 


130 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


taken  up  in  the  autumn,  a careful  person 
should  return  the  earth  into  the  trenches, 
so  as  to  make  the  surface  level ; and,  from 
the  same  ground,  a better  crop  of  potatoes 
may  be  obtained  the  following  year.  For 
the  first  year’s  crop,  the  ground  being  fresh, 
no  manure  seems  to  be  required;  but  this 
mode  can  only  be  adopted  where  the  sta- 
ple of  the  soil  is  deep  and  rich. 

Easy  Way  to  make  Eggs  larger  than  those  of 
a Swan,  or  even  of  an  Ostrich. 

This  curious  process  is  thus  effected,  with 
very  little  difficulty — Part  the  yolks  from 
the  whites  of  a sufficient  number  of  com- 
mon eggs,  and  strain  them  into  two  dif- 
ferent pans  or  basons,  according  to  the 
size  and  quantity  wanted.  To  form  a large 
egg,  take  a bladder,  and  fill  in  as  much 
yolk  as  will  be,  when  tied  up  round  like  a 
ball,  and  boiled,  of  the  magnitude  wanted ; 
and,  having  thus  boiled  it  hard,  put  it  into  i 
another  bladder,  surrounded  with  sufficient 
white,  tie  it  up  in  an  oval  form,  and  boil 
that  also  hard.  A very  large  egg,  thus  pre- 
pared, has  an  uncommonly  fine  effect  with 
a grand  sail  ad  v and,  in  ragouts,  &,c.  one 
large  yolk  alone,  which  may  easily  be 
made,  looks  extremely  pleasing. 

Eggs  fried  as  round  as  Balls,  without  harden- 
ing the  Yolks. 

Heat,  in  a very  deep  frying-pan,  about 
three  pounds  of  clarified  butter,  till  hot 
enough  for  fritters;  then,  stirring  it  with  a 
stick,  till  it  runs  round  like  a whirlpool, 
break  an  egg  into  the  middle,  and  keep 
briskly  stirring  with  the  stick  till  it  appears 
as  hard  as  a poached  egg.  The  whirling 
it  thus  round  with  the  butter,  will  be  found 
to  have  given  it  the  rotundity  of  a ball; 
which  is  now  to  be  taken  up  with  a slice. 


and  placed  before  the  fire  in  a dish  till  the 
rest  are  done,  as  one  only  can  be  thus  dress- 
ed at  a time.  They  will  keep  hot,  and  the 
yolks  continue  soft,  half  an  hour.  Eggs 
thus  dressed  make  a pleasing  dish,  with 
stewed  spinach,  and  orange  garnish;  but 
they  may  be  served  up  with  fried  bacon, 
or  in  any  other  wray. 

Small  Eggs,  for  Turtles . Pies,  &;c. 

The  method  of  making  small  eggs,  for 
dressing  turtles,  enriching  pies,  and  other 
purposes,  is  to  boil  a few  eggs  hard;  beat 
up  the  yolks  fine;  and,  with  the  addition 
of  a little  raw  yolk,  make  up  the  paste  into 
small  eggs  of  whatever  size  may  be  judged 
best  for  the  purpose.  These  being  thrown 
into  a little  boiling  water,  will  immediately 
harden. 

Dutch  Souster,  to  be  eaten  either  as  Pudding 
or  Cake. 

The  method  of  making  Dutch  souster, 
which  when  hot  forms  a very  good  pudding, 
and  w hen  cold  an  equally  good  cake,  is  as 
follows — Melt  half  a pound  of  butter  in 
about  a quarter  of  a pint  of  milk ; and  mix 
it  up  with  a pound  of  flour,  four  eggs,  and 
two  spoonfuls  of  ale  yeast.  If  intended  to 
be  eaten  only  hot,  as  a pudding,  add  half  a 
pound  of  currants,  and  about  two  ounces  of 
powdered  loaf  sugar;  but,  when  for  a cake 
only,  carraway  seeds  may  either  supply 
the  place  of  currants,  or  even  be  added,  as 
best  pleases  the  palate.  In  either  case,  it 
should  be  put  in  a quick  oven,  where  it 
will  be  sufficiently  baked  in  an  hour. 

Red  Cabbage  dressed  by  the  Dutch  as  their 
Remedy  for  a Cold  in  the  Breast. 

The  frugal  and  ceconomical  Dutch,  have 
in  this  singular  dish  contrived,  at  ^nce,  a 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


131 


good  and  cheap  medicine,  and  a food  not 
by  any  means  uninviting.  It  is  thus  made 
— Cut  a red  cabbage  small,  and  boil  it  in  wa- 
ter  till  tender : then,  draining  it  dry,  put  it  in 
a stewpan  with  some  oil  and  butter,  a small 
quantity  of  water  and  vinegar,  an  onion 
cut  small,  and  a little  pepper  and  salt,  and 
let  it  simmer  till  all  the  liquor  is  wasted ; when 
it  may  be  eaten  at  pleasure,  either  hot  or 
cold,  and  is  said  to  prove  an  excellent  pec- 
toral medicine  as  well  as  an  agreeable  food. 

French  Juniper  Ratafia,  or  incomparable  Cor- 
dial Gin,  as  made  at  Paris. 

This  fine  cordial  liquor  is  made  by  in- 
fusing, in  nine  quarts  of  brandy,  half  a 
pound  of  the  choicest  juniper  berries,  two 
ounces  of  cinnamon,  two  drams  of  mace,  a 
dram  of  coriander  seeds,  and  a dozen  cloves, 
all  well  beaten  in  a mortar;  to  which  must 
be  added,  four  pounds  and  a half  of  sugar 
dissolved  over  the  fire  in  two  quarts  of  wa- 
ter. The  syrup,  when  made,  is  to  be  pour- 
ed hot  over  the  ingredients;  and,  the  ves- 
sel containing  them  being  closely  stopped, 
exposed  for  six  weeks,  to  the  heat  of  the 
sun,  and  the  liquid  then  passed  through  a 
cotton  or  flannel  filtering  bag,  the  process 
will  be  compleat,  and  the  cordial  excellent. 

Oil  or  Cream  of  Cytherea,  a delicious  French 
Cordial  Liqueur. 

This  oil,  or  rather  cream,  as  it  is  now 
fashionable  to  call  the  richest  French  cordial 
liqueurs,  is  made  in  the  following  manner — 
Take  five  quarts  of  spirituous  cinnamon  wa- 
ter; two  large  glasses  of  rose  water  well 
mixed  with  a pint  of  usquebaugh;  and  six 
drops  each  of  the  essences  of  lemon,  clove 
gilliflowers,  and  citrons  or  cedraties,  with 
two  drops  of  essence  of  bergamot.  These 
ingredients  being  well  mixed,  produce  an 


excellent  oil  or  cream;  which  is  to  be  cla- 
rified with  the  white  of  an  egg,  placed  six 
hours  in  a warm  water  bath,  and  filtered 
in  the  usual  way.  This  compleats  the  pro- 
cess of  making  that  charming  liqueur,  the 
genuine  oil  or  cream  of  Cytherea,  so  re- 
nowned all  over  the  continent  of  Europe. 

Delicate  French  Liqueur,  called  Rossolis 
Ambre,  or  Amber  Sun  Dew. 

Dissolve  four  pounds  of  sugar  in  a gal- 
lon of  water;  boiling  up  the  syrup  six 
times;  when,  having  whisked  up  to  a froth 
the  white  of  an  egg,  with  it’s  shell  well 
beaten,  put  it  into  the  syrup,  and  give  it 
another  boil.  Then  strain  it  through  a 
flannel  or  cotton  bag,  and  add  half  a pint 
each  of  orange-flower  water  and  good  bran- 
dy. If  wanted  to  be  of  the  utmost  clear- 
ness, as  the  name  imports,  it  should  be 
again  filtered,  when  it  will  become  a pure 
and  delicate  liqueur. 

French  Rossolis,  or  Sun  Dew,  perfumed  with 
Flowers. 

Boil  two  quarts  of  spring  water,  to  take 
off  the  hardness;  then  take  it  off  the  fire, 
and  when  it  is  only  lukewarm,  throw  in  a 
pinch  of  the  most  odoriferous  flowers,  and 
let  them  infuse  till  the  liquid  be  cold  and 
the  fragrance  all  extracted.  Then  talge 
away  the  flowers  with  a skimmer,  after 
having  well  poured  out  the  liquid;  and, 
putting  a pint  of  clarified  syrup  and  half 
a pint  of  spirits  of  wine,  a rossolis  or  sun 
dew  will  be  produced  fully  equal  to  the 
former. 

Celebrated  French  Worm  Medicine  for  Dogs. 

This  medicine  has  the  reputation  of  ef- 
fectually killing  and  expelling  the  worms 
with  which  dogs  are  often  so  grievously 


132 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


tormented;  and  which,  probably,  maybe 
one  grand  cause  of  their  running  mad.  It 
is  thus  made — Take,  for  one  dose,  which 
generally  proves  sufficient,  two  drams  each 
of  juice  of  wormwood,  aloes,  and  staves- 
acre,  the  two  last  powdered  as  small  as 
possible;  with  one  dram  each  of  pounded 
burnt  hartshorn  and  sulphur.  Mix  the 
whole  together  in  nut  oil,  to  the  quantity 
of  about  half  a glass,  which  must  be  given 
to  the  dog  for  a dose.  If  at  all  necessary, 
another  dose  may  be  given  a day  or  two 
after. 

Superior  Use  of  the  celebrated  German  Tinder , 
and  great  Importance  of  it's  being  univer- 
sally adopted  in  England 

It  must  often  have  occurred  to  every 
considerate  person,  that  a substance  more 
pleasant  than  tinder  might  possibly  be  dis- 
covered for  the  purpose  of  lighting  matches; 
nor  does  it  appear  to  have  been  till  lately 
known,  that  many  millions  of  persons  on 
the  continent  use  a quite  different  way  to 
strike  a light  from  what  is  universally  prac- 
tised in  England.  The  wary  Germans,  in 
particular,  instead  of  burning  their  rags 
for  tinder,  sell  to  us,  who  thus  inconside- 
rately destroy  them,  their  own  superfluity, 
for  vast  sums  of  money,  as  is  well  known 
to  every  Hamburgh  merchant.  The  Ger- 
man tinder,  indeed,  has  been  recently  im- 
ported into  England ; but  it’s  use  is  here 
chiefly  confined  to  a few  sportsmen  and 
great  smokers  of  tobacco,  who  see  it  at 
some  of  the  snuff-shops  in  the  metropolis, 
&c.  where,  though  now  sold  tolerablv 
cheap,  it  is  still  too  dear  for  common  use. 
On  the  continent,  every  traveller,  sports- 
man, & c.  carries  constantly  this  tinder 
about  him;  which  is  conveniently  portable, 
and  resembles  a piece  of  soft  and  very  thick 


tanned  leather,  of  an  elastic  substance,  and 
a sort  of  velvet  surface  on  the  upper  part. 
It  is  in  fact,  a large  fungus,  commonly 
called  punk,  which  grows  at  the  roots  of 
old  trees,  where  it  spreads  to  a considerable 
size.  This  substance  is  dressed,  hammer- 
ed, and  otherwise  manufactured  for  the 
purpose,  into  this  appearance;  and,  being 
dried,  forms  the  true  German  tinder  at  all 
times  ready  for  use,  and  far  less  liable  to 
become  damp  than  English  tinder.  The 
manner  of  using  it,  is  by  tearing  off  a small 
bit,  which  will  serve  several  times,  and 
holding  it  at  the  edge  of  the  flint,  which 
is  smote  bv  the  steel,  instead  of  the  steel 
by  the  flint.  In  this  the  Germans  are  so 
expert,  and  can  so  well  rely  on  their  tin- 
der, that  they  will  engage  to  light  it  at  a 
single  stroke;  and,  indeed,  seldom  fail  to  do 
so.  The  tinder  being  thus  kindled,  may  be 
placed  in  a pipe  of  tobacco,  or  extinguished 
instantly  between  the  finger  and  thumb, 
after  lighting  a match  for  this  or  any  other 
purpose.  It  is  always  kept  in  a pouch,  or 
box,  with  a flint,  steel,  and  short  German 
matches;  and  few  persons  are  much  from 
home,  without  carrying  them  constantly 
in  their  pockets.  If  the  German  tinder 
were  to  be  manufactured  in  England,  many 
poor  persons  might  be  employed  in  col- 
lecting the  punk  which  is  now  suffered  to 
rot  without  utility;  and,  could  it  be  brought 
entirely  to  prevent  the  destruction  of  rags 
for  tinder,  in  the  united  kingdom,  a quan- 
tity far  exceeding  what  may  be  generally 
imagined,  it  might  prove  the  means  of 
greatly  assisting  the  manufacture  of  paper. 
The  waste  as  well  as  use  of  rags  for  tinder, 
not  only  consumes  a vast  quantity,  but 
leads  too  generally  to  habits  of  neglect  in 
preserving  them  for  any  other  purposes; 
so  that  small  families,  in  England,  seldom 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


have  any  to  spare  for  sale,  and  often  wan- 
tonly destroy  what  might  with  care  ac- 
cumulate into  an  object  for  the  individuals 
themselves,  and  assist  in  making  the  aggre- 
gate an  object  even  to  their  country  in  ge- 
neral. 

Famous  French  Remedy  for  the  Dysentery  or 
Bloody  Flux. 

Take  two  large  nutmegs  grossly  pound- 
ed; twenty  white  pepper-corns,  and  the 
same  number  of  cloves;  an  ounce  of  bruis- 
ed cinnamon;  and  an  ounce  of  oak  bark, 
from  an  old  tree,  grossly  rasped.  Boil  the 
whole  in  three  quarts  of  milk,  till  the  dimi- 
nution of  a fourth  part;  then,  straining 
the  decoction,  divide  it  into  four  equal  parts, 
and  give  the  patient  one  portion  every  six 
hours,  day  and  night.  If  the  appetite  be 
lost,  so  that  the  party  be  unable  to  eat,  as 
often  happens,  this  milk  will  afford  suffici- 
ent nourishment.  The  first  quantity,  taken 
warm,  appeases  the  agony  and  griping 
pains ; and  the  same  is  to  be  repeated  the 
second  and  third  days.  This  remedy  cures, 
in  three  or  four  days,  the  flux  of  the  belly 
and  of  blood,  however  violent.  It  does 
not  cure  suddenly ; butsoftens  and  strength- 
ens the  bowels  by  slow  and  sure  degrees. 
In  the  mean  time,  if  the  patient  should  be 
desirous  of  food,  it  is  not  to  be  refused, 
provided  it  be  taken  with  moderation. 

Manner  of  dressing  Fish,  as  practised  by 
Foreign  Fishermen  at  Sea. 

An  ingenious  traveller,  fond  of  fishing, 
assures  us  that  he  has  often  been  out  for  a 
whole  day,  to  fish  with  a line  in  a boat,  from 
the  ports  of  Marseilles,  Leghorn,  Naples, 
and  Smyrna,  &c.  wheh  the  boat-man,  in 
each  of  those  countries,  constantly  takes 
out  his  charcoal,  a little  after  the  middle 


13  3 

of  the  day,  and  again  m th<*  evening,  which 
he  puts  into  a strong  earthen  pan  like  a 
baking  dish,  where  there  are  ashes  con- 
stantly left;  then,  striking  a light,  gene- 
rally at  the  first  stroke,  he  makes  his  fire, 
sets  on  a gridiron  as  soon  as  it  burns  clear, 
literally  knocks  on  the  head  the  first  suit- 
able fish  taken,  and  directly  puts  it  on  the 
gridiron  without  either  scaling  or  opening. 
Few  epicures  have  feasted  on  fish  done  in 
this  simple  way,  and  eaten  in  the  sea  air, 
they  form,  however,  thus  dressed,  and  bast- 
ed with  sweet  oil,  a real  delicacy.  When 
done  sufficiently,  they  are  no  sooner  open- 
ed than  a flood  of  their  own  juice  gushes 
forth;  and  the  entrails,  having  become 
hard,  are  taken  cleanly  out,  and  thrown 
into  the  sea. 

Art  of  immediately  Roasting  and  making 
quite  tender  even  the  oldest  HaYe,  recom- 
mended to  Sportsmen  by  an  ingenious 
French  Author. 

This  writer,  who  was  a very  great  sports- 
man, thus  describes  the  origin  of  his  in- 
vention— Having  one  day  killed  a hare  so 
very  old  and  tough  that  it  was  impossible 
to  separate  it’s  ears  with  the  hand,  he  thought 
that  he  would  try  if  a method  could  not  be 
contrived  of  immediately  dressing  it,  with- 
out skinning;  and  even  giving  it,  at  the 
same  time,  some  tolerable  degree  of  tender- 
ness. As  there  seemed  but  little  to  risk,  he 
disemboweled  the  hare,  spitted  it  with 
the  skin  on,  and  immediately  commenced 
the  experiment.  Accordingly,  he  fastened 
a large  rasher  of  bacon  on  each  side  of 
the  hare,  by  means  of  thread  or  string  pass- 
ed between  the  skin  and  the  fat  to  prevent 
it’s  burning;  and,  heating  red  hot  two 
fire  shovels,  when  the  fur  or  hair  of  the 
animal  became  sufficiently  dry,  he  singed 
2 L 


134 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


or  set  fire  to  it  with  a flaming  brand.  The 
hair  being  thus  entirely  burnt  oil,  he  took 
out  one  of’  his  fire  shovels,  with  which  he 
kept  melting  bacon  continually  to  baste 
the  hare;  changing  the  two  shovels  as  one 
of  them  grew  cool  and  the  other  hot,  till 
he  perceived  the  skin  crack,  and  separate 
from  the  body,  so  as  to  be  taken  off  either 
with  a pair  of  tongs  or  even  with  his  hand. 
Then,  continuing  to  baste  the  hare  for 
some  time  longer,  he  finally  basted  it  with 
strong  vinegar  ; and,  finding  it  done,  made 
a sauce  for  it.  This,  he  observes,  may  be 
either  sweet,  or  highly  seasoned,  according 
to  the  taste  of  the  party.  The  experiment  an- 
swered far  beyond  his  most  sanguine  hopes; 
for  he  found  that  this  old  hare,  though  fresh 
killed,  and  so  tough  before  it  was  dressed, 
had  become  more  tender  than  a leveret 
kept  three  days.  Nor  was  this  all;  for, 
he  assures  us,  on  cutting  it  up,  the  gravy 
gushed  out  as  plenteously  as  from  a leg  of 
mutton.  Thus,  by  this  new  method,  he 
observes,  are  to  be  acquired  the  two  oppo- 
sites of  what  usually  happens  with  regard 
to  roasted  hares;  which,  it  is  well  known, 
are  too  often  made  harder  or  more  tough, 
as  well  as  rendered  disagreeably  dry,  by 
roasting  in  the  common  manner.  He  adds 
that,  one  of  the  French  princes,  to  whom 
he  had  the  honour  of  being  known,  having 
heard  of  this  novelty,  asked  him  to  repeat 
the  experiment  on  a very  old  hare  which 
'his  royal  highness  had  then  just  killed ; who, 
after  gratifying  his  curiosity  by  witnessing 
part  of  the  process,  found  it  so  tender  and 
excellent  when  done,  that  hi&  royal  high- 
ness, and  those  who  had  the  honour  to  eat 
with  him,  left  nothing  but  the  bones.  “ I 
thus  publish,”  concludes  the  author,  “ this 
preparation,  chiefly  for  the  service  of  bro- 
ther sportsmen;  who,  after  killing  a hare 


in  the  country,  on  repairing  to  some  ob- 
scure public  house,  where  little  or  nothing 
eatable  is  to  be  had,  may  by  this  expe- 
dient presently  get  a good  dinner,  and 
again  set  off  to  pursue  their  sports  with, 
renovated  vigour.” 

Excellent  Collared  Beef. 

Bone  the  finest  and  fattest  flank  of  mel- 
low beef,  or  the  thin  end  only,  and  also- 
take  out  the  gristle  and  internal  skinny 
part.  Salt  it  well,  if  only  about  half  the 
flank,  with  an.  ounce  each  of  saltpetre,  sal- 
prunella,  and  bay-salt,  and  one  pound  of 
common  salt,  all  pounded  very  fine,  and 
mixed  together  with  at  least  a quarter  of 
a pound  of  good  moist  sugar.  Turn  it  every 
day,  each  time  rubbing  in  the  brine,  for  about 
a week;  then  take  it  out,  hang  it  in  the 
air  to  drain,  and  wipe  it  dry.  Chop  a good 
quantity  of  parsley,  half  as  much  sage,  and 
some  thyme,  savoury.,  marjoram,  rose- 
mary tops,  and  penny- royal;  all  miucod 
small,  and  well  mixed  with  a few  cloves, 
avery  little  mace,  nutmeg,  pepper,  and  salt, 
and  half  a.  dozen  corns  of  allspice,  the  whole 
finely  beaten.  Having  flattened  the  beef, 
strew  this  mixture  very  plentifully  over; 
and,  rolling  it  up  as  tightly.as  possible,  hind 
it  up  in  a coarse  cloth,  and  tie  it  round 
well. with,  inkle,  commonly  called  beggar’s 
tape.  All  this  being  carefully  done,  boil 
it  gently,  in  a good  quantity  of  water,  for 
about  five  or  six  hours,  according  to  the 
size  of  the  collar ; or,  if  baking  be  preferred, 
send  it  to  a good  soaking  oven,  in  a cover- 
ed pan,  with  sufficient  liquor,  and  a little 
sliced  onion  or  garlic,  &c.  for  four  or  five 
hours.  When  done,  whether  baked  or  boil- 
ed, on  putting  it  in  a press,  or  between  two 
boards,  with  agood  weight  at  the  top,  while 
hot,  but  without  untying  it,  the  shape  will, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


135 


become  oval  by  the  time  it  gets  thorough- 
ly cold.  If  part  of  a breast  of  fine  fat  veal, 
likewise  properly  boned,  &e.  be  rolled  up 
with  the  beef,  it  looks  pleasing,  and  eats 
delicately.  Beef  is  often  collared,  in  a com- 
mon way,  and  either  baked  or  boiled,  salt- 
ed only  with  common  salt  and  saltpetre; 
and  having  a mixture  of  parsley  and  a few 
other  of  the  herbs,  with  salt,  pepper,  and 
allspice:  nor  is  it,  even  so  dressed,  by  any 
means  an  unpleasant  article  of  food.  When 
the  tape  and  cloth  are  removed,  thin  slices 
of  the  collared  beef  should  be  cut,  as  wanted, 
and  sent  to  table  in  a dish  garnished  with 
sprigs  of  parsley.  As  collared  beef  will 
keep  a great  length  of  time,  it  is  found 
very  convenient  in.  many  families. 

Best  Turkish  Method  of  making  Coffee. 

It  is  observed  by  Mr.  Eton,  in  his  Sur- 
vey of  the  Turkish  Empire,  that  coffee,  to 
be  good,  must  either  be  ground  to  an  al- 
most impalpable  powder,  or  pounded,  as 
is  done  by  the  Turks,  in  an  iron  mortar, 
with  a heavy  pestle.  They  put  the  coffee 
quite  dry  into  the  pot,  over  a very  slow 
fire;  shaking  it  often,  till  it.  gets  warm, 
and  begins  to  send  forth  a fragrant  smell. 
Then,  from  another  coffee  pot,  they  pour 
on  it  boiling  water;  or,  rather,,  water  in 
which  the  grounds  of  the  last  made  coffee 
had  been  boiled,  and  set  to  become  clear: 
holding  it  a little  longer  over  the  fire,  till 
there  is  a white  scum  like  froth  on  it’s  top; 
without  by  any  means  suffering  it  to  boil, 
but  only  gently  to  rise.  It  is  then  poured, 
two  or  three  times,  from  one  pot  into 
the  other,  and  thus  soon  becomes  clear; 
they  often,  However,  drink  it  quite  thick. 
Some,  to  make  it  clear  sooner,  either  put 
in  a spoonful  of  cold  water,  or  lay  a cloth 
dipped  in  cold  water  on  the  top  of  the  pot. 


Hint  for  making  West  India  Coffee  nearly 
equal  to  that  of  Turkey. 

The  reason  why  our  West  India  coffee 
is  not  so  good  as  the  Yemen  coffee,  Mr. 
Eton  thinks,  is  because,  on  account  of  the 
climate,  it  is  never  suffered  to  hang  on  the 
trees  till  it  be  perfectly  ripe.  It  is  also 
liable  to  acquire  an  ill  taste,  on  coming  to 
Europe,  from  bad  air  in  the  hold  of  the 
ship.  In  Italy,  this  may  be  remedied,  by 
exposing  it  two  or  three  months  to  the  sun; 
but,  in  England,  this  gentleman  says,  boil- 
ing water  should  be  poured  over  the  ber- 
ries and  suffered  to  remain  on  them  till 
cold,  when  they  should  be  washed  with 
other  cold  water;  and,  lastly,  they  should 
be  dried  in  an  oven.  Thus  prepared,  it  will 
be  nearly  as  good  as  the  best  Turkey  cof- 
fee. It  should  be  roasted  in  an  open  ear- 
then or  iron  pan,  the  slower  the  better; 
and,  as  often  as  it  crackles,  must  be  taken 
off  the  fire.  The  Turks  often  roast,  if  it 
may  then  so  be  called,  their  coffee,  in  a 
baker’s  oven,  while  the  oven  is  heating. 
In  England,  it  must  not  be  roasted  with- 
out, permission  from  an  excise  office. 

English  Modes  of  making  Coffee. 

Coffee,  in  England,  is  generally  made 
much  too  weak  to  be  drank  with  any  salu- 
tary effect,  whether  it  be  Turkey,  West 
Indian,  or  from  the  East  Indies.  By  the 
treatment  above  suggested  of  what  has 
contracted  any  ill  taste  on  it’s  voyage;  as 
well  as,  when  it  is  not  newly  or  well  roasted, 
heating  a stewpaa  or  small  preserving  pan 
over  the  fire,  with  a bit  of  fresh  butter  at 
the  bottom,  throwing  in  the  coffee,  and 
stirring  it  a few  minutes,  till  freshened, 
and  afterward  both  grinding  and  making 
it  properly;  if  it  were  not  quite  equal  to 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


136' 

what  is  made  in  Turkey,  it  might  at  least 
not  be  so  very  inferior  to  all  that  is  made 
in  France,  Italy,  Germany,  &c.  as  foreigners 
and  travellers  in  general  unanimously  pro- 
nounce it.  One  of  the  best  usual  methods  of 
preparing  coffee  in  England,  is  by  making- 
four  coffee  cups,  or  about  a pint,  with  an 
ounce  of  coffee;  pouring  on  it  that  quan- 
tity of  boiling  water;  boiling  it  up  for  five 
or  six  minutes;  pouring  out,  and  returning, 
a little  of  the  coffee,  two  or  three  times ; 
then  putting  in  two  or  three  small  shreds 
of  isinglass,  gently  dissolved  in  a cupful  of 
boiling  water;  boiling  the  whole  five  mi- 
nutes longer  ; and,  lastly,  keeping  the  cof- 
fee pot  close  by  the  fire  ten  minutes  more 
to  clear.  Some  also  put  in,  with  the  cof- 
fee, a small  bit  of  vanilla;  which  gives  a 
fine  flavour,  but  it  must  not  be  suffered  to 
predominate.  Thus  made,  though  it  be 
too  weak,  it  is  very  pleasant.  The  strength, 
perhaps,  might  be  sufficiently  augmented, 
by  pounding  the  coffee,  like  the  Turks; 
and  adopting,  with  them,  the  method  of  pour- 
ing boiling  water  on  the  coffee  grounds  left, 
and  letting  it  stand  on  them  till  next  day, 
to  be  used  instead  of  common  water.  Good 
cream,  too,  instead  of  very  middling  milk, 
makes  a vast  difference  in  drinking  coffee, 
however  prepared.  The  sugar,  if  pure, 
seems  of  less  importance;  though  some 
insist  on  the  superiority  of  fine  Lisbon 
sugar,  while  others  highly  extol  the  use 
of  pounded  sugar-candy. 

Medicinal  Virtues  of  Strong  Coffee. 

STRONG  coffee,  in  the  proportion  of  an 
ounce  and  a half  to  a pint,  and  particular- 
ly when  made  by  infusion,  is  not  only 
truly  grateful  to  the  palate,  but  wonder- 
fully fortifies  and  strengthens  the  stomach, 
as  well  as  the  whole  nervous  system.  It 


adds,  maintains  one  of  it’s  warmest  pane* 
gyrists,  or  gives,  spirits  to  the  body,  on  any- 
sinking,  faintness,  weakness,  or  weariness, 
of  mind  or  body,  and  that  beyond  what- 
ever the  best  wine  can  effect;  conveying,  as 
it  were,  life  and  strength  to  the  whole 
frame.  It  is,  doubtless,  very  good  against 
consumptions,  vapours,  hysterics,  and  all 
cold  and  moist  diseases  afflicting  the  head, 
brain,  &c.  it  prevails,  also,  on  being  long 
and  plentifully  used,  against  the  scurvy, 
dropsy,  and  gout,  as  well  as  all  manner  of 
rheumatic  pains;  absorbing  all  acidities  in 
the  whole  body,  and  destroying  the  con- 
gelative  powers  by  which  those  diseases  are 
chiefly  generated;  while,  by  it’s  diuretic 
property,  it  carries  off  all  those  Heterogene 
and  morbific  humours,  after  a very  singular 
manner.  “ It  may  be,”  says  Salmon,  the 
medical  writer  here  in  part  quoted,  “ that 
I have  said  a great  deal  in  commendation 
of  this  strong  coffee;  but  I can  truly  assert, 
that  I have  said  nothing  but  what  I know 
myself,  and  in  my  own  person,  to  be  truth, 
and  have  had  confirmed  by  manifold  and 
daily  experiences  for  a great  many  years, 
to  my  exceeding  satisfaction.  I was  also 
cured,  about  ten  years  since,  of  a rheuma- 
tic pain  in  my  shoulder;  which  was  so  ve- 
hement that,  besides  the  perpetual  pain, 
I could  not  so  much  as  lift  my  arm  or  hand 
up  to  my  head,  nor  put  it  behind  my  back, 
for  nearly  two  years,  in  which  I received  no 
benefit  by  along  application  of  vesicatories, 
and  continual  use  of  opiates:  of  this  vehe- 
ment rheumatism,  I was  perfectly  cured 
by  drinking  a full  quart  of  strong  coffee 
at  a time,  and  continuing  it  some  days  to- 
gether, nor  have  I since  had  the  smallest 
return.  The  like  relation  I have  had  from  two 
other  persons,  particular  patients  of  mine, 
who  were  much  more  grievously  afflicted. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


by  their  own  accounts,  than  even  I was; 
who,  by  an  extravagant  drinking  of  strong 
coffee,  to  use  their  own  words,  were  per- 
fectly cured,  and  freed  from  their  deplor- 
able lameness,  after  manifold  applications, 
and  the  use  of  many  other  things,  both 
external  and  internal,  had  for  some  years 
past  been  tried  in  vain.”  It  may  seem 
difficult  to  add  to  this  long  list  of  the  me- 
dical virtues  of  strong  coffee;  we  have, 
however,  considerably  abridged  the  de- 
tail, which  describes  it  as  very  little  short 
of  a universal  medicine.  The  zeal  of  our 
old  friend  Salmon  may  have  transported 
him  somewhat  too  far;  but  we  see  no  good 
reason  for  doubting  the  truth  of  his  alledg- 
ed  experience,  not  having  the  smallest  dread 
of  any  ill  consequences  from  a free  use  of 
this  salutary  liquid.  Even  modern  physi- 
cians have  admitted,  that  in  cases  of  spas- 
modic asthma,  scrophula,  diarrhoea,  agues, 
and  particularly  against  narcotic  poisons, 
such  as  opium,  hemlock,  &c.  coffee  often 
produces  the  best  effects;  nor  is  there,  a 
very  recent  author  asserts,  a domestic  reme- 
dy better  adapted  to  relieve  periodical  head- 
aches, which  proceed  from  debility  or  want 
of  tone  in  the  stomach.  This  character,  too, 
is  given,  as  it  should  seem,  without  insist- 
ing on  the  particular  strength  of  the  coffee, 
on  which  Salmon  alone  depends. 

. Advantages  of  raaldng  Coffee  by  previous 
Infusion. 


The  following  advantages  of  making 
coffee  bv  a previous  infusion  on  the  former 
grounds,  are  thus  described  and  enumerat-  ; 
ed  bv  Salmon' — After  drinking  the  coffee  | 
first  made,  pour  the  quantity  of  water  which  | 
will  next  time  be  wanted,  on  the  grounds 
left,  and  let  them  boil  a little  together : 
then,  taking  the  coffee  pot  from  the  fire,  ■ 


137 

Jet  the  liquor  settle  for  a quarter  of  an 
hour,  and  no  longer,  when  this  clear  liquor, 
or  second  draught,  as  he  calls  it,  is  to  be 
decanted,  the  grounds  are  to  be  washed 
away,  the  fresh  coffee  powder  intended  for 
next  making  is  to  be  immediately  put  into 
the  cleansed  coffee  pot,  and  the  scalding 
hot  liquor  just  decanted  off  poured  on  it, 
and  left  to  infuse  till  coffee  be  again  want- 
ed. The  coffee  pot  is  now  to  be  put  on  a 
gentle  fire,  and  the  liquor  very  leisurely 
brought  to  boil  till  the  coffee  sinks  down; 
when,  the  liquor  being  settled,  it  may  be 
drank  scalding  hot,  with  or  without  sugar. 
Salmon  says  nothing  about  the  use  of  cream 
or  milk.  After  this  manner,  he  adds,  cof- 
fee may  be  made  from  morning  to  night, 
from  night  to  morning,  or  from  drinking 
to  drinking,  throughout  the  year.  That 
this  is  the  best  way,  he  contends,  is  mani- 
fest, from  the  coffee  itself  when  made; 
which,  as  it  is  much  more  pleasant  to  the 
palate  and  stomach,  so  it  seems  to  be  of 
double  strength,  compared  with  that  which 
is  made  in  the  common  ways  with  the  same 
quantity  of  coffee.  The  true  cause  of 
which,  consists  in  the  principles  of  the 
concrete:  for,  in  some  things,  the  virtue, 
or  goodness,  is  only  to  be  obtained  by  boil- 
ing, and  all  the  infusions,  for  ever  so  long 
a time,  will  do  nothing;  in  other  articles, 
it  is  only  to  be  obtained  by  infusion,  and 
boiling  will  only  spoil  them;  a third  de- 
scription, like  coffee,  have  complicated  pro- 
perties, and  their  virtues  and  goodness  are 
to  be  only  extracted  byjboth  ways,  infusion 
and  boiling  too.  If  coffee  be  but  a very 
little  too  much  boded,  one  minute  is  some- 
times enough,  it  is  spoiled,  and  grows  either 
flat  or  sour:  but  an  infusion  of  it  for  ten, 
twelve,  or  even  twenty-four  hours,  makes 
the  liquor  not  only  pleasanter,  but  of 
2 M 


138 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


double  or  treble  strength,  though  it  has 
but  a minute’s  boiling ; that  is,  just  suf- 
ficient to  boil  it  well  down,  that  it  may  be 
clear.  On  a comparison  of  the  different 
methods,  it  will  be  easy  to  make  a judici- 
ous selection  for  improving  very  much  the 
customary  modes  of  making  coffee  in  Eng- 
land, and  render  it’s  acknowledged  virtues 
far  more  extensively  useful. 

Infallible  Cures  for  the  Cramp. 

The  excruciating  tortures  of  the  cramp, 
whether  in  the  neck,  arms,  hands,  legs,  or 
feet,  are  infallibly  cured  by  bathing  the 
parts  afflicted  every  morning  and  evening 
with  the  powers  of  amber;  and  taking  in- 
wardly, at  the  same  time,  every  night  on 
going  to  bed,  for  eight  or  ten  nights  toge- 
ther, half  a spoonful,  in  from  a gill  to  half 
a pint  of  white  wine.  For  sudden  attacks 
of  the  cramp  in  the  legs,  to  which  many 
persons  are  particularly  subject,  relief  may 
be  instantly  obtained  by  simply  stretching 
out  the  limb  affected,  and  elevating  the 
heel  as  much  as  possible,  till  the  toes  bend 
backward  toward  the  shin:  this,  also,  may 
be  considered  as  an  infallible  remedy,  when 
it  is  only  in  the  leg.  A hot  brick,  in  a 
flannel  bag,  placed  for  the  feet,  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  bed,  all  night;  and  friction  with 
the  hand,  warm  flannels,  coarse  cloths,  or 
the  flesh-brush,  diligently  applied,  to  re- 
store the  free  circulation  of  the  blood  in 
the  contracted  part;  are  both  strongly  re- 
commended as  efficacious  expedients  for 
relieving  this  terrible  pain,  as  well  as  for 
preventing  it’s  return.  In  Italy,  as  an  in- 
fallible cure,  a new  cork  is  cut  in  thin 
slices,  and  a ribbon  passed  through  the 
centre  of  them  tied  round  the  affected  limb, 
laying  the  corks  flat  on  the  flesh;  this,  too, 
while  thus  worn,  prevents  any  return  of 
the  cramp. 


Famous  Balm  of  Gilead  Oil;  a speedy  and 
most  incomparable  Remedy  for  broken  Shins 
and  other  Green  Wounds,  Burns,  Bruises, 
Scalds,  fyc. 

Tills  universal  family  oil,  which  should 
be  kept  in  every  house,  is  made  in  the 
simplest  manner — Put  loosely  into  a bot- 
tle, of  any  size,  as  many  bahn  of  Gilead 
flowers,  as  extend  to  about  one  third  part 
of  it’s  height,  then  nearly  fill  up  the  bottle 
with  good  sweet  oil;  and,  after  shaking  it 
a little  occasionally,  and  letting  it  infuse  a 
day  or  two,  it  is  fit  for  use.  It  must  be 
very  closely  stopped,  and  will  then  not 
only  keep  for  years,  but  be  the  better  for 
keeping.  When  it  is  about  half  used,  the 
bottle  may  be  again  filled  up  with  oil,  and 
wrell  shaken;  and,  in  two  or  three  days, 
it  will  be  as  good  as  at  first.  The  most 
alarming  cuts  and  bruises  of  the  shin,  which 
are  so  often  rendered  worse  by  spirituous 
balsams,  salves,  poultices.  Sec.  are  compleat- 
ly  cured  in  a few  days,  and  sometimes  in  a 
few  hours,  by  this  apparently  simple,  but 
assuredly  most  incomparable  oil.  It  is 
good  for  all  green  wounds,  burns,  bruises, 
scalds,  Sec.  but,  for  broken  shins,  in  par- 
ticular, which  so  often  terminate  in  mor- 
tification and  loss  of  limb,  it  has  no  equal, 
though  never  till  now  published,  and 
seemingly  quite  unknown  to  the  faculty: 
the  most  liberal  and  ingenious  of  whom  will 
do  well  to  try  internally,  as  well  as  ex- 
ternally, such  a mild  yet  potent  vulnerary  ; 
which  promises  to  effect  all  that  has  been 
ascribed  to  the  famous  Gilead  of  the  Jews, 
though  it  grows  readily  in  our  own  gardens ; 
and,  to  adopt  the  energetic  language  of 
Holy  Writ,  let  us  not  longer  have  reason 
for  the  enquiry,  “ Is  there  no  bahn  in 
Gilead?”  The  famous  Dr.  Solomons  of 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


139 


Liverpool,  by  assuming  the  name  of  Cor- 
dial Balm  of  Gilead  for  his  nostrum,  whe- 
ther it  contains  either  any  of  these  flowers 
or  the  imported  Gilead  balsam  of  the  shops 
or  not,  has  thus  shewn,  at  least,  that  he  inhe- 
rits part  of  the  wisdom,  with  somewhat  more 
than  all  the  name,  of  his  illustrious  ances- 
tor; and,  though  not  likely  to  be  a king, 
either  of  Jews  or  Gentiles,  is  said  to  be 
actually  acquiring  a princely  fortune  by  the 
sale  of  that  medicine.  By  thus  giving,  in 
this  cheap  work,  what  so  many  enrich 
themselves  by  keeping  secret,  it  is  to  be 
feared  that  we  shall  be  considered,  at  least 
by  the  worldly  wise,  quite  as  little  entitled 
to  any  similar  claim  of  intellectual,  as  we 
certainly  are  of  nominal  or  religious  al- 
liance or  affinity,  with  that  renowned 
Hebrew  prototype  of  human  sagacity. 
King  Solomon.  Dr.  Willich  tells  us,  that 
the  eminent  balsam  or  balm  of  Gilead, 
which  is  a gummy  substance  exuding 
from  the  bark  of  the  amyris  Gileadensis, 
or  opobalsamum  of  Linnaeus,  and  a native 
of  Arabia  Felix,  was  formerly  imported 
into  Europe;  but,  being  obtained  chiefly 
by  incision,  and  the  quantity  afforded  by 
any  single  tree  very  small,  the  collect- 
ing it  is  attended  with  so  much  trouble, 
that  the  genuine  balm  is,  perhaps,  never 
exported  in  a commercial  way.  He  de- 
scribes it  as  of  a bitterish  aromatic  taste, 
an  acidulous  fragrant  smell,  and  of  a yel- 
lowish-or  greenish  colour:  says  that  it  is, 
among  the  Turkish  women,  in  high  repu- 
tation, both  as  a cosmetic,  and  as  a specific 
for  almost  every  disorder;  that  it  is,  ac- 
cordingly, valued  at  so  extravagant  a price 
as  with  difficulty  to  be  procured  in  a ge- 
nuine state,  when  it  is  presented  only  to 
sovereign  princes ; and  that,  on  these  ac- 
counts, it  is  in  England  entirely  supersed- 


ed by  the  balsams  of  Canada  and  copaiba. 
These,  the  doctor  adds,  but  we  cannot  sub- 
scribe to  that  professional  dogma,  are  equal- 
ly efficacious.  He  adds,  that  he  has  pub- 
lished this  account  of  it,  with  a view  to 
caution  and  undeceive  the  credulous;  who 
may  be  apt  to  imagine  that  any  base  com- 
pound, offered  to  the  public,  under  speci- 
ous pretensions,  is  the  real  balm  of  Gilead, 
which  is  frequently  mentioned  in  Scripture. 
All  this,  however,  assists  to  prove  the  pro- 
priety of  trying  the  effects  of  the  humble 
balm  of  Gilead  plant  which  we  so  well 
know  flourishes  in  the  soil  of  our  own 
country,  though  by  no  means  sufficiently 
cultivated;  and  in  which,  accordingly, 
there  can  be  no  possible  deception. 

Persian  Art  of  making  Yeast  with  Peas. 

The  preservation  of  yeast,  it  is  remarked 
by  Mr.  Eton,  having  been  a subject  of 
much  research  in  Europe,  the  following 
particulars  may,  perhaps,  be  entitled  to 
attention.  On  the  coast  of  Persia,  his 
bread  was  made  in  the  English  manner, 
of  good  wheat  flour,  and  with  the  yeast 
generally  used  there,  which  is  thus  pre- 
pared— Take  a small  tea  cup  or  wine  glass 
full  of  split  or  bruised  peas,  pour  on  them 
a pint  of  boiling  water,  and  set  the  whole 
in  a vessel  all  night  on  the  hearth,  or  in  any 
other  warm  place ; this  water  will  be  a good 
yeast,  and  have  a froth  on  it’s  top  next 
morning.  In  this  cold  climate,  especially 
at  a cold  season,  it  should  stand  longer  to 
ferment;  perhaps,  twenty-four  or  forty- 
eight  hours,  and  the  quantity  of  peas  should 
be  larger.  Experience,  Mr.  Eton  adds, 
must  determine  this.  The  above  quantity 
made  this  gentleman  as  much  bread  as  a 
half  quartern  loaf,  the  quality  of  which  was 
very  good  and  light.  In  England,  per- 


140 


family  receipt-book. 


haps,  it  should  stand  to 'ferment,  in  or  on 
a cool  oven. 

Turkish  Method  of  Filtering  Water  h/  As- 
cension. 

The  Turkish  manner  of  filtering  water 
by  ascension,  Mr.  Eton  tells  us,  is  much 
superior  to  our  filtering  stones  or  other 
methods  by  descent;  in  which,  particles 
of  the  stone,  and  finer  sand,  will  always 
at  length  find  a passage  along  with  the 
water.  The  mode  of  proceeding  is  this — 
They  make  two  wells,  from  five  to  ten  feet, 
or  any  other  depth,  at  a small  distance 
from  each  other,  with  a communication 
between  the  two  at  their  bottoms.  The 
separation  is  of  clay  well  beaten,  or  other 
substances  impenetrable  by  water.  Both 
wells  are  then  filled  with  sand  and  gravel. 
The  opening  of  the  well  into  which  the 
water  to  be  filtered  runs,  is  made  some-  j 
what  higher  than  that  into  which  it  is  to 
ascend;  nor  does  the  sand  of  this  latter  ! 
approach  the  brim,  where  there  is  either 
sufficient  room  left  for  all  the  filtered  wa- 
ter, or  it  is  drawn  off  by  a spout  run  into 
a vessel  placed  for  that  purpose.  The 
greater  is  the  difference  between  the  height 
of  the  two  wells,  the  faster  the  water  filters; 
but  the  less  it  is,  the  better  it  operates,  pro- 
vided a sufficient  quantity  of  water  be  sup- 
plied by  it  for  the  intended  purpose.  This, 
Mr.  Eton  adds,  may  be  practised  in  a cask, 
tub,  jar,  or  other  vessel,  and  would  be 
useful  on  board  ships : the  water  being  con- 
veyed to  the  bottom  by  a pipe,  and  the 
lower  end  having  in  it  a sponge;  or,  the 
pipe  might  be  filled  with  coarse  sand.  It 
is  evident,  that  all  such  particles  as,  by 
their  gravity,  are  carried  down  in  filtera- 
tion  by  descent,  will  not  rise  with  the  wa- 
ter in  Alteration  by  ascension.  From  this 


account,  it  should  seem,  that  the  principle 
of  Alteration  by  ascent,  considered  as  a 
new  discovery  by  some  ingenious  Europe- 
ans, has  been  long  known  to  the  Turks. 

European  Modes  of  Filtering  Fluids,  for  Che- 
mical and  Culinary  Purposes. 

Filter ation,  generally,  is  the  process 
of  straining  or  filtering  a liquid  of  any  de- 
scription; so  as  to  detach  from  it  such  fo- 
reign particles  as  may  be  merely  mixed 
with  it,  and  require  to  be  separated,  and 
not  those  which  it  holds  in  solution:  chief- 
ly, for  the  purpose  of  promoting  the  clear- 
ness or  purity  of  the  fluid.  The  apparatus 
used  for  this  intention,  is  usually  denomi- 
nated a filter,  filtering  machine,  filtering 
bag,  &c.  These  instruments  are  various, 
in  form  and  quality,  according  to  the  de- 
sign, the  judgment,  or  the  convenience,  of 
the  operator.  The  merely  placing  a sponge, 
or  even  stuffing  a piece  of  tow,  wool,  or 
cotton,  into  the  pipe  of  a funnel,  will  ren- 
der clearer  the  liquid  which  flows  through 
it,  by  preventing  the  passage  of  gross  par- 
ticles. A long  linen,  cotton,  or  flannel  rag, 
kc.  first  wetted  and  squeezed,  and  then 
hung  over  the  side  of  a vessel  containing  a 
fluid,  so  as  for  one  end  to  remain  immersed 
in  the  fluid  to  be  filterated,  and  the  other 
end  to  hang  without  the  vessel  lower  than 
the  fluid’s  surface,  will  act  as  a syphon,  and 
carry  over  the  clearer  liquid.  Cooks,  con- 
fectioners, &c.  where  a sieve  of  the  dif- 
ferent descriptions  is  not  sufficient,  for  do- 
mestic purposes,  commonly  use  a long 
flannel  or  cotton  bag,  more  or  less  wide 
at  top,  but  always  narrowing  to  a point, 
called  a jelly  bag;  or  some  similar  vehicle,, 
with  or  without  a frame  like  a sieve,  10 
which  it  is  occasionally  fixed,  or  permanent- 
ly fastened.  These  filtering  or  jelly  bags,  in 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


141 


the  culinary  arts,  are  derived  from  the  old  ; 
chemical  flannel  filtering  bag,  known  for- 
merly by  the  name  of  Hippocrates’  sleeve ; 
this  primitive  physician  having,  it  is  sup- 
posed, originally  applied  that  part  of  his 
garment  in  making  the  first  filtering  bag. 
Though  cooks,  confectioners,  &c.  and  even 
apothecaries,  however,  may  generally  con-  ! 
tent  themselves  with  the  use  of  filtering  bags 
only,  philosophical  chemists  almost  con- 
stantly prefer  using  the  paper  called  cap, 
blotting,  or  filtering  paper;  to  prevent  the 
breaking  of  which  tender  substance,  when 
any  considerable  quantity  of  fluid  is  want- 
ed to  be  filtered,  they  stretch  or  sustain  it 
on  a linen  cloth.  None  of  these  contriv- 
ances, however,  can  be  considered  as  cal- 
culated to  filter  large  quantities  of  turbid 
water  for  all  the  various  purposes  of  do- 
mestic ceconomy. 

Mr.  Peacock's  Patent  Machine  for  Purifying 
ami  Filtering  the  foulest  Water. 

The  utility  of  filtering  machines,  in  the 
different  processes  of  brewing,  distillery, 
and  dyeing,  as  well  as  that  of  making  bread, 
and  all  other  domestic  arts,  is  sufficiently 
obvious.  Filtering  stones,  both  natural 
and  artificial,  have  long  been  applied,  by 
curious  individuals,  to  soriie  of  these  pur- 
poses: but  the  former  are  considered  as 
liable  to  convey  much  of  the  light  sand 
which  composes  them  with  the  water;  and 
the  latter,  in  general,  seem  to  have  been 
too  expensive,  or  too  limited  in  their  effects, 
for  most  private  houses,  and  consequently 
for  all  extensive  manufactories.  The  in- 
genious invention  of  Mr.  Peacock,  who 
probably  knew  nothing  of  the  Turkish 
method  which  it  so  nearly  resembles,  when 
his  plan  of  Alteration  by  ascent  was  first 
promulged,  seems  to  have  been  the  result 


of  a meditative  philanthropical  and  phi- 
losophical mind,  contemplating  the  mi- 
nute operations  of  nature;  and  diligently 
tracing  not  only  the  stream  to  it’s  spring 
or  source,  but  even  the  source  itself  to  it’s 
origin,  through  every  concealed  channel 
of  conveyance.  Thus,  discovering  the  me- 
thod pursued  by  nature  in  the  liberation 
of  water,  it  became  manifest  that  such  wa- 
ters as  descend  from  hills,  though  passing 
through  sands  and  rocks,  are  seldom  seen 
in  the  highest  state  of  purity;  while  those 
which,  by  ascension,  ooze  forth  near  the 
bottoms  of  mountains,  are  constantly  most 
limpid  and  pure:  it  being  evident  that, 
when  the  water  only  descends,  the  finest  fo- 
reign particles  gradually  penetrate  through 
the  pebbly  or  sandy  strata;  while,  on  the 
contrary,  when  the  water  rises  up  through 
a pebbly  or  sandy  bottom,  all  such  particles 
sink  down,  being  prevented  from  ascend- 
ing to  the  top  with  the  water  by  their 
greater  specific  gravity,  if  not  very  vio- 
lently forced.  Thus,  the  lighter  particles 
of  fluids,  in  both  cases,  are  found  to  re- 
main in  the  upper  strata  of  the  earth  or 
sand.  On  these  principles,  the  filtering 
machine  of  Mr.  Peacock  has  been  con- 
trived and  composed  with  a combination 
of  skill  and  simplicity,  which  is  seldom 
witnessed.  The  turbid  fluid  is  poured  in- 
to a vessel,  with  layers  of  sifted  gravel  or 
small  pebbles,  in  different  gradations  of 
size,  at  the  bottom;  and  connected,  some- 
what like  the  Turkish  filtering  wells,  with 
a similar  vessel,  with  like  strata  or  layers, 
in  progressive  degrees  of  fineness,  through 
which  the  water,  however  foul,  on  it’s  en- 
trance into  the  first  vessel,  now  rises  clear 
and  pure  in  this.  Had  Mr.  Peacock,  who 
is  one  of  the  first  architects  in  the  world, 
been  a poor  or  a mercenary  man,  this  in- 
2 N 


142 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


vention  might  have  obtained  him  a large 
fortune;  but,  being  neither  one  nor  the 
other,  though  this  gentleman  secured  his 
right  by  patent,  which  is  now  nearly  if 
not  quite  expired,  he  was  only  solicitous 
of  it’s  being  adopted  from  philanthropic 
motives,  and  has  probably  lost  more  money 
than  he  has  gained  by  the  invention.  When 
it’s  use  becomes  duly  appreciated,  some 
future  manufacturer  of  Mr.  Peacock’s  fil- 
tering machines  may  probably  reap  the 
advantage.  A specimen  of  this  machine 
is  deposited  in  Guildhall,  London ; and, 
though  capable  of  yielding  a constant  and 
pure  stream  of  three  hundred  gallons  in 
twenty-four  hours,  it  does  not  occupy  more 
room  than  a common  large  drip  or  filter- 
ing stone,  with  all  it’s  accompanying  ap- 
paratus: that  nothing  may  be  wanting  to 
it’s  perfection,  it  is  easily  cleansed,  though 
seldom  necessary,  in  the  short  space  of  a 
single  minute.  Nothing,  therefore,  is  ea- 
sier, than  for  brewers,  distillers,  dyers,  & c. 
who  are  so  inclined,  to  have  all  their  water 
filtered  by  means  of  Mr.  Peacock’s  inven- 
tion; which  is  capable  of  being  extended 
to  any  magnitude,  at  an  expence  which  can- 
not be  the  smallest  object  to  the  generality 
of  persons  concerned  in  those  respective 
manufactories.  This  invention,  could  it 
be  brought  into  general  use,  might  be  con- 
sidered as  a blessing  to  the  nation.  At  sea, 
if  the  strata  may  be  so  fixed  as  not  to  be 
too  much  disturbed  or  deranged  by  the 
ship’s  motion,  which  seems  very  possible, 
the  use  of  such  a machine  must  be  so  great, 
that  no  vessel  ought  to  sail  without  one. 
A little  charcoal,  from  it’s  antiseptic  quali- 
ty, might  perhaps  be  introduced  with  ad- 
vantage among  the  strata  of  gravel.  The 
want  of  liberated  water,  gives  rise  to  more 
nephritic  complaints  than  is  imagined. 


Admirable  Pickled  Beet  Roots. 

Parboil  some  of  the  finest  red  beet  roots 
in  water:  then,cuttingthem  intothickslices, 
put  them  into  a saucepan,  with  some  sliced 
horse-radish,  onions,  or  shallots,  bay-leaves, 
pounded  ginger,  beaten  mace,  white  pep- 
per, cloves,  allspice,  and  salt ; and  boil 
the  whole,  in  sufficient  vinegar  to  cover 
it,  for  at  least  a quarter  of  an  hour.  Strain 
I the  liquor  from  the  ingredients;  put  the 
slices  into  a jar ; pour  the  strained  liquor 
over  them  ; and,  if  higher  colour  be  want- 
ed, add  a little  powdered  cochineal  when 
the  pickle  is  quite  cold,  and  keep  it  closely 
covered  with  bladder  and  leather.  A little 
oil  may  be  poured  on  the  top  of  this  pickle, 
which  will  assist  the  better  to  preserve  it, 
without  prejudice  to  the  beet  root;  which 
is  commonly  served  up  with  a mixture  of 
oil,  it’s  own  liquor,  and  a small  quantity 
of  powdered  loaf  sugar,  poured  over  it. 
Some  also  add  mustard,  but  this  is  not  by 
any  means  necessary ; and,  certainly,  affords 
no  improvement  to  the  pleasing  colour  of 
this  fine  pickle. 

Genuine  Westphalia  Hams. 

Whatever  may  be  said,  through  weak- 
ness or  prejudice,  it  cannot,  with  truth,  be 
denied,  that  the  genuine  Westphalia  hams, 
made  from  the  wild  boar,  have  a richness 
and  flavour  which  cannot  be  compleatly 
imparted  to  the  flesh  of  the  finest  and  fat- 
test hogs.  Many  of  these,  however,  are 
certainly  imported  and  sold  as  if  they  were 
genuine;  and,  though  excellent,  from  being 
cured  in  the  same  way,  are  no  better  than, 
and  sometimes  not  nearly  so  good  as,  our  best 
English  hams  might  easily  be,  if  managed 
in  a similar  way.  Indeed,  we  are  credibly 
informed,  that  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


143 


English  dealers  to  smear  their  largest  com- 
mon native  hams  with  soot,  &c.  to  give 
them  a black  appearance,  and  sell  them 
for  Westphalia  boar,  or  as  they  are  fre- 
quently called  by  the  vulgar,  bear  hams. 
The  following,  we  are  assured,  by  an  in- 
telligent traveller,  is  the  true  mode  of  cur- 
ing the  true  Westphalia  hams,  whether 
made  with  the  wild  boar,  or  a fine  common 
hog — Having  covered  the  ham  with  dry 
salt  for  a day  and  night,  take  a quarter  of 
a peck  each  of  bay  and  the  finest  common 
salt,  a pound  each  of  saltpetre  and  moist 
sugar,  a quarter  of  a pound  each  of  sal 
prunella,  and  pounded  juniper-berries,  and 
an  ounce  of  socho  tied  up  in  a rag.  Boil 
all  these  ingredients  well  together;  and, 
■when  the  liquor  is  cold,  put  into  it  the  ham, 
wiped  clean  from  the  salt  and  blood,  and 
let  it  remain  well  covered  by  the  brine, 
for  nearly  a month,  turning  it  at  least 
twice  a week  during  that  time.  Then, 
wiping  it  with  dry  cloths,  mix  together 
some  pounded  pepper,  salt,  and  bran, 
rub  them  first  into  the  cavities  and  then 
all  over  the  ham,  and  hang  it  on  the  side 
of  a chimney  where  wood  only  is  burnt. 
The  time  of  fumigation,  or  drying  by 
smoke,  is  commonly  from  three  to  six 
months,  according  to  the  size  of  the  meat 
and  the  quantity  of  smoke  by  which  it  is 
alfected. 

Westphalia  Bacon,  Sailed  and  Dried  Tongues, 
Beef,  8$c. 

All  these  articles,  and  most  other  salted 
provisions,  may  be  cured  in  a superlative 
stile  by  means  of  the  above  pickle,  with 
or  without  the  socho.  As  for  the  juniper 
berries,  they  will  be  found  to  impart  a 
flavour,  particularly  to  tongues,  more  ex- 
quisite than  can  be  imagined;  a secret 


known  to  some  few  families  on  the  con- 
tinent, but  hitherto  quite  unknown  in  Eng- 
land. If  a redder  colour  be  wanted,  either 
for  hams,  tongues,  or  bacon,  Dutch  beef, 
collared  beef,  &c.  for  all  which  it  is  ex- 
cellent, when  the  Westphalia  pickle  is  cold, 
as  much  red  sunders  wood  may  be  added 
as  will  render  it  of  the  desired  colour,  even 
to  the  height  and  richness  of  claret  wine. 
Tongues  should  be  soaked  six  or  eight 
hours  in  pump  water,  to  take  out  their 
slime,  and  wiped  clean,  before  they  are 
put  into  this  pickle,  where  they  should  re- 
main a fortnight.  Bacon,  and  beef,  are 
to  be  kept  in  this  pickle  from  nearly  a 
fortnight  to  three  weeks,  or  even  longer, 
according  as  the  thickness  approaches  that 
of  a large  ham.  They  are  then  to  be  dried 
gradually,  with  or  without  smoking.  Small 
tongues,  of  course,  will  require  much  less 
time  than  those  of  the  larger  animals.  In 
tongues,  particularly  large  ones,  some  of 
the  roots  should  be  cut  away,  and  an  in- 
cision always  be  made  in  the  under  part, 
before  they  are  salted. 

Easy  Substitute  for  the  Smoke  of  Wood  Fires, 

in  drying  Hams,  Bacon,  Tongues,  Hung 

Beef  Bologna  Sausages,  S$c. 

Where  wood  fires  are  not  commonly 
used,  the  smoky  flavour  may  be  acquired 
by  occasionally  burning  beneath  them  a 
quantity  of  saw-dust,  with  or  without  a 
little  straw.  This,  for  small  articles,  will 
sometimes  effectually  dry  them,  as  well  as  im- 
pregnate them  with  smoke,  in  a very  few 
hours;  when  it  does  not,  they  may  be  dried 
near  a common  coal  fire,  over  an  oven,  &c. 
and  afterward  again  smoked  with  saw-dust. 
Large  tongues,  if  smoked  and  dried  very 
hard,  should  be  soaked  three  hours,  and  boil- 
ed nearly  five,  to  make  them  quite  tender. 


144 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Best  and  readiest  Method  of  making  unadul- 
terated English  Wheaten  Bread . 

Sift  a peck  of  the  finest  wheat  flour  into 
a heap  5 and,  making  a small  cavity  in  the 
centre,  strain  into  it  about  a pint  of  good 
yeast,  mixed  with  the  same  quantity  of 
moderately  warm  water,  and  make  it  up 
of  a light  paste,  with  part  of  the  flour. 
Cover  up  this  dough;  set  it  before  the  fire, 
for  an  hour,  to  prove  or  rise;  and  then  mix 
the  whole  with  at  least  two  quarts  of  water 
in  which  a moderate  quantity  of  salt  has 
been  dissolved,  knead  it  till  all  the  dough 
is  of  a good  stiffness,  and  set  it  to  prove 
for  another  hour.  It  must  now  be  again 
well  kneaded,  and  once  more  proved  for 
an  hour;  when  it  will  be  ready  to  form 
into  loaves,  which  may  be  either  made  in 
regular  moulds,  or  formed  by  batching  two 
pieces  together,  either  of  round  or  oblong 
forms.  A quartern  loaf  will  require  about 
an  hour  and  a half’s  baking,  in  a brisk 
oven.  This  common  process  is  less  under- 
stood than  may  by  many  be  imagined ; and 
the  truth  is,  that  some  experience  is  neces- 
sary to  make,  and  properly  bake,  a good 
loaf  of  bread.  After  all,  it  is  not  so  whiteas 
bread  made  by  the  bakers:  who,  certainly, 
in  defiance  of  the  law,  make  use  of  alum, 
for  the  purpose  of  whitening  their  bread; 
and,  it  is  to  be  feared,  too  often  use  this  and 
other  drugs,  for  a much  worse  purpose, 
that  of  disguising  ingredients  of  a baser 
quality,  if  not  even  of  a pernicious  nature. 
If  the  above  process  be  duly  regarded,  any 
person  may  soon  make  bread  as  well  as  the 
most  experienced  baker ; but,  by  bad  flour 
or  yeast,  not  having  patience  to  go  regular- 
ly through  the  different  stages  of  kneading 
and  proving,  using  too  much  salt,  or  yeast, 
handling  the  dough  heavily  in  making  it  up, 


and  baking  the  loaves  too  little  or  too  much, 
the  greater  part  of  persons  who  attempt 
making  their  own  bread,  spoil  it  in  one  or 
other  of  these  ways,  live  times  out  of  six,  so 
that  it  is  either  doughy,  salt,  bitter,  or  burnt 
black,  and  they  again  submit  to  purchase 
! of  the  baker  what  he  thinks  fit  to  sell  them 
| for  the  best  wheaten  bread.  In  the  metro- 
polis, indeed,  where  flour  is  always  sold  at 
the  same  price  as  the  bread,  it  would  be  in- 
sanity to  think  of  making  it,  with  any  other 
view  than  that  of  escaping  pernicious  adul- 
teration. Nor,  indeed,  is  this  any  absolute 
remedy;  as  the  millers  and  mealmeti  impose 
even  on  the  bakers,  by  mixing  flours  of 
different  descriptions,  so  that  pure  wheaten 
flour  cannot  always  with  certainty  be  pur- 
chased. Besides  the  mixture  of  inferior 
foreign  wheat,  rye,  beans,  &c.  are  sup- 
posed to  be  plentifully  introduced  at  some 
mills;  the  proprietors  of  which  have  been 
observed  to  grow  or  purchase  these  last 
articles,  but  never  to  sell  them.  "Where 
the  baker  is  sufficiently  cunning  to  escape 
these  frauds,  he  has  generally  knavery 
enough  himself  to  use  similar  deceptions, 
and  not  unfrequently  to  add  a large  pro- 
portion of  potatoes  too,  before  he  makes 
up  his  fine  white  bread  for  the  public.  By 
such  villainies,  are  rich  and  poor  both  plun- 
dered of  their  property,  and  perhaps  have 
their  health  injured  with  the  bleaching 
mineral  acids  of  alum,  vitriol,  &c.  to  en- 
rich classes  of  men  who,  like  all  purveyors 
of  the  various  necessaries  of  life,  in  well 
regulated  states,  should  never  be  enabled 
to  acquire  wealth  by  any  other  possible 
mode,  than  some  honourable  preference 
obtained  from  superior  delicacy  and  salu-' 
brity  in  the  articles  vended,  and  the  ex- 
treme moderation  of  price  at  which  they 
sell  them.  The  wise,  where  it  is  any  way 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


145 


practicable,  will  endeavour  to  manufacture 
wholesome  articles  of  some  known  quality 
for  themselves ; and,  to  aid  such  laudable 
pursuits,  a vast  fund  of  information  may 
easily  be  gleaned  from  our  numerous  ceco- 
nomical  receipts. 

Gamine  Process  of  Malting  Barley,  8gc.  for 
Brewing. 

Malt,  in  general,  is  the  term  used  to 
describe  barley  which  has  undergone  the 
process  of  malting ; for  the  purpose,  chiefly, 
of  being  converted  into  beer,  ale,  barley 
wine,  vinegar,  or  spirits.  But,  by  the  pro- 
cess of  malting,  every  species  of  grain,  and 
many  other  substances,  are  or  may  be  con- 
verted into  malt;  which,  then,  is  to  bear 
the  specific  name : as,  wheat  malt,  oat  malt, 
&c.  In  making  malt,  that  of  barley  hying 
alone  now  meant,  the  grain  is  first  steeped 
in  a very  large  cistern  of  soft  water, 
till  it  swells,  becomes  somewhat  tender, 
and  tinges  the  water  of  a bright  reddish 
brown  colour;  which,  in  warm  weather, 
is  frequently  the  case  at  the  end  of  twenty- 
four  hours.  The  water  being  then  drawn 
off,  and  left  to  drain  at  least  twelve  hours, 
the  barley  is  spread  in  a heap  about  two 
feet  thick  on  part  of  the  malting  floor; 
where  it  naturally  heats,  and  begins  to 
grow,  by  first  shooting  out  the  radicle.  At 
this  critical  period,  the  utmost  care  is  to 
be  taken,  as  the  internal  part  soonest  at- 
tains it’s  acquired  growth,  to  shift  the  whole 
gradually,  in  the  mean  time,  by  changing 
continually  their  relative  positions,  till  an 
equal  degree  of  growth  prevails.  This  must 
by  no  means  exceed  the  putting  forth  all 
the  five  roots  to  the  length  of  at  least  an 
inch;  when,  as  the  green  blade  or  spire 
might  soon  be  expected  to  spring  forth, 
which  would  destroy  the  substance  of  the 


malt,  it’s  growth  must  be  instantly  check- 
ed, by  throwing  it  with  a shovel,  and  spread- 
ing it  as  thin  as  possible  all  over  the  floor, 
every  three  hours,  till  the  grain  be  com- 
pleatly  cooled,  and  the  roots  deadened. 
This  accomplished,  the  malt  is  to  be  put 
up  into  large  heaps;  and  left  to  malt,  or 
heat  and  sweat,  till  it  seems  almost  to  burn 
or  scald  the  hand  when  thrust  into  the 
middle  of  the  heap,  which  is  seldom  in  less 
time  than  thirty-six  hours.  The  heaps  are 
now  to  be  repeatedly  thrown  thinly  over 
the  floor,  for  the  grain  to  cool  and  dry; 
which,  then,  is  to  be  taken  to  the  kiln. 
At  this  stage  of  the  business,  it  becomes 
necessary  to  decide  on  the  character  which 
the  malt  shall  bear ; in  other  words,  whe- 
ther it  shall  be  what  is  called  a pale  or  a 
high-dried  malt.  If  pale,  a gentle  fire  is 
to  be  made,  and  continued,  taking  care 
not  to  suffer  the  smallest  a,ppearance  of 
smoke,  so  as  gradually  to  dry  and  suffici- 
ently bake  the  grain,  without  at  all  brown- 
ing it;  which  will  be  effected,  if  spread 
only  four  inches  thick  on  the  kiln,  and  oc- 
casionally stirred  with  an  iron  rake,  in 
about  sixteen  or  eighteen  hours:  when 
the  malt  is  required  to  be  high-dried,  a 
strong  fire  must  be  kindled  and  kept  up, 
sufficient  to  dry  and  well  brown  it  in  four 
hours;  during  which  time  it  must  be  often 
raked,  to  prevent  it’s  being  in  the  smallest 
degree  burnt.  Both  the  pale  and  high- 
dried  malts,  after  being  taken  from  the 
kiln,  are  aliked  to  be  stbred  in  heaps,  sacks, 
&c.  till  wanted  to  be  ground,  or  broken, 
for  sale  or  consumption.  By  this,  or  a 
similar  process,  any  other  English  grain 
may  be  readily  and  effectually  malted. 
Indian  corn,  however,  and  such  larger  sub- 
stances, should  be  suffered  to  grow  till  not 
only  all  the  roots,  but  even  four  inches  of 
2 O 


146 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  blade,  make  their  appearance.  In  Ame- 
rica, therefore,  they  strew  the  maize,  or  In- 
dian corn,  on  the  ground;  slightly  cover  it 
with  earth, which  they  water  when  necessary ; 
and,  on  it’s  springing  forth,  usually  in  ten 
or  twelve  days,  it  is  taken  up,  well  washed 
and  dried,  and  thus  fitted  for  the  kiln,  See. 
Malt  being,  in  general,  by  no  means  the 
better  for  long  keeping,  after  it  is  ground  or 
cut  in  pieces  by  the  mill,  most  great  brew- 
ers purchase  it  unground ; and,  having  a 
mill  of  their  own,  grind  it  only  as  it  is 
wanted.  Mills  of  different  constructions 
are  used  for  grinding  malt,  according  to 
the  notions  of  the  respective  parties  as  to 
the  superiority  of  effect  for  the  required 
purpose;  a mill  composed  of  two  iron 
cylinders,  however,  which  break  the  malt 
without  cutting  it’s  husk,  so  that  the  hot 
water  instantly  penetrates  it’s  entire  sub- 
stance, and  soon  draws  forth  a rich  tinc- 
ture, with  much  less  mashing  than  in  the 
common  way,  is  one  of  the  simplest,  and 
perhaps  the  very  best,  of  all  these  new  in- 
ventions, for  general  purposes.  To  judge 
of  the  quality  of  pale  malt,  a grain  of  it 
may  be  bitten  asunder;  and,  if  it  tastes 
mellow  and  sweet,  breaks  soft,  and  is  from 
end  to  end  full  of  flour,  it  can  scarcely 
fail  to  be  good.  The  goodness  of  high- 
dried  malt  depends  chiefly  on  it’s  scent, 
colour,  and  taste. 

Art  of  Brewing  in  General , with  a particular 

Description  of  one  of  the  best  common  Me- 
thods. 

Brewing  is  a general  term,  used  chiefly 
to  signify  the  art  of  preparing  ale,  or  beer, 
from  malt : this  is  effected  by  extracting 
all  it’s  fermentable  parts  with  the  assis- 
tance of  hot  water,  which  is  then  called 
sweet  wort;  adding,  to  this  sweet  liquid 


extract  of  malt,  a proportion  of  the  flowers 
called  hops;  extracting,  in  like  manner, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  hot  wort,  their 
bitter  aromatic  flavour  for  the  purpose  of 
meliorating  and  better  preserving  the  liquid 
when  fermented;  and,  finally,  causing  a 
perfect  fermentation  in  the  two  united  ex- 
tracts of  the  malt  and  hops,  before  they 
grow  quite  cold,  by  means  of  what  is  deno- 
minated yeast,  or  barm:  after  the  ceasing  of 
which  fermentation,  the  liquid  thus  prepar- 
ed becomes  what  is  usually  called  ale,  when 
prepared  from  pale  malt;  and,  when  from 
high-dried  malt,  beer.  The  froth,  or  scum, 
which  rises  and  foams  in  very  considerable 
quantities,  during  the  act  of  fermentation, 
is  in  fact  the  very  article  called  yeast,  or 
barm;  by  the  use  of  which,  however  it 
might  be  originally  obtained,  this  fermen- 
tation can  alone  be  properly  excited. 
These  are  the  general  principles  wdiich 
form  an  outline  of  the  art  of  brewing ; 
an  art  in  which,  notwithstanding  it’s  ap- 
parent simplicity,  as  well  as  the  circum- 
stance of  it’s  being  continually  practised, 
more  or  less,  in  so  many  countries,  and 
in  every  age,  from  periods  of  the  most  re- 
mote antiquity  to  the  present  hour,  there 
is  still  much  to  learn.  In  the  mean  time, 
a sufficient  knowledge  of  the  art,  to  make 
excellent  ale  and  beer,  of  numerous  dif- 
ferent descriptions,  has  certainly  been  ac- 
quired by  the  ingenuity  of  many  in- 
dividuals, assisted  with  local  advantages, 
and  favoured  by  judicious  or  fortunate 
combinations,  in  the  natural  ingredients 
or  the  process  of  preparing  and  using  them; 
which  have,  in  a great  variety  of  instances, 
been  preserved,  and  may  chiefly  be  seen 
in  the  excellent  receipts  for  brewing  cele- 
brated malt  liquors  of  each  description,  as 
they  are  scattered  throughout  this  com- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


prehensive  collection  of  useful  knowledge. 
One  of  the  best  common  methods  of  brew- 
ing good  English  ale  and  strong  beer,  with 
the  second  mash  of  each,  which  are  indif- 
ferently named  small  or  table  beer,  whe- 
ther from  strong  beer  or  ale,  is  as  follows — 
Having  carefully  examined  the  various 
brewing  utensils,  which  must  all  be  per- 
fectly sweet  and  clean,  fill  the  copper  with 
the  softest  and  clearest  water  to  be  pro- 
cured; which,  in  the  language  of  brewers, 
is  always  called  liquor.  As  soon  as  it  boils, 
it  must  be  run  or  conveyed  into  the  mash 
tub;  and,  immediately,  the  copper  is  again 
to  be  filled  up,  and  left  to  boil.  In  the 
mean  while,  when  the  steam  from  the 
mash  tub  so  far  subsides  as  that  the  face 
appears  reflected  by  the  water,  on  looking 
into  it,  the  temperature  of  it’s  heat  is  pro- 
per for  the  reception  of  the  malt;  a state 
which  is  hastened,  when  necessary,  by 
adding  a small  quantity  of  cold  water. 
Having  ready  a quarter  or  eight  bushels 
of  ground  malt,  pour  gently  from  the  sacks 
to  the  liquor  in  the  mash  tub,  all  but  about 
a bushel  of  the  malt;  stirring  it  well  the 
whole  time,  with  one  or  more  mashers 
or  oars,  and  continuing  so  to  do  for  at  least  j 
half  an  hour.  This  being  done,  spread 
lightly  over  the  surface  the  reserved  bushel 
of  malt,  to  prevent  as  much  as  possible  the 
escape  of  the  steam,  which  must  also  be 
immediately  confined  by  a covering  of 
empty  sacks,  &c.  sustained  with  an  oar 
placed  across,  or  by  some  such  expedient; 
and  in  this  state  it  must  be  left  for  at  least 
an  hour.  At  the  end  of  about  that  time,  draw 
oft  a bowl  or  two  of  wort,  and  fill  and  return 
it  till  the  liquid  runs  clear;  when,  if  the 
quantity  of  wort  appear  to  fall  short,  more 
water  from  the  boiling  copper  is  to  be 
gradually  conveyed  to  and  run  through 


147 

the  mash  tub,  so  as  to  make  up  somewhat 
more  than  a hogshead  in  the  whole.  When 
this  is  all  drawn  off  into  the  under  back  or 
receiver,  all  the  boiling  water  from  the 
copper  is  to  be  run  or  conveyed  into  the 
mash  tub,  for  the  second  mash,  or  table 
beer;  and  tiie  copper  being  immediately 
filled  with  the  first  wort,  must  be  made  to 
boil  as  soon  as  possible.  If  tlie  ale  or  beer 
be  brewed  for  long  keeping,  a pound  of 
the  best  and  newest  hops  to  each  bushel 
of  malt,  but  only  a little  more  than  half 
the  quantity  when  wanted  for  early  con- 
sumption, is  to  be  used.  A third  part  only 
of  the  hops  should  be,  at  first,  boiled  with 
the  wort;  another  third  part  should  be  add- 
ed, when  it  has  boiled  for  about  an  hour; 
and,  the  remainder  being  thrown  in  near 
the  expiration  of  the  second  hour,  the  fire 
must  be  almost  instantaneously  slackened 
or  extinguished,  and  the  wort  passed  through 
a sieve  into  the  coolers.  Being  cooled  with 
the  utmost  expedition,  till  it  grows  scarce!  v 
the  warmth  of  new  milk,  it  must  be  removed 
into  the  working  vat;  and,  a quart  of  good 
yeast  being  put  in  a wooden  bowl,  it  must 
be  placed  to  float  in  the  liquor,  with  a little 
of  the  wort  from  time  to  time  added,  till 
it  works  over,  and  excites  a fermentation 
in  the  whole.  In  this  state,  it  should  be 
allowed  to  ferment  or  work  two  or  three 
days,  till  the  head  begins  to  fall;  when  it 
should  be  tunned  or  barrelled  off,  and  suf- 
fered to  compleat  it’s  fermentation  in  the 
vessel  or  vessels.  Each  cask  is  to  be  fill- 
ed up  as  it  flows  over,  and  left  full  after 
ceasing  to  work;  when  it  is  to  be  bunged 
close,  and  have  a loose  peg  kept  for  some 
days  in  the  vent  hole,  till  it  ceases  to  hiss: 
that,  also,  is  then  to  be  tightly  dosed,  and 
the  ale  or  beer  kept  for  use.  In  the  mean 
time,  the  second  mash  of  wort,  which  should 


148 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK 


be  the  table  beer,  and  may  be  as  much  in 
quantity  as  the  first,  is  to  undergo  an  exact- 
ly similar  process;  having  the  hops  already 
used  for  the  ale  or  beer  boiled  with  it,  in- 
stead of  fresh:  a little  fresh  hops,  however, 
thrown  in  just  at  last,  as  directed  for  the 
ale  or  beer,  greatly  improves  the  flavour 
of  the  table  drink.  Some  persons,  indeed, 
consider  the  second  mash  as  only  an  in- 
ferior description  of  ale  or  beer;  and 
extract  a third,  for  what  they  call  their 
small  beer.  Others  mix  the  two  mashes  to-  I 
gether,  and  then  do  the  same.  Each,  of 
course,  adopting  these  and  other  modes, 
as  to  quantity  and  quality,  according  to 
their  respective  circumstances  or  inclina- 
tions. 

Curious  Turkish  Method  of  Setting  Broken 
Limbs, 

In  the  eastern  parts  of  the  Turkish  em- 
pire, Mr.  Eton  informs  us  that  he  saw  a 
method  of  bone-setting  practised,  which 
appears  worthy  the  attention  of  European 
surgeons ; though,  in  general,  the  Turks, 
who  are  very  inexpert  surgeons,  will  per- 
form no  operations,  nor  even  suffer  any 
European  to  amputate  their  limbs,  not- 
withstanding loss  of  life  be  the  certain 
consequence  of  such  omission.  Their  art, 
indeed,  is  chiefly  confined  to  healing;  and, 
at  most,  extracting  a ball  and  a splinter  of 
a bone:  they  rely  much  on  balsams,  mum- 
my, &c.  and,  as  their  habit  of  body  is  ge- 
nerally healthy,  it  must  be  confessed  that 
nature  often  performs  wonderful  cures. 
Their  method  of  setting  bones,  however, 
is  really  curious — The  bones  of  the  frac- 
tured limb,  being  carefully  reduced  to  their 
proper  stations,  a case  of  plaister  of  Paris, 
or  gypsum,  which  takes  exactly  the  form  of 
the  limb,  without  any  pressure,  is  spread 


round  it;  and,  in  a few  minutes,  the  mass 
becomes  solid  and  strong.  If  it  be  a com- 
pound fracture,  the  wounded  part  out  of 
which  an  exfoliated  bone  is  to  come  may 
be  left  uncovered,  without  any  injury  to 
the  strength  of  the  plaister  encasement. 
This  substance,  too,  may  be  easily  cut 
with  a knife;  and  removed,  or  replaced, 
at  pleasure.  If,  when  the  swelling  sub- 
sides, the  cavity  should  be  too  large  for 
the  limb,  a hole  or  holes  being  left,  liquid 
plaister  of  Paris  may  be  poured  in,  so  as 
perfectly  to  fill  up  the  void  and  exactly 
fit  the  limb.  A hole  may  be  made  at  first, 
by  placing  an  oiled  cork  or  bit  of  wood 
against  any  part  where  it  is  required;  and, 
when  the  plaister  is  set,  it  is  to  be  removed. 
There  is  nothing  in  gypsum,  this  gentle- 
man remarks,  at  all  injurious,  if  it  be  free 
from  lime:  it  will  soon  become  very  dry 
and  light;  and  the  limb  may  even  be  bathed 
with  spirits,  which  will  readily  penetrate 
through  the  covering.  Spirits,  indeed,  may 
be  used  instead  of  water ; or  mixed  with 
it,  or  vinegar,  at  the  first  making  of  the 
plaister  case.  “ I saw,”  says  Mr.  Eton, 
“ a case  of  a most  terrible  compound  frac- 
ture of  the  leg  and  thigh,  by  the  fall  of  a 
cannon,  cured  in  this  manner.  The  person 
was  seated  on  the  ground,  and  the  plaister 
case  extended  from  below  his  heel  to  the 
upper  part  of  his  thigh  ; whence  a bandage, 
fastened  into  the  plaister,  went  round  his 
body.  He  reclined  back  when  he  slept, 
as  he  could  not  lie  down.  During  the 
cure,  where  they  saw  matter  or  moisture 
appear  through  the  plaister  coating,  they 
cut  a hole  with  a knife,  to  dress  the  wound, 
or  let  out  the  matter  more  freely.”  It  seems 
probable,  that  this  simple  mode  of  covering 
fractured  parts  may  sometimes  be  adopted 
with  advantage,  by  scientific  surgeons. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK 


Successful  Treatment  of  Frozen  Limbs  by 
the  Russians. 

To  the  successful  treatment  of  frozen 
limbs,  in  Russia,  not  by  the  surgeons,  but 
by  the  common  people,  Mr.  Eton  was  an 
eye-witness  in  several  cases,  as  well  as  to 
the  failure  of  the  usual  mode  of  treat- 
ing frozen  parts  by  the  most  able  surgeons 
of  the  army.  After  Ochakof  was  taken  by 
the  Russians,  this  gentleman  received  into 
his  subterranean  lodging  as  many  priso- 
ners as  it  would  contain,  all  of  whom 
were  either  wounded  or  had  a limb  frozen. 
Among  them  were  two  children,  one  about 
six  and  the  other  about  fourteen  years  of 
age:  the  latter  had  one  of  her  feet  frozen 
to  the  ancle;  the  other,  all  the  toes,  and 
the  sole  of  one  of  her  feet.  On  the  first 
day,  they  were  not  much  observed  ; but, 
on  the  second,  the  parts  appeared  black,  j 
The  French  surgeon  whom  Prince  Potem- 
kin had  sent  for  purposely  from  Paris,  and 
who  was  a man  of  note,  ordered  them  to 
be  constantly  bathed  with  warm  campho- 
rated spirits.  The  elder  was  removed  to 
an  hospital  when  the  mortification  began: 
the  younger,  Mr.  Eton  kept  with  him ; and, 
as  he  removed  into  winter  quarters,  car- 
ried the  child  with  him.  The  mortified 
parts  separated;  the  bones  of  the  toes 
came  off;  and,  after  a long  time,  the  sores 
healed.  The  French  surgeon  had  been  j 
desirous  of  immediately  amputating  both  j 
limbs  of  these  children.  In  another  sub-  i 
terranean  room,  not  far  from  that  of  Mr.  j 
Eton,  were  several  women,  whose  feet 
had  been  in  like  manner  frozen;  but,  as 
no  surgeon  attended  them,  the  Russian 
soldiers  and  waggoners  undertook  the 
cure.  When  they  applied  their  remedy 
it  was  also  the  second  day,  and  the  parts 


149 

were  perfectly  black.  This  remedy  was 
warm  goose-grease  ; with  which  the  morti- 
fied parts  were  well  smeared,  and  the  ope- 
ration was  often  repeated.  Their  directions 
were,  never  to  let  the  parts  be  dry,  but 
always  covered  with  grease.  The  conse- 
quence was,  that  by  degrees  the  circulation 
extended  lower  down,  the  blackness  de- 
creased till  the  toes  were  merely  disco- 
loured, and  at  length  circulation  was  com- 
pleatly  restored  to  them.  This  is  the  gene- 
ral practice  of  the  peasants  throughout 
Russia;  but,  if  a part  is  discovered  to  be 
frozen  before  the  person  comes  into  a 
warm  room,  the  frost  may  be  extracted  by 
only  plunging  the  part  into  cold  water, 
or  rubbing  it  with  snow  till  the  circulation 
returns. 

Origin  of  making  Coffee. 

It  is  of  little  consequence,  a celebrated 
French  chemist  remarks,  from  whom  this 
article  is  translated,  to  ascertain  the  time 
when  coffee  was  first  discovered,  or  how 
they  made  it.  So  many  writers  have  an- 
ticipated all  he  could  say  on  that  subject, 
that  he  is  determined  to  pass  it  over  in 
silence.  He  will  only  venture  to  assert 
that,  when  they  first  began  to  use  it, 
they  naturally  made  an  infusion  of  the 
berries  in  the  state  they  were  gathered 
from  the  trees  which  produced  them.  In 
that  way,  coffee  effected,  without  doubt, 
much  good,  but  afforded  very  little  plea- 
sure to  the  mouth.  By  degrees,  the  agree- 
able encroached  on  the  useful : they  re- 
fined on  the  preparation  ; gave  it  a slight 
heat,  probably  from  noticing  the  increase 
of  odour,  at  some  accidental  burning  of  a 
berry;  and,  at  length,  increased  the  tor- 
rification  to  the  present  pitch  of  coffee 
roasting:  so  that  wc  have  nearly  lost  all 


150 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


remembrance  of  the  manner  in  which  ! 
it  was  used  by  the  original  inventors. 
Many  French  physicians  do  not  hesitate 
to  advise,  that  it  should  be  taken  without 
roasting;  contending  that,  if  coffee  is  ca- 
pable of  producing  the  effects  which  have 
been  ascribed  to  it,  this  specific  virtue 
must  peculiarly  reside  in  the  spirituous 
parts  and  volatile  salts  of  the  coffee. 
It  is  certain,  that  these  parts  almost  wholly 
exhale,  evaporate,  and  are  dissipated,  by 
the  roasting;  from  whence  they  deduce 
this  consequence,  which  appears  sufficiently 
just,  that  the  coffee,  by  that  operation,  is 
deprived  of  the  principal  part  of  it’s  spe- 
cific virtues.  Others  maintain,  that  the 
salts  and  spirituous  and  oleaginous  parts, 
are  only  developed  and  detached  by  the 
heat  of  the  roasting,  and  thus  rendered 
capable  of  producing  their  effects.  Each  of 
these  opinions  has  it’s  respective  parti- 
zans : those  who  consider  coffee  as  an  in- 
nocent refreshment,  and  who  are  desirous 
of  taking  it  agreeably,  are  of  the  latter  sen- 
timent; those,  on  the  contrary,  who  hear 
often  of  the  virtues  attributed  to  coffee,  and 
wish  to  find  it  a remedy  for  some  complaint, 
are  not  backward  in  adopting  the  former 
opinion.  Those,  therefore,  who  would 
make  trial  of  this  primitive  method,  may 
take  half  an  ounce  of  clean  and  sound  un- 
roasted coffee  berries,  of  a good  odour, 
and  throw  them  into  eight  or  ten  cups 
of  water  ; set  it  on  warm  ashes ; and,  keep- 
ing it  hot,  without  boiling,  for  an  hour,  it  will 
be  done.  This  dose,  though  small,  is  said 
sufficiently  to  produce  all  the  medicinal 
effects  of  coffee:  because,  in  this  manner, 
it  suffers  no  dissipation  of  it’s  spirits ; the 
infusion  delicately  extracting  the  fixed 
and  volatile  salts,  which  unite  with  the 
oleaginous  quality,  and  benignly  pass  in- 


to tbe  stomach,  without  communicating  to 
the  blood  either  acridity  or  roughness,  not 
having  yet  acquired  them  by  roasting. 
This  preparation,  assuredly,  will  not  prove 
very  exquisite  in  taste,  though  profita- 
ble for  the  health  as  well  as  unex pen- 
sive: for  the  same  coffee  may  be  used 
two  or  three  times,  on  throwing  in  a little 
fresh  each  time ; and,  after  all,  it  may  be 
roasted  and  prepared  in  the  common  way. 

Management  of  Coffee  in  France , 

Those  who  wish  to  have  excellent  cof- 
fee, in  France,  roast  it  every  day  as  it  is 
used : they  even  say,  that  it  should  be  roast- 
ed, ground,  infused,  and  drank,  in  the 
space  of  two  hours ; and  assert  that,  if 
these  processes  be  longer  in  succeeding 
each  other,  the  coffee  loses  much  of  that 
volatile  spirit  which  constitutes  all  it’s 
agreeable  flavour.  The  quantity  com- 
monly used  is  an  ounce  to  five  cups  of 
spring  water,  to  produce  four  of  good  and 
clear  coffee.  In  the  mean  time,  it  is  usual 
to  throw  their  coffee  grounds  into  a vessel, 
boil  them  half  an  hour,  and  leave  them  to 
settle;  this  infusion  so  well  serves  for  a 
third  part  of  the  coffee  in  powder,  that 
in  a coffee-pot  of  fourteen  cups  of  pure 
spring  water,  which  should  have  three 
ounces  to  be  good,  two  ounces  with  this 
infusion  will  be  of  equal  strength  and 
goodness.  The  operation  of  boiling  the 
grounds  is  performed,  in  large  coffee-houses, 
five  or  six  times  every  day.  This  is  the 
common  way  of  making  coffee  throughout 
France,  where  it  is  generally  drank  with 
sugar  and  cream;  while,  at  different  cof- 
fee-houses, and  in  particular  families,  va- 
nilla, isinglass,  and  other  ingredients,  are 
also  introduced,  as  they  have  lately  been 
in  England.  The  French,  beside  break- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


151 


fasting  often  on  coffee,  usually  drink  two 
cups  about  half  an  hour  after  dinner;  to 
hasten  digestion,  or  abate  the  fumes  of 
wine  and  liqueurs  when  they  have  been 
taken  to  exceed  the  bounds  of  necessity. 

French  Modes  of  preparing  Milk  Coffee. 

There  are,  in  France,  two  methods  of 
preparing  milk  coffee;  of  which,  the  best 
is  this — Boil  from  eight  to  ten  cups  of  new 
milk ; as  soon  as  it  has  boiled,  throw  in  an 
ounce  of  coffee,  boil  it  up  three  times  with- 
out settling,  take  the  coffee  pot  off  the  fire, 
add  half  a cupful  of  cold  spring  water,  let 
it  stand  between  seven  and  eight  minutes, 
and  then  drink  it.  The  second  method  is 
thus — Make  an  ounce  of  coffee,  in  the 
usual  manner,  with  four  or  five  cups  of 
spring  water;  rain,  river,  or  other  soft  wa- 
ter, being  never  used  for  making  coffee 
in  France,  where  any  way  avoidable:  while 
the  coffee  is  at  rest,  boil  as  much  milk  as 
is  intended  to  be  used  ; then  pour  into  a 
cup  the  proportions  of  each  most  approved. 
Every  person  can  thus  diminish,  or  increase, 
at  pleasure,  the  relative  quantities  of  cof- 
fee or  milk,  according  to  their  respective 
tastes:  but,  though  this  be  most  convenient, 
the  former  method  is  considered  as  the 
best;  the  coffee  being  esteemed  in  a greater 
degree  nourishing,  better  united,  more  bal- 
samic, and  of  superior  flavour.  Milk  cof- 
fee particularly  suits  the  dry  and  hot  tem- 
perament of  slender  persons:  it  moistens, 
instead  of  drying;  because  the  acrid  salts 
of  the  coffee  being  softened,  and  their  points 
sheathed  by  the  butteraceous  particles  con- 
tained in  the  milk,  glide  with  that  vehicle, 
fortifying  and  even  fattening  the  party. 

Coffee  Cream,  and  Coffee  Jelly. 

Boil  an  ounce  of  coffee  berries,  twenty- 


five  coriander  seeds,  half  a stick  of  cinna- 
mon, a bit  of  Seville  orange  peel,  and  a 
little  loaf  sugar,  in  a pint  of  good  cream, 
for  nearly  a quarter  of  an  hour.  In  the 
mean  time,  having  beat  up  the  whites  of 
four  or  five  eggs,  strain  to  them  the  warm 
liquid,  put  all  over  the  fire,  keep  whisk- 
ing it  till  it  thickens,  and  then  pour  it  into  a 
dish,  or  separate  cups  or  glasses,  and  serve 
it  up  cold  with  any  favourite  biscuits. 
Some  prepare  an  agreeable  coffee  cream,  by 
making  a gill  of  very  strong  and  clear  cof- 
fee, and  a pint  of  rich  calf’s  foot  jelly ; 
which  they  mix  together  while  both  are 
hot,  adding  a pint  of  good  cream  with  loaf 
or  Lisbon  sugar  to  suit  the  palate.  As 
this  will  jelly,  though  it  should  not  be  stiff, 
it  is  as  much  entitled  to  be  called  coffee 
jelly  as  coffee  cream. 

Tea  Cream. 

This  cream,  which  is  also  taken  cold, 
commonly  with  ratafia  biscuits,  is  prepared 
in  a similar  manner  to  the  coffee  cream: 
by  boiling,  in  a pint  of  cream,  the  same  quan- 
tity of  coriander  seeds,  cinnamon,  orange 
or  lemon  peel,  and  sugar;  then,  adding  a 
gill  and  a half  of  strong  gunpowder,  hyson, 
or  Pekoa  tea,  straining  the  liquid  into  the 
beaten  whites  of  eggs;  and,  lastly,  whisk- 
ing it  together  over  the  fire  till  it  sufficient- 
ly thickens.  This,  too,  may  be  served  up 
in  cups  or  glasses. 

Chocolate  Cream. 

Boil  an  ounce  of  the  best  scraped  cho- 
colate in  a pint  of  rich  cream  and  a pint  of 
good  milk,  with  a quarter  of  a pound  of 
loaf  sugar.  When  milled  quite  smooth, 
take  it  off  the  fire;  and,  while  it  cools, 
whisk  up  the  whites  of  six  or  eight  eggs, 
pour  it  into  glasses,  take  up  the  froth  of 


1 52 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  eggs  with  a spoon,  lay  it  on  sieves,  then 
put  it  in  the  glasses  so  as  for  some  of  it  to 
rise  above  the  cream,  and  thus  serve  it  up. 

Good  and  Cheap  Staffordshire  Syllabub. 

This  is  a very  pleasant  as  well  as  a very 
cheap  method  of  making  syllabub.  Milk 
into  a bowl,  on  a quart  of  cyder;  mixed 
with  a glass  or  two  of  good  brandy,  and 
some  sugar  and  nutmeg:  or,  if  a cow  be 
not  at  hand,  warm  some  good  milk,  'and 
pour  it,  from  a considerable  height,  through 
the  spout  of  a tea-pot,  into  the  bowl,  the 
top  of  which  mayr  thus  be  almost  equally  well 
frothed.  In  summer,  this  is  not  a bad 
beverage,  even  without  the  brandy  or  spice; 
as  it  is  often  drank  in  many  retired  parts 
of  the  country,  some  of  them  within  thirty 
miles  of  the  metropolis. 

Royal  London  Syllabub. 

Put  a bottle  of  red  port,  a pint  of  Ma- 
deira, sherry,  or  fine  old  mountain,  and 
half  a pint  of  brandy,  into  a large  bowl, 
with  grated  nutmeg  and  plenty  of  loaf 
sugar,  then  milk  into  it  at  least  two  quarts; 
and  grate  over  it  some  more  nutmeg.  Good 
wine  syllabub  is  commonly  made,  in  Lon- 
don, with  either  red  or  white  wine  alone; 
it  is,  however,  sometimes  half  and  half. 
Ked  wine  is  chiefly  preferred,  on  account 
of  it’s  agreeable  colour. 

Devonshire  Syllabub. 

In  Devonshire,  and  the  adjacent  coun- 
ties famous  for  clouted  or  scalded  cream, 
their  richest  syllabubs  are  usually  made  in 
the  following  manner — Put  a pint  of  red 
port  and  a pint  of  any  white  wine,  in  a 
large  china  bowl,  with  sugar  to  palate, 
and  milk  it  nearly  full;  in  about  a quarter 
of  an  hour,  cover  it  high  with  scalded  cream, 
grate  over  it  a nutmeg,  scatter  a little  pound- 


ed mace  and  cinnamon,  and  give  it  a rich 
sprinkling  with  those  minute  coloured  com- 
fits called  nonpareils. 

Rhubarb  Tarts. 

The  name  of  rhubarb,  by  which  one  of 
the  commonest  and  most  useful  articles  in 
the  materia  medica  is  known,  excites  a 
revolt  in  the  organs  of  taste,  from  recol- 
lection of  the  extreme  bitterness  of  that 
root,  which  it’s  being  prefixed  to  the  fa- 
vourite word  tart  insufficiently  struggles 
to  prevent.  This  rhubarb,  however,  is  not 
the  root,  neither  is  it  bitter:  on  the  con- 
trary, it  is  a powerful  and  pleasing  acid, 
admirably  adapted  for  tarts;  and,  to  strike 
at  the  root  of  prejudice,  it  is  no  part  of  the 
medicinal  rhubarb  plant,  but  a very  dif- 
ferent species  of  the  same  genus.  The 
true  or  officinal  palmated  rhubarb,  is  the 
rheum  palmatum  of  the  Linnaean  system  ; 
and,  though  it’s  culture  has  been  intro- 
duced into  Europe,  it  is  a native  of  China 
and  the  East  Indies:  the  rheum  rhaponti- 
cum,  or  common  rhubarb,  has  long  been 
cultivated  in  English  gardens,  merely  for 
the  footstalks  of  the  leaves,  which  are  used 
in  pies  and  tarts;  though  this  also  is  an 
exotic,  having  been  originally  a native  of 
Syria  and  of  Thrace.  The  root  of  this  spe- 
cies of  rhubarb,  too,  has  medicinal  qua- 
lities: it  even  possesses  greater  astringency 
than  the  true  palmated  rhubarb;  but  it  is 
so  inferior  as  a purgative,  that  two  or  three 
drams,  instead  of  fifteen  or  twenty  grains, 
are  requisite  for  a single  dose  of  the  pow- 
dered root.  It  is  to  be  feared  that,  though 
this  root  is  of  a dusky  colour  and  of  a very 
porous  and  spongy  texture,  while  the  true 
is  externally  yellowish  brown  and  inter- 
nally a bright  yellow  streaked  with  red  veins, 
it  is  often  sold  for  the  genuine  palmated 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


153 


rhubarb.  The  following  is  the  method  of 
making  tarts  with  the  edible  part  of  this 
wholesome  and  agreeable  plant — Cat  the 
green  stalks  of  common  or  garden  rhubarb 
into  small  pieces  about  the  size  of  young 
gooseberries;  put  them  into  a dish,  squeeze 
over  them  the  juice  of  a lemon  or  Seville 
orange,  sweeten  them  well  with  a sufficient 
quantity  of  sifted  loaf  sugar,  cover  it  with 
a good  puff  paste,  and  serve  it  up  either 
plain  or  with  cream,  like  a tart  of  green 
gooseberries.  If  it  be  wished  rather  to 
have  the  semblance  of  a codlin  tart,  the 
rhubarb  stalks  may  be  merely  cut  into 
lengths  of  about  four  inches;  and,  having 
the  skins  taken  off,  be  slowly  simmered 
in  a saucepan,  with  sugar  and  water,  for 
about  an  hour;  and,  when  cold,  be  made 
into  a tart  like  codlins. 

Lcason  for  Soups,  Fricassees,  8&p.. 

The  term  lcason,  in  the  English  culinary 
language,  is  corrupted  from  the  French 
liaison;  which  signifies  coherence,  con- 
gruity,  or  the  faculty  of  thickening  ingre- 
dients and  making  them  incorporate  well 
together.  It  differs  chiefly  from  a cull  is, 
or  coulis,  which  is  also  a uniter  and  thick- 
ener, in  not  requiring  to  be  previously 
strained.  This  name  of  leason  is  in  Eng- 
land generally  confined  to  a composition 
for  soups,  fricassees,  &c.  consisting  of  the 
yolk  of  an  egg  for  every  gill  of  cream,  and 
a small  proportion  of  salt,  well  beat  up 
together.  It  may,  however,  be  made  more 
or  less  thick,  and  even  admit  the  use  of 
other  ingredients,  according  to  the  taste 
of  the  party,  without  ceasing  to  be  a leason. 

Excellent  Collared  Eels. 

I HE  largest  and  finest  eels  should  be 
selected  tor  collaring,  each  making  a se- 


parate piece  or  collar;  and,  being  well 
cleansed,  and  either  skinned  or  not,  ac- 
cording to  the  preference  of  the  party, 
each  being  carefully  boned,  and  laid  as  flat 
as  possible  with  the  inside  upward.  A 
mixture  of  parsley,  shallot,  thyme,  mar- 
joram, and  savoury,  all  chopped  very  small, 
with  a very  little  finely  beaten  pepper, 
mace,  cloves,  nutmeg,  allspice,  mushroom 
powder,  lemon  peel,  and  salt,  is  to  be  plen- 
tifully rubbed  in  and  strewed  over  the  in- 
side of  the  eel ; after  which  it  is  to  be  tight- 
ly rolled  up,  and  bound  fast  with  tape. 
In  the  mean  time,  having  boiled  the  heads, 
bones,  &c.  of  the  eels  in  salt  and  water, 
with  a bit  of  lemon  peel,  a few  bay  leaves, 
and  sufficient  pepper,  put  the  collars  in  the 
strained  liquor,  with  the  addition  of  some 
vinegar,  and  let  them  simmer  in  a stewpan 
over  the  fire  till  they  are  sufficiently  done. 
Take  the  collars  out,  skim  the  fat  off  the 
liquor,  and  boil  it  down  to  a strong  jelly; 
and  either  pour  it  on  them  when  they  are 
cold,  after  taking  off  the  tape  and  trimming 
their  ends,  or  wipe  them  dry,  and  serve  them 
up  with  thechopped  jelly  roundthem.  Some 
sprigs  of  parsley,  lemon  peel,  or  bunches 
of  barberries,  may  be  put  on  their  tops, 
and  slices  of  lemon  placed  round  the  dish, 
if  they  are  served  up  whole;  but,  when 
sent  to  table  only  in  slices,  a garnish  of 
parsley  will  be  quite  sufficient.  In  col- 
laring eels  for  common  family  use,  which 
are  not  only  excellent  but  highly  nourish- 
ing food,  little  more  is  necessary  than  plenty 
of  parsley,  a few  sweet  herbs,  some  pound- 
ed allspice,  and  common  salt  and  pepper. 
On  the  other  hand,  some  even  put  wine 
into  the  jelly;  which  they  also  clear  with 
whites  of  eggs,  and  pass  through  a bag  or 
tamis  cloth.  Collared  eels,  done  either 
*way,  will  keep  for  a considerable  length 
2q 


154 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


of  time,  and  are  therefore  very  convenient 
as  well  as  delicious. 

Fine  Fielded  Oysters. 

Tiif.re  are  many  waysof  pickling  oysters,  i 
some  of  them  very  troublesome  and  ex- 
pensive. The  following  is,  perhaps,  the  1 
best  method  ever  yet  published,  and  cer- 
tainly as  simple  and  cheap  as  any  of  them. 
Pat  the  oysters  into  a stewpan,  dust  over 
the  beards  a little  fine  Lisbon  sugar,  pour 
in  their  own  liquor  well  strained  or  filtered, 
and  put  them  on  a gentle  fire  for  live  mi- 
nutes without  suffering  them  to  boil.  Then 
pour  off  the  liqnor  into  another  stewpan ; | 
and,  adding  to  it  double  the  quantity  of 
good  vinegar,  with  some  ketchup,  Cayenne 
pepper,  lemon  peel,  and  salt,  boil  the 
whole  well  together,  for  a quarter  of  an 
hour.  In  the  mean  time,  having  given 
the  beards  of  the  oysters  another  dusting 
of  sugar,  finely  pounded  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  salt,  and  placed  them  one  by 
one  carefully  in  ajar;  when  both  are  quite  ! 
cold,  pour  the  strained  pickling  liquor 
over  them,  and  keep  them  closely  from  the 
air  with  bladder  and  leather.  Seme,  on 
account  of  the  general  toughness  of  the 
beards,  cut  them  off  before  they  are  depo- 
sited in  the  jar;  but,  when  well  managed 
as  above  directed,  they  will  not  have  that 
ill  quality.  Pickled  oysters  should  be  served 
up  placed  in  rows,  on  a dish  garnished  with 
thin  slices  of  lemon. 

Devilled  Almonds. 

Fry  a quarter  of  a pound  of  blanched 
sweet  almonds,  in  about  an  ounce  of  fresh 
butter,  till  they  appear  of  a good  brown 
colour;  then,  draining  them  on  a sieve, 
strew  over  them  some  salt  and  Cayenne 
pepper,  and  serve  them  up  as  hot  as  pos- 


sible. A little  finely  beaten  mace  or  nut- 
meg may  be  mixed  with  the  pepper  and 
salt. 

Devilled  Biscuits. 

Sea  and  other  hard  biscuits  may  be  de- 
villed in  the  same  way;  these,  however, 
being  first  soaked  a short  time  in  cold  wa- 
ter.  If  Cayenne  pepper  be  thought  too 
strong,  powdered  long  pepper,  or  even 
white  pepper,  may  be  substituted.  I hese 
j high-seasoned  articles,  very  aptly  called 
devils,  are  chiefly  introduced  after  con- 
vivial dinners,  where  there  is  a full  deter- 
mination to  make  all  the  company  drink 
as  much  as  possible. 

Beautiful  Pickled  Barberries. 

This  fruit,  on  account  of  it’s  beautiful 
appearance  for  garnish,  is  preserved,  pick- 
led,  &c.  in  a variety  of  ways.  It  may  be, 
and  often  is,  so  powerful  is  it’s  natural 
acid,  pickled  in  bunches,  with  strong  salt 
and  water  only;  which,  however,  should 
be  timely  changed,  whenever  it  appears 
scummed  over.  This  both  tastes  and  looks 
well,  and  will  keep  a considerable  time. 
Where  persons  are  particularly  curious, 
it  is  pickled  in  the  following  manner,  which 
may  be  considered  as  the  best — Boil  some 
of  the  worst  and  single  berries,  in  salt 
and  water;  then,  straining  off  the  juice, 
which  must  be  of  a good  colour,  add  to 
every  gill  a quart  of  vinegar,  with  an  ounce 
of  salt,  a quarter  of  a pound  of  loaf  sugar, 
j a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  powdered  and 
j sifted  ginger,  and  a little  sliced  horse-radish. 

In  the  mean  time,  put  bunches  of  the  finest 
i barberries  into  the  jar,  and  pour  the  strain- 
I ed  pickle  boiling  hot  over  them.  When  it 
is  quite  cold,  add  sufficient  bruised  cochi- 
neal to  heighten  the  colour,  and  tie  the 
whole  up  close. 


155 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


Pickled  Bunches  of  Currants, 

The  mode  of  pickling  currants  in  bunches 
is  exactly  the  same  as  this  last  manner  of 
pickling  barberries,  only  leaving  out  the 
ginger  and  horse-radish;  or,  rather,  sub- 
stituting for.  them  a little  cinnamon  and  a 
few  cloves. 

French  Embrocation  for  the  Rheumatism , 
Palsy,  8gc. 

Take  four  ounces  each  of  good  fresh 
butter,  and  common  hard  soap,  a quartern 
of  brandy,  and  ten  ounces  of  the  white  part 
only  of  leeks,  torn  or  twisted  otf  from  the 
green,  but  not  cut  with  a knife  or  washed. 
Put  the  butter  into  a pipkin,  add  the  white 
of  the  leeks  torn  and  broken  small,  set  the 
pipkin  in  boiling  water,  stir  the  ingredients 
till  they  are  well  mixed  and  quite  soft,  and 
then  put  in  the  thinly  scraped  soap.  When 
that  also  is  well  mixed,  add  the  brandy  by 
degrees,  and  continue  stirring  the  whole 
till  it  becomes  an  ointment.  With  this  em- 
brocation, every  part  of  the  patient  where 
the  disease  prevails  is  to  be  well  rubbed 
before  a good  fire,  morning  and  night,  till 
the  skin  is  compleatly  saturated.  This  is 
considered,  in  most  parts  of  France,  as  a 
never-failing  remedy. 

Excellent  Carrot  Soup. 

In  a gallon  of  the  liquor  which  has  boiled 
a leg  or  other  large  piece  of  mutton  or 
beef,  put  a couple  of  onions,  with  or  with- 
out a sliced  beet  root,  some  pepper  and 
salt,  and  a few  beef  bones.  After  stewing 
them  together  two  or  three  hours,  pour  the 
strained  soup  on  seven  or  eight  large  carrots 
nicely  scraped  and  cut  in  thin  slices;  and 
boil  it  till  the  carrots  are  sufficiently  soft 
for  all  the  red  part  of  them  to  be  pulped 


through  a hair  sieve,  with  the  assistance 
of  a couple  of  wooden  spoons  to  force 
their  way.  The  pulp  is  then  to  be  boiled 
with  the  soup,  till  it  is  almost  as  thick  as 
if  it  were  made  with  peas;  when,  being 
seasoned  with  salt  and  Cayenne  pepper, 
it  is  to  be  served  up.  This  will  not  only 
be  of  a pleasing  colour,  but  of  a very  agree- 
able taste,  if  properly  made  with  plenty  of 
good  carrots.  It  is,  in  fact,  an  elegant  soup, 
without  being  at  all  extravagant. 

French  Method  of  Baking  a Shoulder  of 
Mutton. 

Put  into  a baking  dish  two  or  three 
onions,  a parsnip,  a carrot  or  two,  a clove 
of  garlic,  half  a laurel  leaf,  and  some  leaves 
of  basil,  all  of  them  cut  small,  with  about 
half  a pint  of  broth  or  water,  and  a sea- 
soning of  salt  and  pepper : then,  having- 
larded  the  shoulder  of  mutton  with  fine 
streaky  bacon,  place  it  in  the  dish,  and  set 
it  in  an  oven.  When  it  is  done,  strain  the 
sauce  through  a sieve,  squeezing  the  vege- 
tables forcibly  to  thicken  it;  skim  off  the  fat ; 
and,  pouring  the  sauce  over  the  shoulder 
of  mutton,  serve  it  up.  This  dish  is  some- 
times dressed  without  being  larded;  in 
wffiich  case,  more  salt  is  used. 

Different  Ways  of  Dressing  Calf’s  Chitterlings 
at  Paris. 

Though  the  use  of  a calf’s  chitterlings, 
except  as  covers  for  large  sausages,  is  scarce- 
ly known  in  England,  they  are  in  France 
regarded  as  aver}'  delicate  food,  and  dress- 
ed in  a great  variety  of  ways.  The  most 
common  method  is  that  of  first  parboiling 
them,  after  they  have  been  well  cleansed 
and  left  a whole  night  soaking  in  wrater; 
then  boiling  a handful  of  flour  in  water,  and 
putting  them  into  the  pot  with  a bunch  of 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


parsley  and  some  scallions,  sliced  onions, 
carrot,  and  parsnip.  When  done,  and 
drained,  they  are  usually  served  up  with  a 
vinegar  sauce.  I his,  too,  is  the  French 
common  method  of  dressing  a calf  s head; 
which  is  served  up  either  with  vinegar 
sauce,  sauce  a la  poivrade,  sauce  a la  ravi- 
gote,  or  sauce  a l’ltalienne.  Calf’s  chit- 
terlings may  also  be  served  up  with  any 
of  these  sauces.  They  are  often  fried  in 
the  following  manner — Cut  them  into 
small  pieces,  dip  them  in  a thick  batter, 
fry  them  of  a good  colour,  and  serve  them 
up  garnished  with  fried  parsley.  The  bat- 
ter in  which  they  are  to  be  fried  is  made 
with  two  handfuls  of  flour,  a large  table- 
spoonful of  sweet  oil,  and  some  salt, 
mixed  with  a gill  of  white  wine.  Some- 
times, after  the  chitterlings  have  been 
boiled,  they  are  cut  into  little  bits,  boiled 
gently  in  sauces  of  the  most  approved  fla- 
vour, well  skimmed,  and  served  up  all  toge- 
ther quite  hot.  These  are  among  the  best 
and  least  complicated  methods  of  dressing 
them. 

Calf’s  Chitterling  Fritters. 

The  French  mode  of  making  fritters  of 
calFs  chitterlings  is  as  follows — Boil  them 
in  water,  with  parsley,  scallions,  two  cloves 
of  garlic,  thyme,  basil,  a laurel  leaf,  and 
three  cloves.  When  they  are  done,  drain 
them,  take  off  the  fat,  and  cut  them  into 
small  bits:  then  mix  a little  batter  with  two 
spoonfuls  of  vinegar,  some  scallions,  pars- 
ley, and  shallots,  all  shred  fine,  add  a sea- 
soning of  salt  and  pepper,  make  it  luke- 
warm, and  let  the  chitterlings  steep  in  it  for 
about  an  hour.  Afterward  take  them  out, 
with  as  much  as  possible  of  the  sweet  herb 
mixture  adhering;  and,  when  they  are 
cold,  wet  them  with  a beaten-up  egg,  grate 


bread  over  them,  and  fry  them  of  a good 
colour. 

Sauce  a la  Ravigote. 

PUT  a gill  of  good  broth  or  soup  into 
a stewpan,  with  half  a spoonful  of  vinegar, 
a little  salt  and  whole  pepper,  and  a bit 
of  butter  about  the  size  of  a walnut  mixed 
with  flour;  then,  having  scalded  some  tarra- 
gon, chervil,  pimpernel,  and  garden  cresses, 
for  a minute,  in  boiling  water,  squeeze 
them  well,  mince  them  very  small,  put 
them  into  the  sauce,  thicken  it  over  the 
fire,  and  serve  it  up  with  any  dish  that 
may  be  thought  proper.  Ravigote,  in 
French,  signifies  to  enliven  or  revive;  so 
that  it’s  intention  may  be  usually  judged  by 
the  name  it  bears. 

Sauce  a la  Poivrade. 

PUT  into  a stewpan  a piece  of  butter 
about  the  size  of  an  egg,  with  two  or  three 
sliced  onions,  carrots,  and  parsnips,  a 
clove  of  garlic,  two  shallots,  two  cloves,  a 
laurel  leaf,  and  some  thyme  and  basil;  let 
the  w'hole  be  placed  over  the  fire  till  it 
begins  to  brown,  and  then  put  in  a good 
pinch  of  flour  mingled  with  a glass  of  red 
wine,  about  as  much  water,  and  a spoon- 
ful of  vinegar.  When  it  has  boiled  half 
an  hour,  skim  it,  and  pass  it  through  a 
sieve ; season  well  with  Cayenne  or  long 
pepper,  and  salt;  and  serve  it  up  with 
whatever  it  may  seem  to  suit.  Poivrade, 
literally,  is  a sauce  composed  of  pepper 
and  vinegar  ; but  it  more  particularly  im- 
plies being  well  peppered  or  highly  sea- 
soned. 

Sauce  a Vltalienne. 

Put  two  large  spoonfuls  of  sweet  oil  into 
a stewpan,  some  mushrooms  cut  small, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


a bunch  of  parsley,  5ome  scallions,  half  a 
laurel  leaf,  a clove  of  garlic,  and  two 
cloves.  Put  the  whole  on  the  fire,  and 
add  a pinch  of  flour  mingled  with  white 
wine,  a little  broth  or  cullis,  salt,  and  whole 
pepper;  let  them  boil  half  an  hour,  skim 
off  the  fat,  take  out  the  herbs,  &c.  and 
serve  it  up.  If  too  thin,  put  in  a little 
flour,  and  a spoonful  or  two  of  juice  of 
onions.  This  is  a French  sauce  after  the 
Italian  manner,  as  the  name  expresses. 
The  Italians,  indeed,  -are  quite  as  famous 
for  numerous  sauces  as  the  French  them- 
selves. 

Genuine  JManncr  of  Preserving  the  delicious 
Dried  Pears  of  Rheims. 

By  this  admirable  method,  the  richest 
and  most  perishable  pears  may  be  preserved 
for  as  long  a time  as  those  which  in  their  na- 
tural state  are  called  the  best  keepers,  but 
which  are  commonly  hard  and  austere. 
Though  our  pears,  in  general,  certainly 
do  not  equal  those  of  France,  vve  have 
some  which  are  truly  excellent;  and  if  the 
best  were  preserved  in  the  following  man- 
ner, they  might  fall  very  little  short,  per- 
haps, even  of  the  famous  dried  pears  of 
Rheims  itself,  and  would  keep  any  length 
©f  time.  Peel  the  pears,  cut  the  stalks 
short,  throw  them  into  cold  water,  and 
boil  them  till  they  feel  soft  to  the  finger; 
then  take  them  out  with  a skimmer,  and 
put  them  again  into  cold  water.  When 
they  have  been  taken  out  and  drained,  to 
half  a hundred  of  pears,  put  a pound  of 
loaf  sugar  dissolved  in  two  quarts  of  wa- 
ter, and  let  them  soak  a couple  of  hours. 
Then  place  them  on  wires,  with  their  stalks 
upward;  and  keep  them  all  night  in  an 
oven  after  the  bread  has  been  drawn,  or 
a similar  state  of  moderate  heat.  Next 


157 

day,  again  soak  the  pears  in  the  sugar  and 
water,  and  a second  night  keep  them  in 
the  oven.  This  process  must  be  repeated 
four  times;  taking  care  to  let  them  remain 
in  the  oven,  the  last  time,  till  they  are 
perfectly  dried:  when,  being  kept  in  a suf- 
ficiently dry  place,  they  will  remain  good 
for  several  years. 

French  Peasant’s  Pot. 

Take  a slice  of  beef,  and  another  of  ba- 
con, and  cut  them  into  the  smallest  and 
thinnest  slices;  shred  some  parsley,  and 
scallions  or  leeks,  very  fine,  add  a leaf  of 
laurel,  and  powder  a few  corns  of  pepper 
and  allspice.  Put  a layer  of  beef,  and  ano  • 
ther  of  bacon,  alternately,  in  an  earthen 
pot,  or  large  pipkin,  with  a little  of  the 
mixture  strewed  over  each;  and,  on  the 
top,  pour  a spoonful  of  brandy  and  half 
a pint  of  water.  Let  it  stew  over  a slow 
fire,  like  alamode  beef ; and,  when  done, 
serve  it  up,  either  with  the  fat  skimmed 
off  or  not,  in  the  same  pot  or  pipkin. 
Another  dish,  called  the  peasant’s  pot  a 
la  couine — that  is,  with  bacon  or  pork 
rinds — is  made,  exactly  in  the  same  man- 
ner; substituting  pieces  of  rind  only  for 
the  slices  of  bacon.  The  peasant’s  pot, 
thus  prepared,  finds  it’s  way  to  many 
citizens  tables  in  Paris. 

Spanish  or  Portugal  Onion  Sauce. 

These  excellent  large  and  mild  onions 
make  admirable  sauce ; as  well  as  being  a 
most  delicious  food  when  roasted,  and 
eaten  only  with  pepper,  salt,  and  butter 
The  following  is  oiie  of  the  best  methods 
of  preparing  them  for  sauce — After  roast- 
ing them  till  they  are  somewhat  more  than 
half  done,  peel  them,  and  add  some  good 
thickened  gravy  or  cullis;  season  them 
2 B 


158 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


with  salt  and  Cayenne  pepper ; and,  add- 
ing a glass  of  red  port,  a small  quantity  of 
powdered  loaf  sugar,  and  the  juice  of  half 
a lemon  for  four  large  onions,  boil  them  till 
tender,  mash  them  up  with  a 1 ittle  butter,  and 
send  them  to  table  as  sauce  for  whatever 
dish  may  be  thought  proper.  These  onions 
are  not  only  very  delicious,  but  they  are 
particularly  salubrious  and  nourishing. 

Milk  Soups,  as  made  at  Paris. 

Boil  a quart  of  milk  with  a very  little 
salt,  and  an  ounce  of  loaf  sugar.  Cut  some 
slices  of  French  bread,  and  place  them  at 
the  bottom  of  the  dish  in  which  the  soup  is 
intended  to  be  served  up;  pour  a little  of 
the  milk  over,  just  to  moisten  the  bread; 
and  keep  it  hot,  on  warm  ashes,  without 
permitting  it  to  boil.  Having  now  covered 
it  closely,  when  it  is  nearly  wanted,  beat  up 
five  yolks  of  eggs  in  the  rest  of  the  milk, 
put  it  on  the  fire,  keep  continually  stirring 
it;  and,  as  soon  as  the  milk  begins  thick- 
ening, instantly  take  it  off  the  fire,  or  it 
will  immediately  curdle.  If  a superior 
milk  soup  be  required,  boil  in  three  pints 
of  milk  a little  fresh  lemon  peel,  a pinch  of 
coriander  seeds,  a bit  of  cinnamon,  and 
very  little  salt,  with  about  three  ounces  of 
sugar.  Let  it  boil  till  the  quantity  be  near- 
ly half  reduced ; then  strain  it  through  a 
sieve;  and  finish,  by  mixing  up  the  eggs 
in  a similar  manner,  and  pouring  the  hot 
soup  on  the  slices  of  French  bread. 

Genuine  Stilton -Cheese. 

This  rich  cheese,  which  is  sometimes 
distinguished  by  the  name  of  English  par- 
masan,  originated  at  Stilton,  in  the  county 
of  Huntingdon,  as  parmasan  did  in  the 
dutchy  of  Parma:  though  Lodi,  in  the 
Milanese,  is  the  chief  spot  where  genuine 


parmasan  cheese  is  actually  made;  and 
Melton  Mowbray,  in  Leicestershire,  that  of 
Siiltoiu  The  art  of  making  this  cheese  was 
long  preserved'  as  a great  secret,  but  the 
following  account  may  be  relied  on  as  the 
genuine  method — Put  the  night’s  cream 
to  the  morning’s  new  milk,  with  the  rennet.. 
When  the  curd  is  come,  it  must  not  be 
broken,  as  is  usually  done  with  other 
cheese;  but  taken  out  all  at  once,  with, 
what  is  called  a soil-dish*  and  placed  in  a. 
sieve  to  drain  gradually:  and,  as  it  keeps 
draining,  it  is  to  be  pressed  by  similar  slow 
degrees,  till  it  becomes  at  once  firm,  and 
dry..  It  is  now  to.  be  put  in  a wooden  hoop 
or  circular  box  made  exactly  to  fit  it ; be- 
ing so  extremely  rich,  that  it  would  other- 
wise separate.  After  being  taken  out  of 
the  hoop  or  box,  the  cheese  is  to  be  bound 
firmly  round  with  a cloth,  which  must  be 
daily  changed  for  a clean  one,  till  the 
cheese  becomes  firm  enough  to  support 
itself.  It  wili  thus  gradually  be  tightened 
and  rendered  more  firm,  and  is  also  to  be 
regularly  wiped  at  top  and  bottom,  and 
turned,  every  day:  even  after  th^  cloth 
ceases  to  be  necessary  for  the  preservation 
of  it’s  form  and  consistency,  it  is  to  be 
turned,  and  rubbed  all  over  with  a brush, 
at  least  once  a day,  for  two  or  three  months ; 
and,  should  the  weather  prove  damp  or 
moist,  even  twice  a day.  Stilton  cheeses, 
owing  to  their  richness  and  thickness,  as 
they  stand  very  high,  though  of  a circum- 
ference not  larger  than  the  crown  of  a 
man’s  hat,  certainly  require  a great  deal 
of  care  and  attention  ; and  hence  it  chiefly 
is,  that  they  are  so  little  and  so  ill  imitated. 
They  seldom  weigh  more  than  sixteen  or 
eighteen  pounds,  and  are  still  seldomer  so 
small  as  only  eight.  By  properly  attend- 
ing to  these  instructions,  this  incomparable 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


cheese  may  be  made  wherever  there  is  rich 
milk  and  cream. 

Grand  Ptisan , or  Diet  Drink  of  Health  and 
Longevity,  by  a cdcbi'atcd  French  Physician 
who  lived  nearly  a Hundred  and  Twenty 
Years.. 

The  famous  inventor  of  this  admirable 
prolonger  of  human  existence,  was  Mon- 
sieur De  Sainte  Catharine;  who,  by  taking 
it  himself  for  a fortnight,  three  times  a year, 
before  winter,  toward  Easter,  and  during 
the  greatest  heats  of  summer,  lived  to  the 
age  of  nearly  a hundred  and  twenty  years: 
This  ptisan  is  pronounced  useful  to  all 
sorts  of  persons:  if  they  are  ill,  to  cure 
them;  if  well,  to  preserve  them  in  health. 
It  is  even  good  for  infants;  and,  above  all, 
excellent  for  old  people.  An  infinitude 
of  facts,  attest  it’s  wonderful  effects.  It  is 
thus  directed  to  be  prepared — Take  about 
a quart  of  the  best  sifted  and  well  washed 
oats,  and  a small  handful  of  wild  succory 
roots  newly  drawn  out  of  the  earth;  boil' 
them  gently  in  six  quarts  of  river  water 
for  three  quarters  of  an.  hour,  and  then  add 
half  an.  ounce  of  crystal  mineral,  and  three 
or  four  spoonfuls  of  the  best  honey,  or 
a quarter  of  a pound  of  it  in  weight.  Let 
the  whole  now  boil  half  an  hour  longer;  then 
strain  it  through  linen;  put  the  liquid  in  an 
earthen  vessel,  and  leave  it  covered  to  cool. 
For  persons  of  a bilious  habit,  only- half 
the  quantity  of  honey  should  be  used,  as 
the  sweetness  has  a tendency  to  increase  the 
bile.  I wo  good  glasses  of  this  ptisan, 
should  be  drank  every  morning  fasting, 
without  eating  any.  thing  for  some  hours; 
and  the  same  quantity  three  hours  after 
dinner.  This  course  must  be  continued 
for  fourteen  days,  without  bleeding  or  con- 
finement, or  taking  broth,  new-laid  eggs. 


159 

or  any  other  particular  diet,  but  in  all  re- 
spects living  as  usual.  The  weak  and  in- 
firm need  only  take  a single  glass,  and  they 
will  not  fail  to  feel  the  good  effect.  It  is 
natural  that  persons  who  are  too  gross  and 
costive,  should  commence  with  some  pre- 
vious purgative;  after  which  this  remedy 
will  prove  more  efficacious.  The  ptisan  is 
easy  to  take,  and  pleasant  in  it’s  operations; 
not  occasioning  any  griping  pains  or  other 
disagreeable  sensation:  at  the  same  time, 
it  perfectly  cleanses  the  reins,  is  very  diure- 
tic, greatly  promotes  expectoration ; purges 
the  brain;  cleanses  the  lungs,  the  liver,  and 
the  spleen;  expels  putrid  and  malignant  hu- 
mours, all  pain  from  the  head,  gravel,  and 
even  stone  when  newly  formed;  cures  ter- 
tian and  quartan  agues,  however  invete- 
rate; all  colics,  and  pleurisies;  the  itch, 
blotches,  and  other  foul  eruptions;  and,  in 
short;  every  kind  of  heaviness,  lassitude,  and 
general  debility.  It  rouzes  the  senses,  clears 
the  sight,  excites  appetite,  and  gives  rest  and 
sleep.  It  refreshes,  feeds,  and  conveys  perfect 
health;  and  even  seems  still  sensibly  operat- 
ing, and  doing  good,  for  amonth  or  two  after 
it  has  been  taken.  It  is,  beside  all  this,  very 
nourishing.  Instead  of  weakening,  as  is 
the  case  with  the  greater  part  of  other  re- 
medies, it  absolutely  strengthens:  and, 
during  the  dog-days,  and  greatest  heats 
of  summer,  when  medicines  in  general  are 
subject  to  become  dangerous,  and  even 
fatal,  this  is  in  fact  more  salutary  than  at 
any  other  season.  It  might,  indeed,  be 
taken  every  day,  without  doing  the  smallest 
injury;  the  party  taking  care,  during  in? 
tensely  cold  weather,  to  keep  constantly 
warm.  To  attain  long  life,  it  will  perhaps 
be  sufficient  to  take  it  for  a fortnight  once 
or  twice  in  the  year;  if  once  only,  during 
the  great  heats,  as  the  best  season  for  it’s 


160 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


use.  This  panegyric,  however  great,  is 
translated  almost  verbatim  from  a most 
respectable  French  author.  It  is,  undoubt- 
edly, an  excellent  medicine. 

Delicate  Cream  Cheese. 

Take  to  every  quart  of  new  milk  a gill 
of  cream,  make  the  mixture  slightly  warm, 
and  put  into  it  as  little  rennet  as  may  be 
necessary  just  to  turn  it.  The  curd  being 
come,  to  use  the  language  of  the  dairy,  lay  a 
cloth  on  the  vat  or  mould,  which  may  be 
the  bottom  of  a -sieve,  but  should  be  the 
exact  size  of  the  intended  cheese;  then, 
cutting  out  the  curd  with  a skimming  dish, 
fill  up  the  mould,  turn  the  cloth  over  it, 
and  leave  it  to  drain.  As  the  curd  drains 
and  settles,  keep  filling  in  more  with  agen- 
tle  pressure,  till  all  the  whey  is  out,  and 
there  is  sufficient  substance  for  the  cheese. 
It  must  be  then  turned  into  a dry  cloth, 
and  pressed  with  a moderate  weight, 
not  exceeding  two  pounds.  At  night,  it 
is  to  be  turned  into  a clean  cloth  ; and,  the 
next  morning,  very  slightly  sprinkled  with 
fine  salt : after  which,  if  sufficiently  dry, 
it  may  be  laid  on  a bed  of  fresh  nettle, 
strawberry,  or  ash  leaves;  covered  over 
with  more;  and,  being  shifted  and  turned 
twice  a day,  having  the  leaves  occasionally 
renewed,  will  in  less  than  a fortnight  be 
sufficiently  ripened  for  eating.  If  expe- 
dition be  desirable,  the  maturity  of  the 
cheese  may  be  considerably  hastened  by 
keeping  it  in  a warm  place,  between  two 
pewter  dishes,  and  giving  it  a fresh  bed 
and  covering  of  leaves  every  day. 

Fine  Cowslip  Wine. 

Boil  twelve  pounds  of  loaf  sugar,  with 
the  juice  of  six  Seville  oranges  and  the 
whites  of  three  or  four  eggs  well  beaten,  in 


six  gallons  of  water,  for  half  and  hour,  care- 
fully scumming  it  all  the  time.  In  the  mean 
while,  put  a peck  of  the  finest  and  freshest 
picked  cowslip  flowers  into  a tub,  with  the 
rinds  of  two  of  the  oranges;  and,  pouring 
on  them  the  boiling  syrup,  stir  the  whole 
up,  and  leave  it  well  covered  to  infuse. 
On  it’s  getting  nearly  cool,  spread  a thin 
toast  of  bread  all  over  with  good  yeast, 
and  put  it  into  the  tub,  to  excite  a fermen- 
tation. After  it  has  worked  two  or  three 
days,  strain  it  off;  having  first  squeezed 
the  cowslips  in  a coarse  cloth,  to  press  out 
all  the  juice.  Having  tunned  it  up,  keep 
the  bung  loose  for  a few  days:  and,  on 
finding  the  wine  has  ceased  to  work,  which 
is  always  known  by  it’s  ceasing  to  hiss, 
drive  the  bung  tight;  let  the  liquor  remain 
undisturbed  for  about  three  months;  and 
then  bottle  it  off,  either  for  present  or  fu- 
ture use.  If,  on  tunning  the  wine,  about 
a quarter  of  a pint  of  brandy  be  put  in 
for  every  gallon,  with  a quarter  of  a gill 
of  syrup  of  citrons,  lemons,  or  clove  gilli- 
flowers,  it  will  make  a very  fine  addition 
to  it’s  strength  and  flavour. 

Celebrated  Crime  de  la  Badiane,  or  Anniseed 
of  China. 

This  famous  liqueur,  so  greatly  esteem- 
ed in  most  parts  of  Europe,  is  scarcely 
known  in  England.  Even  the  article  of 
which  it  is  composed,  and  which  the  French 
generally  call  badiane,  or  anise  de  la  Chine, 
is  here  rarely  to  be  met  with.  It  is,  how- 
ever, a native  of  Siberia,  the  Philippine 
Islands,  the  East  Indies,  & c.  as  well  as  of 
China.  The  seeds,  which  are  sometimes 
called,  in  France,  seeds  of  zingi  as  well 
as  of  badiane,  are  flat,  reddish,  of  a sweet 
sugary  taste,  and  a powerful  anniseed 
scent;  and,  being  contained  in  a reddish 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


161 


and  hard  shell  or  husk,  which  has  the  re- 
gular form  of  a star,  it  is  then  generally 
denominated  anis  etoile,  or  starred  anise. 
Star  anniseed  is,  we  believe,  the  only  ap- 
pellation which  it  has  hitherto  received  in 
England;  and,  not  being  named  in  dis- 
pensatories, or  even  known  by  the  gene- 
rality of  druggists,  it  is  by  no  means  easy 
to  be  at  present  purchased.  The  natives 
of  the  oriental  countries  put  these  seeds  in 
their  sherbet  and  their  tea,  with  a root 
which  the  French  call  nisi,  to  render  those 
liquors  more  agreeable;  infusing  half  an 
ounce  of  tea,  two  drams  of  nisi  root,  and 
one  dram  of  these  seeds,  in  half  a pint  of 
boiling  water.  The  article  which  has  giv- 
en rise  to  these  observations,  is  in  all  re- 
spects superior  to  common  anniseed;  not 
only  by  the  delicacy  of  it’s  flavour,  but  by 
it’s  more  perfect  and  powerful  virtues;  it 
is  a great  carminative,  expels  wind,  for- 
tifies the  stomach,  invigorates  the  heart, 
and  relieves  shortness  of  breath.  These 
qualities,  it  is  trne,  are  in  some  degree 
possessed  by  common  anniseed;  but,  in. 
the  following  liqueur,  as  made  at  Paris, 
they  are  all  incomparably  greater,  inde- 
pendent of  it’s  very  surpassing  delicacy 
of  flavour — Infuse  six  ounces  of  pulverized 
badiane,  or  star  anniseed,  for  a fortnight; 
in  nine  quarts  of  brandy,  and  then  distil 
it  with  a moderate  heat.  If,  in  this  first 
operation,  the  spirit  should  seem  insuf- 
ficiently impregnated,  with  the  flavour  of 
the  seeds,  cohobate  it  after  six  quarts,  and 
draw  off  only  five  in  the  second  distillation : 
then  mix  it  with  a syrup  composed  of  five 
pounds  of  sugar,  and  five  quarts  of  water; 
clarified  with  whites  of  eggs,  and  properly 
filtered.  This  is  the  general  method  of 
preparing  badiane  in  the  best  manner,  but 
it  is  frequently  made  merely  by  infusion. 


Curious  and  Simple  Manner  of  Keeping  Apri- 
cots, Peaches,  Nectarines,  Plums,  8$c.  and 
even  Figs,  fresh  all  the  Year. 

For  this  small  but  excellent  article,  wrn 
are  indebted  to  no  less  a person  than  the 
celebrated  Monsieur  Lemery,  one  of  the 
first  chemists  France  ever  produced — Beat 
well  up  together  equal  quantities  of  honey 
and  common  water,  pour  it  into  an  earthen 
vessel,  put  in  the  fruits  all  freshly  gathered, 
and  cover  them  up  quite  close.  When 
any  of  the  fruit  is  taken  out,  wash  it  in  cold 
water,  and  it  is  fit  for  immediate  use. 

Genuine  Windsor  Soap. 

To  make  this  famous  soap  for  washing 
the  hands,  shaving,  &c.  nothing  more  is 
necessary,  than  to  slice  the  best  white  soap 
as  thin  as  possible,  melt  it  in  a stewpan 
over  a slow  fire,  scent  it  well  with  oil  of 
carraway,  and  then  pour  it  into  a frame 
or  mould  made  for  that  purpose,  or  a small 
drawer,  adapted  in  size  and  form  to  the 
quantity.  When  it  has  stood  three  or  four 
days  in  a dry  situation,  cut  it  into  square 
pieces,  and  it  is  ready  for  use.  By  this  sim- 
ple mode,  substituting  any  more  favourite 
scent  for  that  of  carraway,  all  persons  may 
suit  themselves  with  a good  perfumed  soap 
at  the  mosttrifling  expence.  Shaving  boxes 
maybe  at  once  filled  with,  the  melted  soap, 
instead  of  a mould. 

Best  Method  of  making  Hartshorn  Jelly. 

Boil,  a quarter  of  a pound  of  hartshorn 
shavings  in.  three  pints  of  water,  over  a 
moderate  fire;  till,  on  taking  a little  of 
it  out  to  cool,  it  hangs  on  the  spoon  as  a 
jelly.  Then  take  it  off,  strain  it  w hile  hot, 
into  a saucepan,  with  half  a pint  of  old 
hock,  and  a quarter  of  a pound  of  powdered 
2..S 


16‘2 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


loaf  sugar ; and,  beating  up  the  whites 
of  two  or  three  eggs  to  a froth,  put  it  into 
the  jelly,  stir  the  whole  well  together,  and 
pour  it  a little  from  one  vessel  to  another 
that  it  may  the  more  perfectly  unite.  Let 
it  now  boil  two  or  three  minutes,  and  then 
put  in  the  juice  of  one  large  lemon  or  two 
small  ones;  and,  boiling  it  up  a minute  or 
two  longer,  when  it  will  be  finely  curdled 
and  of  a pure  white  in  colour,  place  a good 
swanskin  jelly  bag  over  a pan  or  bason, 
and  run  it  through  three  or  four  times, 
till  it  looks  as  clear  as  crystal.  Put  a clean 
china  bason  now  beneath  the  bag;  and, 
having  clean  jelly  glasses  ready,  half  fill 
them  from  the  bason  as  the  jelly  once  more 
runs  through:  then  throw  some  thin  rind 
of  lemon,  and  a little  Seville  orange  peel, 
into  the  bason;  and,  when  the  jelly  has 
all  passed  through,  fill  up  the  rest  of  the 
glasses,  and  the  jelly  w ill  look  of  a fine 
amber  colour.  This  is  considered  as  the 
best  method,  when  required  to  be  peculiar- 
ly clear  and  delicate:  but  it  may  be  done 
by  merely  boiling  the  rinds  of  a lemon 
and  a China  orange,  at  first,  with  the  harts- 
horn shavings  and  water;  adding  the  juice 
of  both  lemon  and  orange,  when  the  strain- 
ed liquor  is  cold;  then  boiling  the  wrhole 
' up  with  a quarter  of  a pound  of  sugar,  and 
the  frothed  whites  of  eggs,  without  stirring; 
and  straining  it  through  a jelly  bag  into 
a pan  or  bason,  from  which  the  glasses  are 
at  once  filled  with  a spoon. 

Pickled  Samphire. 

Samphire,  the  crithmum  maritimum  of 
the  Linnasan  system,  and  sometimes  called 
rock  or  sea  samphire,  is  a perennial  plant 
which  grows  on  the  British  coasts,  among 
gravel  and  rocks,  and  flowers  in  the  month 
of  August.  Dr.  Withering  says,  that  sheep 


and  cows  devour  it  with  avidity,  and  have 
beep,  observed  to  fatten  exceedingly  by 
feeding  on  it.  For  culinary  purposes,  it 
is  much  esteemed  as  a wholesome  as  wel! 
as  an  agreeable  pickle;  for  which  purpose, 
it  is  generally  considered  to  be  at  the  height 
of  it’s  eroodness  in  the  month  of  May.  The 
following  method  of  pickling  samphire  in 
the  best  manner  is  chiefly  adopted — Soak 
some  of  the  freshest  and  clearest  green 
samphire  in  salt  and  water,  for  two  days: 
then  take  it  out;  and  boil  it,  wellcover-ed  up, 
in  plenty  of  vinegar,  over  a slow  fire,  till 
it  be  just  green  and  crisp  ; not  soft  or  ten- 
der, by  which  it  would  be  spoiled.  Then 
put  it  up  in  ajar,  and  keep  it  tied  down,  well 
covered  with  bladder  and  leather.  Some 
prefer  this,  which  is  the  old  Dover  receipt — 
To  a gallon  of  vinegar  and  two  quarts  of 
water,  take  two  large  handfuls  of  salt;  and, 
having  .picked  and  washed  the  samphire 
intended  for  pickling,  put  it  into  this  liquid, 
paste  up  the  vessel  which  contains  the  whole, 
and  set  it  over  a moderate  fire,  without  boil- 
ing, for  half  an  hour  only.  Let  it  not  be 
opened,  till  quite  cold;  and  then  put  it 
into  a jar  with  the  same  liquor,  and  fresh 
vinegar,  water,  and  salt,  to  be  kept  for  use. 
The  most  common  mode  is,  to  put  it  inavery 
strong  brine  of  salt  and  water,  or  sea-water 
only,  which  will  keep  it  good  all  the  year; 
and  throwing  it  into  vinegar,  as  wanted, 
a little  before  sending  it  to  table.  1 hough 
samphire  be  generally  thought  best  for 
pickling  in  May,  it  is  also  reckoned  very 
good  about  Michaelmas. 

Genuine  West  India  Method  of  Dressing  a 
Turtle. 

This  fine  amphibious  animal,  thetestudo 
Midas  of  Linnaeus,  and  called  in  England 
the  common  or  giant  turtle,  which  is  a na- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


tive  of  the  West  Indies  and  South  America, 
is  said  sometimes  to  attain  the  enormous 
size  of  three  yards  in  length,  and  two  in 
breadth,  weighing  from  five  to  eight  hun- 
dred pounds.  The  female  digs  holes  in  the 
sand,  where  she  annually  deposits  more 
than  a thousand  eggs;  on  which  she  broods 
during  the  night,  though  the  young  are 
chiefly  hatched  by  the  sun.  Many  of  these 
eggs,  however,  become  a prey  to  ravenous 
birds,  &c.  Turtles  are  commonly  taken, 
while  on  land,  by  turning  them  on  their 
backs;  or, when  in  the  water,  pursuing  them  in 
boats,  and  killing  them  with  a sort  of  spear 
similar  to  what  is  employed  for  harpooning 
whales.  They  are  thus  hunted,  in  both 
their  elements,  chiefly  for  the  sake  of  their 
highly  esteemed  flesh;  which,  certainly, con- 
stitutes one  of  the  richest  and  mostdelicious 
foods  in  nature.  The  following  is  the  re- 
gular way  of  dressing  a turtle  in  the  West 
India  islands — Take  the  turtle  out  of  the 
water,  the  night  before  it  is  meant  to  be 
dressed,  and  leave  it  on  it’s  back;  next 
morning,  cut  off  it’s  head,  and  hang  it  up 
by  the  hind  fins  for  all  the  blood  to  drain 
out.  This  being  accomplished,  cut  out 
the  callipee,  or  belly,  quite  round,  with 
as  much  of  the  meat  to  it  as  possible,  and 
raise  it  up  ; it  must  then  be  thrown  into 
spring  water  and  salt.  The  bowels  and 
lungs  being  now  cut  away,  and  the  latter 
washed  very  clean  from  the  blood,  the 
former,  with  the  maw,  being  slit  open, 
and  likewise  compleatly  cleansed,  are  to 
be  boiled  till  tender  in  a large  pot  of  wa- 
ter. Then  take  off  the  inside  skin,  and 
cut  it  in  pieces  of  two  or  three  inches  long. 
In  the  mean  while,  having  prepared  a good 
veal  broth,  or  stock,  by  stewing  a very  large 
knuckle  of  veal  in  three  gallons  of  water, 
with  turnips,  onions,  carrots,  celery,  and 


163 

two  or  three  bundles  of  sweet  herbs,  till 
half  the  liquid  is  wasted,  carefully  scum- 
ming all  the  time,  and  strained  it  off,  put 
the  tins  in  a stew'pan,  and  cover  them 
with  some  of  this  veal  stock:  adding  an 
onion,  and  su?eet  herbs  of  all  sorts,  the 
whole  chopped  fine;  with  half  a quarter 
of  an  ounce  each  of  beaten  mace  and  cloves, 
and  half  a pounded  or  grated  nutmeg. 
When  these  have  gently  stewed  till  tender, 
they  are  to  be  taken  out;  and,  a pint  of 
Madeira  wine  being  poured  into  the  liquid, 
it  is  to  continue  simmering  for  a quarter  of 
an  hour.  The  whites  of  six  eggs  being  now 
beaten  up  with  the  juice  oftivo  lemons,  the 
liquor  is  to  be  added;  and  the  whole  boiled 
up,  run  through  a flannel  bag,  and  again 
made  hot : when  the  fins,  having  been  wash* 
ed  very  clean,  are  to  be  once  more  put  in. 
A bit  of  butter  being  melted  at  the  bottom 
of  a stewpan,  the  white  meat,  or  callipee, 
is  to  be  gently  dressed  till  nearly  tender. 
The  lungs  and  heart  are  to  be  covered  with 
veal  stock,  additional  onion,  herbs,  and 
spice;  these,  as  well  as  the  fins,  are  to  be 
stewed  till  tender.  Take  out  the  lungs, 
strain  the  liquor  off,  thicken  it,  and  put  in 
a bottle  of  Madeira,  w ith  a high  seasoning 
of  salt  and  Cayenne  pepper.  Put  in  the 
lungs  and  white  meat,  and  stew  them  up 
gently  for  a quarter  of  an  hour.  Make 
some  forcemeat  balls  of  the  white  meat  of 
the  turtle,  instead  of  veal,  as  for  Scotch 
collops.  If  the  turtle  has  any  eggs,  scald 
them:  if  not,  take  twelve  large  yolks  of 
eggs,  made  into  egg  balls.  Have  the  cal- 
lipash,  or  deep  shell,  done  round  the  edges 
with  paste;  season  it,  of  the  inside,  with 
Cayenne  pepper,  salt,  and  a little  Ma- 
deira wine;  bake  it  half  an  hour;  and  then 
put  in  the  lungs,  with  the  white  meat,  force- 
meat, and  eggs,  and  bake  it  another  hah 


164 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


hour.  Take  the  bones,  and  three  quarts 
of  the  veal  broth,  with  an  onion,  a bundle 
of  sweet  herbs,  and  two  blades  of  beaten 
mace;  stew  it  an  hour,  strain  it  through 
a sieve,  thicken  it  with  flour  and  butter, 
add  half  a pint  of  Madeira,  stew  it  half  an 
hour,  and  season  it  to  palate  with  salt  and 
Cayenne  pepper:  this  is  the  true  turtle- 
soup.  Put  a knife  between  the  meat  and 
shell  of  the  callipee,  and  fill  it  full  of  force- 
meat ; season  it  all  over  with  salt  and  Cay- 
enne pepper,  sweet  herbs,  a shallot  chop- 
ped fine,  and  add  a little  Madeira;  put  a 
paste  round  the  edge,  and  bake  it  an  hour 
and  a half.  Take  the  entrails  and  maw, 
put  them  in  a stewpan  with  a little  veal 
broth  or  stock,  a bundle  of  sweet  herbs,  and 
two  blades  of  finely  beaten  mace;  thicken 
witli  a little  butter  rolled  in  flour;  stew 
them  gently,  for  half  an  hour;  season  with 
Cayenne  pepper  and  salt,  beat  up  a lea&on 
with  the  yolks  of  two  eggs  and  half  a pint 
of  cream;  put  it  in,  and  keep  stirring  it 
one  way  till  it  boils  up.  The  turtle  being  ! 
thus  compleatly  dressed,  is  to  be  sent  to  1 
table  in  the  following  manner — At  the  top,  j 
tbe  callipee,  or  belly;  in  the  middle,  the  ; 
soup ; on  the  two  sides  of  the  soup,  the  1 
fricassee  and  the  fins ; and,  at  the  bot-  j 
tom,  the  callipash,  or  delicate  green  fat. 
The  fins,  if  put  by  in  the  liquor,  are 
esteemed  excellent  eating  when  cold. 
Though  this  process  may  appear  some- 
what tedious  and  even  complicated,  it  is  to 
be.  considered  that  it  includes  the  entire 
preparation  of  all  the  various  parts  of  a 
large  animal;  of  one,  too,  on  which,  from 
it’s  very  superior  nature,  extraordinary  at- 
tentions are  thought  to  be  not  unworthily 
bestowed.  The  above  is  the  general  method 
of  dressingturtlesin  the  West  indies;  where, 
certainly,  there  is  the  most  experience. 


Capital  English  Method  of  Dressing  a Turtle. 

Though  turtles  are,  in  England,  almost 
confined  to  grand  public  dinners,  and  con- 
sequently seldom  wanted  to  be  dressed  in 
private  families,  instances  are  known  to 
have  sometimes  occurred,  where  persons 
receiving  turtles,  as  presents,  from  friends 
abroad,  have  been  constrained  to  sell  them 
to  tavern-keepers  for  whatever  trifle  they 
might  think  proper  to  give,  rather  than  in- 
cur the  extravagant  charge  required  bv 
professional  cooks,  and  being  uninformed 
how  to  dress  a turtle  themselves.  Indeed, 
there  are  no  vast  number,  even  of  profes- 
sional cooks,  who  will  not  derive  addi- 
tional knowledge  from  a perusal  of  the  fol- 
lowing instructions  for  dressing  and  serv 
ing  up,  in  a most  capital  stile,  this  grand 
object  of  culinary  art;  called,  sometimes,  b}' 
cooks,  though  not  very  classically,  the  king 
of  fish!  The  flesh  of  this  amphibious  animal, 
for  we  can  scarcely  venture  decidedly  to 
denominate  it  a fish,  is  very  deservedly 
esteemed  ; particularly  the  belly,  or  under 
part,  which  is  of  a delicate  white  colour 
resembling  veal,  and  called  the  callipee: 
except,  indeed,  by  the  genuine  amateur 
of  epicurism  ; to  whom  the  delicious  green 
fat,  or  callipash,  is  still  dearer  than  even 
the  callipee.  To  dress,  in  the  best  manner, 
a turtle  of  from  about  sixty  to  seventy 
pounds  weight,  the  size  in  w hich  they  are 
most  generally  sent  as  presents  to  England, 
these  familiar  instructions  will  be  found  to 
suffice — Either  hang  up  the  turtle  by  the 
hind  fins  over  night,  and  cut  off  it's  head, 
as  directed  by  the  West  India  method, 
and  which  is  probably  the  best;  or,  put  a 
weight  on  the  back  of  the  animal  sufficient 
to  make  it  extend  itself,  and  immediately 
cut  off  the  head  and  fins.  In  the  former 


?&§ 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


e.cise,  the  animal  having'  bled  freely,  and  \ 
being  now  quite  dead,  and  deprived  only  , 
of  it’s  head,  cut  the  belly  shell  clean  off,  j 
sever  the  fins  at  the  joints,  take  away  the  j 
whole  of  the  white  meat,  and  put  it  into  ! 
spring  water.  Draw,  cleanse,  and  wash,  all 
the  entrails  ; scald  the  fins,  the  head,  and 
the  belly  shell;  and  saw  the  shell  all  round 
about  two  inches  deep,  scald  it,  and  cut  it. 
in  pieces:  put  the  shell,  with  the  fins  and 
head,  into  a pot;  covering  them  with  veal 
broth  or  stock,  and  adding  shallots,  thyme, 
savory,  marjoram,  parsley,  a small  quan- 
tity of  basil,  a quarter  of  an  ounce  each  of 
cloves  and  mace,  and  a nutmeg;  the  herbs 
all  chopped  or  minced,  andthespices  poun- 
ded, very  fine.  After  stewing  them  till  ten- 
der, take  out  the  meat,  and  strain  the 
liquor  through  a sieve.  Cut  the  fins  in 
two  or  three  pieces;  take  all  the  brawn,  as 
this  meat  is  called,  from  the  bones,  and 
cut  it  in  pieces  of  about  two  inches  square; 
and,  if  there  be  real  green  fat,  cut  that  also 
in  pieces.  Melt  some  butter  at  the  bottom 
of  a stewpan,  put  in  the  white  meat,  and 
simmer  it  gently  over  a slow  fire  till  three 
parts  done  : then  take  it  out  of  the  liquor, 
and  cut  it  in  pieces  about  the  bigness  of  a 
goose’s  egg.  In  the  mean  time,  cover  the 
bowels,  lungs,  heart,  &c.  with  veal  stock 
or  broth,  adding  herbs  and  spices  as  be- 
fore, and  stew  them  till  tender.  The  liver  , 
must  be  boiled  always  by  itself;  being  of- 
ten bitter,  notwithstanding  every  precau- 
tion, and  not  tending  to  improve  the  co- 
lour of  the  other  entrails,  which  should  be 
kept  as  white  as  possible.  The  entrails 
being  all  done,  taken  up,  and  cut  in  pieces, 
strain  off  the  liquor  through  a sieve.  Melt 
a pound  ol  butter  in  a large  stewpan,  big 
enough  to  hold  all  the  meat,  gradually  stir- 
ring in  half  a pound  of  flour,  till  they  are 


smoothly  united  ; then  put  in  the  liquor, 
and  keep  stirring  the  whole  till  thoroughly 
incorporated.  Should  it  prove  at  all  lumpy, 
it  must  be  passed  through  a sieve.  In  the 
different  sorts  of  meats  are  to  be  introduced 
a great  number  of  forcemeat  balls,  as  well 
as  egg  balls,  and  even  the  turtle’s  eggs, 
should  there  be  any.  To  the  whole  must 
be  added  three  pints  of  Madeira  wine,  a 
high  seasoning  of  long  and  Cayenne  pep- 
pers, with  salt,  and  the  juice  of  a couple  of 
lemons.  The  deep  shell  should  be  baked, 
whether 'filled  or  not,  at  the  same  time; 
hut,  if  not,  the  meat  must  be  either  brown- 
ed in  the  oven  or  with  a hot  iron.  The 
shell  or  shells  being  thus  filled,  the  rest  is 
to  be  served  up  in  tureens.  In  filling  up 
the  shells  and  tureens,  a little  fat  should 
always  be  placed  at  the  bottom,  the  lean 
in  the  centre,  and  egg  and  forcemeat  balls 
with  part  of  the  entrails  on  the  top.  Where, 
from  the  vast  quantity  of  green  fat,  or  for 
any  other  reason,  a grand  eallipash  is  re- 
quired to  be  separately  served  up,  the  large 
shell  should  have  an  ornamental  raised 
crust  covering,  pasted  round  the  sides  as 
well  as  on  the  top,  glazed  with  egg,  and 
baked;  in  which  it  should  be  placed  with 
the  soup,  egg  balls,  !&c.  like  the  meat  in 
the  tureens.  A eallipee,  too,  may  be  se- 
parately served  up  in  a similar  grand  stile, 
by  first  scalding  a few  pounds  of  the  under 
part,  then  taking  out  the  shoulder,  and  well 
stuffing  the  cavity  with  it’s  own  highly  sea- 
soned forcemeat;  stewing  it  in  good  gravy 
or  stock,  with  a pint  of  Madeira,  the  juice 
of  a lemon,  some  sweet  herbs,  shallots,  a 
clove  of  garlic,  some  spices,  Cayenne  pep- 
per, and  salt.  When  nearly  done,  put 
the  meat  into  another  stewpan,  with  some 
of  the  boiled  entrails  and  egg  balls;  and, 
adding  a little  thickening  of  flour  and  but- 
2 T 


166 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ter  to  the  liquor,  boil  it  up  a little,  strain 
rt  in,  and  stew  the  whole  till  the  meat  is 
tender  and  the  liquor  nearly  reduced  to  a 
jelly.  It  may  then  be  served  up  either  in 
another  shell,  ora  deep  dish,  ornamentally 
pasted  round,  covered,  and  baked,  exactly 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  callipash.  In- 
deed, some  of  the  ablest  cooks  prefer  a dish 
to  the  shell,  for  both  callipash  and  callipee. 
Custom,  however,  leads  the  epicure  to  ex- 
pect part  of  his  principal  treat  in  it’s  own 
shell;  though,  certainly,  it  is  often  badly 
baked. 

Plain  and  Easy  Method  of  Dressing  a Turtle. 

THOUGH  the  foregoing  instructions  con- 
tain the  most  grand  and  fashionable  stile 
of  dressing  and  serving  up  a turtle,  the 
following  old  receipt,  from  a valuable  ma- 
nuscript collection,  formerly  belonging  to 
the  Countess  Dowager  of  Shaftsbury,  may 
serve  to  assist  those  who  would  wish  to 
dress  it  well  without  any  unnecessary  pa- 
rade, trouble,  or  expence — Put  a weight 
of  any  sort  on  the  back  of  the  turtle,  just 
enough  to  make  it  extend  itself,  and  imme- 
diately cut  off  the  head  and  tins.  When  it, 
has  bled  freely,  and  is  quite  dead,  scale  it. 
till  the  outside  skin  is  all  come  otf;  and 
then, cutting  the  turtle  open  all  round  where 
the  upper  and  lower  shells  join,,  reserve 
the  deep  part,  which  is  the  uppermost,  for 
baking  the  rest  of  the  turtle  as  soon  as  it 
is  properly  prepared.  In  order  to  do  this, 
first  make  a very  savoury  forcemeat,  \v  ith  j 
scraped  veal,  anchovies, long  ofwhite  pepper,  j 
mace,  nutmeg,  salt,  small  onions,  parsley,  , 
sweet  marjoram,  yolks  of  eggs,  and  grated  . | 
lemon  peel.  These  respective  ingredients  j 
are  to  be  proportioned  to  the  taste  of  the 
party,  and.  the  whole  quantity  must  be 
regulated  by  the  size  of  the  turtle,  Part 


of  the  liver,  lights  or  lungs,  and  bowels, 
of  the  turtle,  when  properly  cleansed  and 
scalded,  are  to  be  also  nicely  minced  and 
incorporated  among  the  above  articles,  in 
making  the  forcemeat,  with  as  much  good 
mountain  wine  as  will  render  it  palatable 
and  help  the  gravy.  Then  stuff  the  flesh 
that  cleaves  to  the  deep  shell  with  some  of 
the  forcemeat,  and  make  the  rest  of  it  into 
long  and  round  savoury  balls,  taking  care 
that  the}'-  are  far  more  highly  seasoned 
than  forcemeat  in  general.  Make  a paste 
of  flour  and  water,  and  put  it  over  the 
shell,  as  well  as  to  the  hollow'  part  win  eh 
the  throat  of  the  animal  occupied,,  to  keep 
in  the  gravy  while  it  is  stewing  in  the 
oven;  as  it  must  do,  for  twm  hours  or  more, 
according  to  the  size  of  the  turtle.  Before 
sending  it  to  be  baked,  a little  clear  veal 
broth  must  be  put  in,  the  better  to  draw 
the  gravy  out  of  the  turtle.  All  this  being 
done,  cut  the  soft  part  of  the  turtle’s  shell, 
with  the  flesh  which  belongs  to  it,  into 
handsome  pieces,  and  stew  them  over  a 
clear  charcoal  fire,  with  some  of  the  fins, 
liver,  and  bowels;  and  season  them  high,  as 
before  directed.  When  they  are  stewed 
quite  tender,  and  the  other  part  of  the 
turtle  is  returned  from  the  oven,  mix  them 
all  together  into  the  deep  shell;  and,  gar- 
nishing the  dish  with  the  fins,  ‘hard  yolks 
of  eggs,  forcemeat  balls,  and  small  patties 
made  with  some  of  the  forcemeat,  send  it 
to  table.  If  the  liquor  be  not  quite  rich 
enough  on  coming  from  the  oven,  add  suf- 
ficient Indian  soy  to  suit  the  palate,  just 
before  serving  it  up.  This  .receipt,  with  the 
best  West. Indian  and  English  methods,  will 
together  enable  any  person,  who  possesses 
tolerable  skill  in  cookery,  to  dress  a turtle 
of  any  magnitude,  either  in  the  plainest . 
or  most  capital  stile. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Art  of  Painting , Spangling,  Gilding,  and 
Silvering  Glass,  to  ornament  Carriages, 
Apartments,  Furniture,  fyc. 

A PATENT  for  this  curious  invention  was 
granted  to  Mr.  John  Kent  Tarrant,  of  King 
Street,  Bloomsbury  Square,  painter,  in 
February  1778;  whose  exclusive  privilege 
is,  of  course,  long  since  expired.  The  spe- 
cification states  this  gentleman’s  invention 
to  consist  in  painting,  spangling,  gilding, 
and  silvering  glass,  for  ornamenting  car- 
riages, sedan  chairs,  buildings,  furniture, 
musical  instruments,  or  any  other  matters 
where  such  ornamenting  shall  be  thought 
necessary,  after  the  following  manner  : that 
is  to  say,  the  painting  must  be  performed 
on  the  back  of  the  crystal'  or  glass,  so  as, 
when  finished,  to  appear  on  the  front; 
the  colours  being  prepared  in  oil  or  var- 
nish, as  for  other  work.  The  parts  of  or- 
nament which  are  gold  must  be  first  sha- 
dowed on  the  glass;  and,  when  quite  dry, 
the  gold  leaf  must  be  laid  on:  silver  orna- 
ments must  be  done  in  the  same  manner. 
In  spangling,  the  parts  to  be  spangled  must 
he  left  till  last;  and,  being  then  shadowed, 
these  parts  must,  on  becoming  quite  dry, 
be  varnished  with  glutinous  copal  varnish, 
and  have  the  spangles  strewed  on  while  it 
continues  wet.  When  the  spangles  are 
entirely  dry,  they  must  be  two  or  three 
times  varnished.  If  the  spangling  is  to  be 
white,  silver  spangles  should  be  used;  if 
yellow,  gold  spangles;  if  blue,  glaze  the 
parts  to  be  spangled  with,  fine  Prussian 
blue,  ground  very  finely  in  oil  or  varnish, 
and  lay  on  silver  spangles;  if  green,  glaze 
tiie  parts  with  transparent  green;  if 
■crimson,  use  the  best  fine  lake  ; if  purple, 
use  a mixture  of  Prussian  blue  and  fine 
lake,  lo  make  the  painting  appear  more 
raised,  paint  the  ornaments,  and  leave  the 


167 

ground  of  the  crystal  or  glass  quite  clear; 
and  put  another  plate  of  glass  coloured  be- 
hind the  glass  painted  on,  an  inch  or  more 
distant,  according  to  the  size  of  the  glass. 

Easy  Manner  of  always  obtaining  sufficient 
Supplies  of  Fresh  Water  at  Sea. 

When  we  reflect  how  slow  mankind  have 
been  in  adopting  universallysome  of  the  most 
useful  discoveries,  we  cannot  avoid  heaving 
a sigh  for  the  general  imbecility  of  human 
nature.  Notwithstanding  all  the  distress 
that  is  well  known  to  have  been  suffered 
at  sea,  for  want  of  fresh  water,  not  onlv  in 
former  ages,  but  even  within  a few  years; 
it  is  certain  that,  at  least  as  early  as  the 
reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  it  was  under- 
stood in  England,  that  the  simple  distilla- 
tion of  sea  water  would  be  sufficiently 
fresh,  wholesome,  and  nourishing.  Till, 
however,  Bougainville,  the  French  circum- 
navigator, certified  the  utility  of  his  coun- 
tryman, Poissonnier’s  machine  for  distilling 
sea  water,  in  1763;  and  Lord  Mulgrave, 
in  1773,  did  equal  justice  to  Dr.  Irving’s 
method,  first  introduced  ' into  the  British 
navy  three  years  before  that  period  ; this 
easy  mode  of  obtaining  fresh  water  was 
scarcely  ever  resorted  to,  amid  all  the 
dreadful  calamities  from  time  to  time  oc- 
casioned by  the  want  of  it.  We  are  by  no 
means  satisfied  that,  even  at  present,  though 
Dr.  Irving  obtained  a parliamentary  re- 
ward for  his  new  invention,  as  an  unques- 
tionably great  public  benefit,  no  ship  ever 
goes  to  sea  without  the  few  proper  article? 
for  supplying  themselves  with  abundance 
of  fresh  water  in  case  of -necessity.  A great* 
French  chemist  speaks  of  Dr.  Irving,  on 
this  occasion,  as  having  deceived  the  Bri- 
tish parliament,  by  appropriating  to  himseh 
the  discovery  of  Poieonnief*  Whether- tka* 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


lr>8 

discovery  “.suggested  any  hints  to  Dr.  Irv- 
ing or  not,”  it  has  been  remarked  byajudge 
of  the  first  competence,  the  liberal  and  en- 
lightened Bishop  of  Llandaff,“  is  best  known 
to  himself;  but  he  has,  unquestionably,  add- 
ed such  improvements  to  that  method,  to 
say  no  more,  as  seem  to  have  justly  en- 
titled him  to  the  parliamentary  reward  of 
five  thousand  pounds  which  he  has  obtain- 
ed. The  French,”  adds  the  worthy  pre- 
late, “ are  as  jealous  of  the  glory  of  their 
nation,  in  arts  as  in  arms;  and  the  Eng- 
lish, we  trust,  will  never  be  their  inferior 
in  either.”  The  patriotic  and  scientific 
bishop,  who  knew  well  what  portion  of 
merit  belonged  to  Dr.  Irving,  has  done 
him  the  honour  to  illustrate  his  method  by 
a description  of  the  process;  which  we 
shall  take  the  liberty  to  transcribe,  as  af- 
fording a most  compleat  idea  of  the  facility, 
as  well  as  utility,  of  this  seemingly  simple 
invention — “ In  order  that  the  reader  may 
have  a clear  notion  of  Dr.  Irving’s  method,” 
saj's  his  lordship,  “ let  us  suppose  a tea  ket- 
tle to  be  made  without  a spout;  and  with 
a hole  in  the  lid,  in  the  place  of  the  knob: 
then,  the  kettle  being  filled  with  sea  water, 
the  fresh  vapour,  which  arises  from  the 
sea  water  as  it  boils,  will  issue  out  through 
the  hole  in  the  lid.  Into  that  hole,  fit  the 
mouth  ot  a tobacco  pipe,  letting  the  sfem 
have  a little  inclination  downwards;  then 
will  the  vapour  of  fresh  water  take  it’s 
course  through  the  stem  of  the  tube,  and 
may  be  collected  by  fitting  a proper  vessel 
to  it  s end.  This  would  be  an  apt  repre- 
sentation of  Dr.  Irving  s contrivance.  He 
has  adapted  a tin  tube,  of  suitable  dimen- 
sions, to  the  lid  of  the  common  kettle  used 
for  boiling  the  provisions  on  board  a ship. 
The  fresh  vapour  which  arises  from  boil- 
ing sea  water  in  the  kettle  passes  through 


this  tube  into  a hogshead,  which  serves  to 
a receiver:  in  order  that  the  vapour  may 
be  readily  condensed,  the  tube  is  kept  cool, 
by  being  constantly  wetted  with  a mop 
dipped  in  a tub  of  cold  sea  water.”  It 
appeared,  from  experiments  made  on  board 
the  Arrogant,  atSpithead,  in  January  1771 , 
that  “ eighty  gallons  of  sea  water  did, 
in  twenty-five  minutes  after  being  put  in- 
to the  Arrogant's  copper,  and  a fire  made, 
distil  in  the  proportion  of  twenty-five  gal- 
lons per  hour,  into  fresh  water,  perfectly 
well  tasted,  and  of  less  specific  gravity 
than  the  best  spring  water  in  that  neigh- 
bourhood ;”  and  the  officers  who  made 
this  report  to  the  lords  of  the  Admiralty 
were  of  opinion,  that  five  hundred  gallons 
of  fresh  water  might  be  distilled  in  twenty- 
four  hours,  with  the  same  quantity  of  fuel 
in  proportion  to  the  time  as  is  required 
in  the  ordinary  business  of  the  ship.  Every 
ship’s  kettle  is  divided  into  two  parts,  by 
a partition  in  the  middle;  one  of  these  parts 
only  is  in  use  when  peas  or  oatmeal  are 
dressed,  but  water  is  at  the  same  time  kept 
in  the  other  to  preserve  it’s  bottom.  Dr. 
Irving  has  availed  himself  of  this  circum- 
stance ; and,  bjr  filling  the  spare  part  of 
the  copper  with  sea  water,  and  fitting 
on  the  lid  and  tube,  he  has  shewn  that 
sixty  gallons  of  fresh  water  may  be  drawn 
oft’  during  the  boiling  of  either  of  the  above 
mentioned  provisions,  without  the  use  of 
any  additional  fuel.  He  recommends,  also, 
the  preserving  tfie  water  which  may  be 
distilled  from  the  coppers  in  which  peas, 
oatmeal,  or  pudding,  are  dressing;  as  both 
a salutary  beverage  for  the  scorbutic,  and 
the  most  proper  kind  of  water  for  boiling 
salt  provisions.  By  a course  of  ingenious 
chemical  experiments,  which  the  Bishop 
of  Llandaff,  at  the  request  of  Lord  Sand- 


/ 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


1G9 


wit  h,  then  first  lord  of  the  Admiralty,  made 
on  some  of  the  distilled  sea  water,  it  ap- 
peared that,  though  “ the  distilled  sea  wa- 
ter is  not  wholly  free  from  saline  particles, 
it  probably  contains  them  in  so  small  a pro- 
portion as  not  to  injure  it’s  salubrity  in 
any  sensible  degree.”  To  this  we  shall  only 
add,  that  we  hope  never  to  hear  of  any  fu- 
ture sufferings  at  sea  occasioned  by  want  of 
fresh  water,  without  a severe  censure  of 
those  who  shall  have  neglected  to  provide 
the  proper  and  now  well  known  means 
of  at  all  times  obtaining  it.  Few  are  un- 
acquainted with  the  fact,  that  there  is,  in 
the  world,  a far  greater  extent  of  sea  than 
there  is  of  land:  and  “ this  immense  mass 
of  salt  water,”  observes  the  learned  bishop 
to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  all  that  is  of 
value  in  the  present  important  article, 
“ which  surrounds  the  globe,  is  the  great 
primary  source  from  which  all  fresh  water 
is  derived.  The  vapour  which  is  inces- 
santly elevated  from  thence  by  the  heat 
of  the  sun,  the  action  of  the  wind,  and 
other  less  obvious  causes,  consists,  gene- 
rally speaking,  of  fresh  water;  which,  be- 
ing discharged  from  the  atmosphere  in 
the  form  of  dew,  rain,  hail,  or  snow,  con- 
stitutes springs,  rivers,  and  stagnant  pools. 
The  taste  of  sea  water  is,  we  know,  not 
only  salt  but  bitter;  but  the  common  salt, 
which  occasions  it’s  saltness,  and  the  Epsom 
salt,  which  occasions  it’s  bitterness,  can 
neither  of  them  be  raised  in  vapour,  in 
any  sensible  proportion,  by  the  same  gen- 
tie  degree  of  heat  with  which  water  may 
be  raised.  In  order,  therefore,  to  obtain 
fresh  water  from  sea  water,  we  need  only 
copy  the  process  of  nature,  and  distil  sea 
water  with  a gentle  heat.”  Always  leav- 
ing a fourth  part  at  the  bottom  undistilled  -y 
which  would,  otherwise,  spoil  the  whole. 


Excellent  Clary  JVine. 

Boil  nine  pounds  of  loaf  sugar  in  three 
gallons  of  water,  carefully  scumming  it  all 
the  time;  then  pour  it  hot  on  a gallon  of 
the  tops  of  clary  when  in  blossom,  com- 
monly called  clary  flowers,  cover  up  the 
vessel  so  closely  that  no  steam  can  escape, 
and  let  the  infusion  stand  to  cool.  When 
it  becomes  only  about  the  warmth  of  new 
milk,  stir  it  well  together;  and,  spreading’ 
a toast  all  over  with  good  ale  yeast,  throw 
it  into  the  liquid,  and  leave  it  to  ferment. 
After  it  has  worked  about  two  days,  put 
it  into  a barrel,  with  all  the  flowers  of  the 
clary;  and,  as  soon  as  it  ceases  to  hiss,  stop- 
it  up,  and  let  it  remain  for  three  months. 
At  the  end  of  that  time,  rack  it  off  fine  into 
another  cask,  adding  a pint  and  a half  of 
brandy;  and,  when  it  has  thus  remained 
closely  stopped  six  weeks  longer,  it  may 
be  bottled  or  drank.  This  excellent  wine 
has  all  the  true  vinous  flavour  of  the  grape; 
and,  indeed,  the  best  imitations  of  most 
foreign  wines  may  be  improved  by  having- 
a portion  of  clary  flowers  in  their  compo- 
sition. This  is  one  of  the  chief  secrets  in. 
making  British  wines  truly  resemble  those 
of  foreign  countries. 

Art  of  Dyeing  or  Staining  Leather  Gloves , to 
resemble  the  beautiful  York  Tan , Limerick 
Dye,  Sgc. 

THESE  different  pleasing  hues  of  yellow 
brown  or  tan  colour,  are  readily  imparted 
to  leather  gloves  by  the  following  simple 
process — Steep  saffron  in  boiling  hot  soft 
water  for  about  twelve  hours;  then,  hav- 
ing slightly  sewed  up  the  tops  of  the  gloves, 
to  prevent  the  dye  from  staining  the  in- 
sides, wet  them  over  with  a sponge  or  soft 
* 2 U 


FAMILY  IlECFIPT-BOOIv. 


170 

brush  dipped  into  the  liquid.  The  quan- 
tity of  saffron,  as  well  as  of  water,  will  of 
course  depend  on  how  much  dye  may  be 
wanted;  and  their  relative  proportions,  on 
t lie  depth  of  colour  required.  A common 
tea-cup  will  contain  sufficient  in  quantity 
for  a.  single  pair  of  gloves. 

Origin  and  Nature  of  Phosphorus. 

By  the  the  simple  term  phosphorus,  is 
commonly  understood  that  wonderful  com- 
position in  chemistry  more  particularly 
denominated  English  phosphorus,  from 
considering  it  as  the  invention  of  the  Ho- 
nourable Mr.  Boyle;  or  Kunekel’s  phos- 
phorus, as  that  of  a German  thus  named. 
Phosphorus,  however,  in  a general  sense, 
seems  to  comprehend  most  substances 
which  are  capable  of  emitting  light  in  the 
dark,  without  friction,  collision,  &c.  at 
least,  such  substances  as  possess  this  pro- 
pert}'-  are  said  to  be  so  far  phosphoric: 
such  as  rotten  wood,  in  particular;  dia- 
monds, after  exposure  to  the  sun  or  light; 
the  Bolo  gna  stone;  certain  spars,  pos- 
terior to  calcination;  glow-worms  and 
fire-flies;  putrid  shell  arid  other  fish; 
broken  lumps  of  refined  sugar,  &c.  Most 
of  these,  and  other  articles  which  possess 
phosphoric  properties,  derive  them,  per- 
haps, from  electricity,  or  some  undiscover- 
ed property  of  light:  but  the  chemical  or 
common  phosphorus,  of  which  we  are  now 
more  particularly  treating,  is  a substance  not 
only  luminous  in  the  dark,  but  also  in- 
flammable and  burning;  and,  being  the 
basis  of  a peculiar  acid,  is  consequently 
to  be  considered  as  a species  of  sulphur. 
Chemistry  has,  in  fact,  scarcely  ever  afford- 
ed any  tiling  so  wonderful  and  astonish- 
ing as  this  curious  substance.  To  see  let- 


ters, traced  with  phosphorus,  become  lu- 
minous in  the  dark;  images,  and  even  the 
bodies  of  men,  blazing  with  light;  and 
various  other  singular  displays  of  the  pow- 
ers of  this  preparation;  could  not  fail,  on 
it’s  first  discovery,  to  attract  universal 
notice.  It’s  origin  appears  to  have  been 
quite  accidental:  an  alchemical  operator 
of  Hamburgh,  named  Brandt,  in  his  ex- 
periments after  the  philosopher’s  stone, 
which  he  firmly  believed  was  to  be  found 
in  urine,  is  said  to  have  been  the  original 
discoverer;  by  finding,  in  his  receiver, 
after  numerous  experiments,  and  a violent 
distillation  of  urine,  a small  quantity  of 
the  shining  matter  since  denominated  phos- 
phorus. This  being  shewn  to  Dr.  Kun- 
ckel,  though  the  process  of  obtaining  it 
was  concealed,  as  be  knew  that  Brandt 
worked  chiefly  on  urine,  he  immediately 
proceeded  to  do  the  same,  and  continued  to 
operate  on  the  subject  for  four  years;  till,  at 
length,  in  1 G79,  during  which  time  Brandt 
died,  Kunckel  accomplished  his  wish.  Ano- 
ther claimant  of  this  discovery,  in  the  mean, 
while,  was  a Dr.  Kraait:  who,  having  been 
associated  with  Kunckel,  in  the  endeavour 
to  discover  this  secret,  and  thinking  to 
make  his  own  fortune  by  purchasing  it  of 
Brandt  for  himself  only,  actually  did  so; 
and  first  brought  over  a piece  of  phospho- 
rus, in  the  same  year  as  Kunckel  had  dis- 
covered it,  for  the  purpose  of  shewing  it 
to  the  King  and  Queen  of  England.  Mr. 
Boyle  having  merely  been  informed  that 
this  phosphorus  was  produced  from  some 
matter  belonging  to  the  human  body,  im- 
inediatelyattempted,as  Kunckel  had  already 
done,  to  find  out  the  method  of  preparing 
it;  and,  in  the  following  year,  1680,  ac- 
tually made  a small  quantity,  which  he  de- 
posited with  the  secretary  of  the  Royal 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


in 


Society.  Mr.  Boyle  communicated  his  ! 
process  for  making  phosphorus  to  a Ger-  J 
man  chemist,  Mr.  Godfreid  Hantkwitz,  in  | 
London,  who  is  said  to  have  made  it  a very 
lucrative  trade.  A descendant  of  this  cele- 
brated chemist  still  keeps  a laboratory  of 
the  first  repute  in  Southampton  Street, 
Covent  Garden;  where  the  date,  1680,  ap- 
pears at  present  over  the  door.  Kraaft 
does  not  appear  to  have  greatly  profited 
by  his  alledged  treachery  to  Kunckel ; 
since  the  latter,  with  Mr.  Hantkwitz,  are 
said  to  have  been  the  only  persons  who 
ever  made  phosphorus  in  any  very  con-  | 
siderable  quantities.  In  ascertaining  the  j 
respective  claims  to  the  discovery,  Brandt  i 
stands,  in  our  estimation,  without  a rival,  ' 
though  it  is  never  called  Brandt’s  phos-  j 
phorus.  It  is  evident,  that  his  experience  ; 
afforded  both  Kunckel  and  Boyle  not  only  ! 
the  data  on  which  they  acted,  but  the  po- 
sitive proof  of  a certain  result;  and  this 
result  was  what  neither  of  them,  any  more 
than  himself,  would  ever  otherwise  have 
expected.  Phosphorus  is  now  made  in  a 
variety  of  ways,  and  of  different  substances 
and  qualities;  and  the  process  of  disen- 
gaging it  from  bones,  by  the  easy  and 
cheap  method  of  Scheele,  in  a considerable 
degree  superseded,  for  a long  time,  the 
distillation  of  it  from  urine.  The  latter, 
however,  has  since  been  so  simplified  and 
improved,  by  M.  Giobert  of  Turin,  as  to 
surpass  that  of  Scheele  even  in  cheapness: 
to  such  a degree,  indeed,  has  the  latter 
carried  his  improvement,  that  phosphorus 
may  be  procured,  with  convenience  and 
certainty,  and  without  any  offensive  opera- 
tion, in  the  course  of  a single  day;  or, 
where  the  quantity  required  is  small,  even 
in  a few  hours.  The  improvement  of 
Giobert  consists  in  pouring  the  solution 


of  lead,  made  in  the  nitrous  acid,  a 
little  at  a time,  into  a quantity  of  urine 
of  any  sort,  fresh  or  putrid,  till  no  more 
precipitate  be  afforded;  as  may  be  ascer- 
tained, in  the  usual  way,  by  taking  out 
and  trying  smaller  portions.  The  whole 
mixture  is  to  be  diluted  with  an  abun- 
dance of  water  sufficiently  to  rarefy  the  ex- 
tractive matter:  when,  by  straining  through 
a cloth,  the  watery  liquid  must  be  separat- 
ed from  the  precipitate  ; and  the  precipi- 
tate, being  made  into  a paste  with  pulverized 
charcoal,  and  well  dried  in  an  iron  or  pre- 
ferably a copper  pot,  is  fit  for  immediate 
distillation.  In  undergoing  that  process, 
an  oily  alkaline  fluid  first  comes  over;  and 
then,  a small  portion  of  empyreumatic  oil, 
both  which  arise  from  the  urine  left  in  the 
interstices  of  the  precipitate.  When  the 
oil  ceases  to  come  over,  the  receiver  must 
be  changed,  and  have  one  with  water  sub- 
stituted, in  the  usual  mode,  the  fire  being 
at  the  same  time  raised;  and  generally,  in 
about  half  an  hour,  the  phosphorus  will 
begin  to  appear.  So  that,  in  eight  hours, 
an  operation  which  produces  from  twelve 
to  fourteen  ounces  of  phosphorus,  is  easily 
compleated.  One  of  the  most  familiar  as 
well  as  successful  methods  of  making  phos- 
phorus, is  the  following — Evaporate  any 
quantity  of  fresh  urine  over  a gentle  fire, 
to  a black  and  almost  dry  substance;  with 
two  poundsof  which,mixfourpoundsof  fine 
sand,  and  put  the  whole  into  astrong  coated 
stone  retort:  then,  having  poured  a quart  or 
two  of  clear  water  into  a large  receiver,  with  a 
long  neck,  join  it  to  the  retort,  and  work 
in  a naked  fire.  Let  the  heat  be  small  for 
the  two  first  hours;  then  increase  it,  gra- 
dually, to  the  utmost  violence,  and  thus 
continue  for  three  or  four  hours.  .There 
will,  at  the  expiration  of  that  time,  pas? 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


172 

into  the  receiver  a little  phlegm  and  vola- 
tile salt;  much  black  fetid  oil ; and,  lastly, 
the  matter  of  the  phosphorus,  in  a sort  of 
white  clouds,  either  sticking  to  the  sides 
of  the  receiver  like  a fine  yellow  skin,  or 
fallen  to  the  bottom  in  form  of  a minute 
sand.  The  fire  is  then  to  be  put  out ; but 
the  receiver  must  not  be  taken  away  be- 
fore it  be  cold,  lest  the  admission  of  air 
set  the  phosphorus  on  fire.  To  reduce 
these  small  grains  into  a single  piece,  put 
them  into  a little  tin  ingot  mould,  with 
some  water;  heat  the  ingot,  to  make  the 
grains  melt  together;  and,  then,  add  cold 
water,  till  the  matter  be  congealed  into 
one  solid  stick  like  bees- wax.  The  phos- 
phorus being  thus  made,  and  combined 
into  a solid  form,  cut  it  into  small  pieces 
fit  to  enter  the  mouth  of  a phial ; and  pre- 
serve it,  by  keeping  it  in  water  closely 
stopped.  Without  being  covered  with  wa- 
ter, it  would  gradually  consume;  and,  if 
left  uncovered,  turn  black  on  it’s  surface, 
and  soon  spoil.  If  boiled  two  or  three 
times  in  ardent  spirit,  it  becomes  perfectly 
transparent,  and  of  a beautiful  opal  colour. 

Curious  Experiments  with  Phosphorus. 

The  light  of  phosphorus  is  observed 
t*  appear  greater  in  a vacuum  than  in  the 
open  air — In  hot  weather,  it  is  observed  to 
«lart  flashes  of  light  through  the  water 
that  contains  it;  so  as  exactly  to  resemble 
lightning,  which  thus  darts  unextinguished 
through  watery  clouds  and  vapours — These 
flashes  of  light  are  not  apt  to  kindle  or  burn 
any  combustible  matter;  in  which,  they 
resemble  the  harmless  kind  of  lightning- 
but,  in  a condensed  state,  the  phosphorus 
burns  very  furiously,  and  with  a most  pene- 
trating fire,  so  as  to  melt  and  dissolve  me- 
tals; and,  in  this  respect  it  again  resem- 


I hies  the  more  destructive  kinds  of  light- 
ning, which  are  found  to  have  the  same 
effects — If  a small  piece  of  phosphorus 
be  viewed  through  a microscope,  the  in- 
ternal parts  appear  in  a constant  ebulli- 
tion— A bit  of  it  being  put  into  a silver 
spoon,  and  held  over  the  fire,  it  bursts  out 
into  a shining  flame;  leaving  a red  spot 
in  the  spoon,  of  a corrosive  and  acid  taste  ; 
this  being  diluted  with  water,  the  mixture 
makes  a conflict  with  oil  of  tartar  per  de- 
liquium — If  a little  phosphorus  be  ground 
in  a glass  mortar,  with  twenty  times  it’s 
own  weight  of  nitre,  it  does  not  take 
flame,  but  only  disperses  a shining  proper- 
ty through  the  body  of  the  nitre;  but,  if 
proved  in  the  same  manner  with  iron  filings 
reduced  to  powder,  a bright  flame  imme- 
diately ensues — Though  this  phosphorus 
appears  to  be  a kind  of  sulphur,  it  does 
not  dissolve  in  highly-rectified  spirit  of 
wine,  but  communicates  to  it  some  sul- 
phurous parts:  for,  if  the  spirit  be  after- 
ward poured  to  water,  it  yields,  in  the 
dark,  a faint  degree  of  light — The  nature 
of  the  phosphorus  is  considerably  chang- 
ed, by  being  long  digested  with  alcohol: 
for  it  thus  becomes  a kind  of  white  trans- 
parent oil,  which  does  not  coagulate  with- 
out an  extreme  degree  of  cold,  nor  afford 
any  manner  of  light;  and,  when  fresh, 
spirit  of  wine  is  poured  on,  it  does  not; 
like  other  oils,  mix  with  or  dissolve  in  it  — 
If  this  phosphorus  be  separated  from  the 
spirit  of  wine  in  which  it  was  digested,  and 
afterward  well  washed  in  common  water, 
it  by  degrees  recovers  it’s  former  consis- 
tence, and  coagulates  into  a transparent 
matter,  whiter  than  before;  but  neither 
affords  so  much  light,  nor  recovers  either 
it’s  primitive  shining  virtue  or  it’s  yellow 
colour — The  spirit  of  wine  so  separated 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


becomes  yellowish,  and  smells  strong  of 
the  phosphorus;  though  it  does  not  shine, 
except  when  poured  on  water — This  phos- 
phorus, being  mixed  with  a large  quantity 
of  pomatum,  makes  a shining  unguent, 
which  may  be  rubbed  on  the  hands  and 
face  without  danger  of  .burning,  so  as  to 
render  them  luminous  in  the  dark;  or, 
if  half  a dram  of  camphor  be  ground  in  a 
glass  mortar  with  three  grains  of  this  solid 
phosphorus  of  urine,  adding  as  much  es- 
sential oil  of  cloves  as  may  serve  for  re- 
ducing the  whole  to  a fluid  form,  the  mix- 
ture thus  made  may  also  be  rubbed  on 
the  cloaths,  the  hair,  or  the  flesh,  without 
danger  of  burning — If  a piece  of  paper, 
or  linen,  be  dipped  at  one  end  in  spirit 
of  wine,  and  a bit  of  phosphorus  be  crush- 
ed on  the  other  end  which  remains  dry, 
the  spirit  will  be  fired  by  the  phosphorus, 
without  immediate  contact:  but  this  does 
not  happen,  if  the  paper  be  dipped  in  oil 
of  turpentine,  nor  if  a bit  of  phosphorus 
be  rubbed  on  the  end  dipped  in  the  spirit 
of  wine ; only,  when  the  spirit  is  entirely 
evaporated, 'the  phosphorus  slowly  and  with 
difficulty  burns  and  ^consumes.  Many 
other  curious  experiments  might  be  add- 
ed; which,  like  every  one  of  these,  have 
been  repeatedly  tried.  Phosphorus,  in- 
deed, seems  to  form  much  such  a substance 
in  chemistry,  as  the  loadstone  in  natural 
philosophy;  and  it’s  effects  are  almost  as 
singular  and  difficult  to  explain,  for  want 
of  a requisite  knowledge  in  the  latent  pro- 
perties of  bodies.  Within  these  few  years, 
many  attempts  have  been  made  to  intro- 
duce phosphorus  for  the  ready  supply  of 
fire;  but,  partly  from  the  dread  of  sponta- 
neous ignition  in  dangerous  situations,  and 
partly  from  the  difference  of  expence,  com- 
pared with  flint,  steel,  and  tinder,  it  may 


175 

be  said  to  have  hitherto  failed  in  every 
shape.  It  must  be  confessed,  however, 
that  phosphoric  bottles,  at  least,  seem  en- 
titled to  general  attention,  whatever  may  be 
objected  to  phosphoric  tapers  or  matches, 
&c.  which  cannot,  from  the  nature  of  things, 
ever  be  sufficiently  cheap  for  common  use, 
however  ingenious  and  reasonable. 

Art  of  mailing  Phosphoric  Tapers  or  Matches . 

In  a tubular  piece  of  glass  four  inches 
long,  and  a single  line  only  internal  dia- 
meter, closed  at  one  end,  put  a small  bit 
of  phosphorus  ; and,  pushing  it  to  the  ex- 
tremity, introduce  a taper  covered  slightly 
with  wax,  to  fill  up  the  rest  of  the  tube, 
which  must  be  hermetically  sealed  : when, 
plunging  the  other  end  into  boiling  water, 
the  phosphorus  melts,  and  adheres  to  the 
taper  or  match.  A line  is  usually  marked 
on  the  glass  with  a flint,  at  about  one-third 
the  length  of  the  tube,  where  it  is  to  be 
broken  when  the  taper  is  wanted  for  use; 
which  being  then  briskly  drawm  out,  will 
be  found  compleatly  lighted  by  the  phos- 
phorus. 

Easy  Method  of  preparing  Phosphoric  Bottles. 

Heat  a common  glass  phial,  by  fixing 
it  in  a ladleful  of  sand  ; then,  putting  in 
two  or  three  minute  bits  of  phosphorus, 
stir  them  about  with  a piece  of  red-hot 
iron  wire,  till  the  phosphorus  is  all  spread 
over  and  adheres  to  the  internal  surface 
of  the  bottle,  where  it  w ill  form  a reddish 
coating.  When,  by  repeated  introduc- 
tions of  the  heated  wire,  this  is  compleatly 
effected,  the  bottle  is  to  remain  open  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  and  then  be  corked 
for  use.  One  end  of  a feommon  match  be- 
ing put  into  a bottle  thus  prepared,  on 
touching  the  phosphorus,  and  being  sud- 
2 X 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


174 

denly  drawn  out,  will  be  with  certaintly 
lighted.  As  there  can  be  no  particular 
danger  of  accidental  fire  from  the  use  of 
these  bottles;  and,  with  reasonable  care 
in  using  them,  and  keeping  them  closely  i 
stopped,  a single  bottle  would  last  a con- 
siderable time,  and  might,  were  the  demand 
general,  be  replenished  at  a most  trifling 
expence;  it  may,  possibly,  in  the  hands 
of  some  ingenious  and  enterprizing  per- 
son, be  finally  made  to  supersede  the  tin- 
der box,  that  dreadful  consumer  of  rags, 
and  consequent  enemy  to  the  manufacture 
of  paper.  Phosphorus  is  one  of  those 
grand  discoveries  of  modern  times,  the 
chief  utilities  of  which  seem  to  be  reserved 
for  a future  and  wiser  age. 

Specification  of  Lord  William  Murray’s  Pa- 
tent for  extracting  Starch  from  Horse 

Chcsnuts. 

The  patent  for  this  useful  invention  and 
discovery  isdated  March  8,  1796;  of  course, 
the  exclusive  privilege  of  extracting  starch 
from  horse  chesnuts  in  the  following  man- 
ner must  be  confined  to  the  patentee  till 
the  expiration  of  fourteen  years.  In  the 
mean  time,  we  shall  present  our  curious 
readers  with  the  mode  of  preparing  this 
starch  in  his  lordship’s  own  words,  ex- 
tracted from  the  specification  in  the  Patent 
Office* — “ I first  take  the  horse  chesnuts 
out  of  the  outward  green  prickly  husks; 
and  then,  either  by  hand,  with  a knife  or 
other  tool,  or  else  with  a mill  adapted  for 


brown  rind  : being  particular  not  to  leave 
the  smallest  speck,  and  to  entirely  eradi- 
cate the  sprout  or  growth.  I next  take 
the  nuts,  and  rasp,  grate,  or  grind  them 
fine  into  water;  either  by  hand,  or  by  a 
mill  adapted  for  that  purpose.  The  pulp 


1 which  is  thereby  formed  in  that  water,  I 
wash  as  clean  as  possible  through  a coarse 
hair  sieve;  this,  I again  wash  through  a 
finer  sieve;  and  then,  again,  through  a 
still  finer:  constantly  adding  clean  water, 
to  prevent  any  starch  from  adhering  to  the 
pulp.  The  last  process  is,  to  put  it,  with 
a large  quantity  of  water,  about  four  gal- 
lons to  a pound  of  starch,  through  a fine 
gauze,  muslin,  or  lawn,  so  as  entirely  to 
clear  it  of  all  bran,  or  other  impurities. 
As  soon  as  it  settles,  I pour  off  the  water, 
and  then  mix  it  up  with  clean;  repeating 
this  operation  till  it  no  longer  imparts  any 
green,  yellow,  or  other  colour,  to  the  wa- 
ter. I then  drain  it  off,  till  nearly  dry; 
and  set  it  to  bake,  either  in  the  usual  mode 
of  baking  starch,  or  else  spread  out  be- 
fore a brisk  fire:  being  very  attentive  to 
stir  it  frequently,  to  prevent  it’s  horning; 
that  is  to  say,  turning  to  a paste  or  jelly 
which,  on  being  dried,  turns  hard  like 
horn.  The  whole  process  should  be  con- 
ducted as  quickly  as  possible.”  The  utili- 
ty of  this  invention  requires  no  comment. 
Should  it  come  into  general  use,  not  only 
a va6t  consumption  of  wheat  flour  mu9t 
be  saved;  but,  from  the  necessity  of  plant- 
ing more  chesnut  trees,  for  the  sake  of  a 
fruit  hitherto  considered  as  of  no  sort  of 
value,  much  of  that  excellent  and  beautiful 
wood  will  be  produced  for  the  many  pur- 
poses to  which  it  is  applicable* 

French  Method  of  making  Flour  for  Bread 
with  Ilorse  Chesnuts. 

THOUGH  we  cannot  venture  to  recom- 
mend making  bread  for  general  use  from 
horse  chesnuts,  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  the  flour  which  they  afford  may  be 
advantageously  used  in  a variety  of  ways; 
not  only  for  making  starch,  hair-powder. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


paste,  &c.  but  on  numerous  other  occa- 
sions where  meal  of  different  descriptions 
is  at  present  consumed  in  prodigious  quan- 
tities. The  French  method,  as  recom- 
mended for  making  bread,  is  as  follows — 
Peel  the  chesnuts;  and,  drying  them  tho- 
roughly, either  in  the  sun  or  a warm 
room,  grate  and  pound  them  into  a fine 
powder.  Sift  this  powder  into  water,  and 
stir  it  well  for  some  time;  and,  after  leav- 
ing it  at  rest  an  hour,  carefully  pour  or 
draw  off  the  water,  to  prevent  the  escape 
of  any  sediment.  This  affusion,  with  plenty 
of  fresh  water,  is  to  be  repeated  eight  or 
nine  times;  till  the  liquid  become  colour- 
less, as  well  as  tasteless.  The  subsided  pulp 
is  then  to  be  passed  into  a close  linen  bag; 
through  which,  the  moisture  is  to  be  as 
much  as  possible  expressed  out,  and  the 
flour  within  left  very  slowly  to  dry.  This 
fine  flour,  or  starch,  it  is  said,  will  be 
found  free  from  all  bitterness  and  astrin- 
gency ; have  nolonger  any  disagreeable  taste; 
and  afford  wholesome  bread,  when  made 
into  loaves  like  common  wheaten  flour. 

English  Roast  Beef. 

Tins  chief  boast  of  the  British  table  is 
best  prepared  when  dressed  and  served  up 
with  the  greatest  simplicity;  whether  the 
piece  be  a sirloin,  ribs,  rump,  or  any  other 
part.  The  meat,  which  should  be  young, 
fat,  and  fresh,  must  be  carefully  spitted,  so 
as  to  penetrate  as  little  as  possible  of  the 
prime  meat.  The  spit,  of  course,  is  to  be 
quite  bright  and  clean,  for  a black  stain  in 
the  meat,  pointing  out  the  progress  of  the 
spit,  would  be  unpardonable:  it  may,  in- 
deed, generally  be  contrived  to  run  along 
the  bones,  so  as  to  leave  little  or  no  per- 
ceptible mark;  especially,  when  there  are 
proper  skewers  loaded  with  lead  to  balance 


75 

the  meat.  It  must  be  put  down  to  a quick 
and  clear  fire;  but  should,  for  some  little 
time,  to  prevent  scorching  or  hardening 
while  raw,  be  kept  at  a distance,  and  after- 
ward gradually  approached  as  the  inside 
becomes  heated.  As  sprinkling  the  meat 
with  salt  is  thought  to  draw  out  the  gravy, 
some  baste  it  a little,  at  first,  with  salt  and 
water.  This,  however,  must  be  but  a short 
time  continued,  and  followed  by  a dredging 
of  flour,  lest  the  meat  should  be  sodden. 
Before  it’s  own  fat  is  sufficiently  melted 
for  basting,  either  butter  or  the  purest 
beef  dripping  should  be  used.  To  baste 
it  well,  and  see  that  it  is  in  continual  and 
regular  motion  before  a constantly  clear 
and  brisk  fire,  without  any  burning  or 
scorching,  is  the  only  care  required  till  it 
be  nearly  done.  Where,  from  the  fatness 
of  the  meat,  it  has  been  judged  advisable 
to  cover  it  with  paper,  as  is  commonly  the 
case  with  fine  beef,  this  covering  must  now 
be  taken  off;  the  meat  sprinkled  with  salt; 
and,  on  it’s  getting  of  a proper  colour, 
frothed  with  flour  and  butter.  The  time 
of  roasting  not  only  depends  on  the  size  of 
the  meat,  fire,  &c.  but  in  some  degree  on 
the  weather.  As  beef  should  never  be 
dressed  too  much,  twenty  pounds  may  ge- 
nerally be  done  sufficiently,  under  favour- 
able circumstances,  in  three  hours  and  a 
half.  It  will,  then,  on  being  taken  off  the 
spit,  want  little  else  than  it’s  own  gravy, 
with  a garnish  of  nicely  scraped  horse- 
radish round  the  dish,  to  be  ready  for  eat- 
ing with  whatever  vegetables  and  melted 
butter  may  be  at  the  same  time  served  up. 

Rich  Plum  Pudding, 

'Even  the  roast  beef  of  old  England  is. 
scarcely  more  famous  than  it’s  plum  pud- 
ding; but  this,  being  more  of  a maiiufac- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


176 

ture,  is  prepared  in  so  many  different 
ways,  as  sometimes  to  be  a very  delicious 
and  sometimes  a very  indifferent  dish. 
Perhaps,  the  very  best  way  of  making  a 
rich  plum  pudding  is  this  which  we  are 
about  to  give — Having  carefully  stoned  a 
pound  of  the  best  jar  raisins,  well  washed 
and  picked  the  same  quantity  of  fine  and 
newest  currants,  chopped  or  minced  small  a 
pound  of  the  freshest  beef  suet,  and  blanch- 
ed and  pounded  two  ounces  of  almonds,  mix 
them  in  a pound  each  of  sifted  flour  and 
grated  bread  crumbs;  adding  two  ounces 
each  of  candied  citron,  orange  and  lemon 
peel,  half  a grated  nutmeg,  a blade  or  two  of 
beaten  mace,  a quarter  of  a pound  of  pow- 
dered loaf  sugar,  and  a very  little  salt. 
Then,  moisten  the  whole  with  ten  beaten 
eggs,  about  half  apintof  cream,  aglassortwo 
of  mountain  wine,  and  half  a gill  of  brandy, 
to  make  it  of  a good  consistency;  but  it 
must  by  no  means  be  thin,  as  the  fruit  would 
then  settle  at  the  bottom.  Being  thus 
made,  it  may  be  either  put  into  a dish  or 
mould,  and  well  baked;  or,  as  is  more  ge- 
nerally the  case,  carefully  tied  up  in  a 
cloth,  boiled  at  least  four  hours,  and  serv- 
ed up  with  melted  butter  in  mountain  wine 
and  scraped  sugar  over  it.  This  is  a most 
delicious  pudding. 

Good  Family  Plum  Pudding. 

Mix  half  a pound  each  of  Malaga  rai- 
sins and  currants ; a pound  each  of  flour, 
grated  bread,  and  chopped  suet;  and  a 
little  pounded  allspice,  a quarter  of  a 
pound  of  moist  sugar,  and  some  salt. 
Moisten  it  with  a beaten  egg  and  milk, 
with  or  without  a glass  of  white  wine  or 
brandy,  and  a little  grated  nutmeg;  and 
boil  or  bake  it  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
richest  plum  pudding.  This,  too,  will 


generally  prove  a very  acceptable  pud- 
ding. 

Flemish  Soup. 

Peel  and  slice  twelve  potatoes  and 
about  half  a dozen  onions;  and  cut  six  or 
eight  heads  of  celery  into  small  pieces. 
Put  them  in  a stewpan  with  a quarter  of 
a pound  of  butter  and  somewhat  less  than 
a pint  of  water;  and  let  it  boil  very  slowly, 
for  an  hour,  over  a stove.  Fill  the  stew- 
pan  up  with  veal  stock,  or  good  broth  or 
gravy;  and,  having  boiled  it  till  the  pota- 
toes are  dissolved,  rub  it  through  a sieve, 
add  a pint  of  cream,  and  keep  it  hot  in  a 
small  soup  pot  till  served  up.  Indeed,  all 
white  soups  should  be  warmed  by  putting 
the  soup  pot  into  boiling  water.  This  is  a 
good  maigre  soup,  only  by  substituting 
more  water  for  the  stock  or  gravy. 

Calves  and  Sheep's  Brains}  as  dressed  in 
France. 

CLEANSE  the  brains  of  two  calves,  or  of 
half  a dozen  sheep,  in  warm  water ; and 
stew  them  with  a little  broth  or  gravy, 
two  or  three  spoonfuls  of  vinegar,  a bunch 
of  parsley  and  scallions,  a clove  of  garlic 
or  two  or  three  shallots,  a little  thyme  and 
basil,  a laurel  leaf,  and  three  cloves.  Cut 
the  halves  of  the  calves  brains  in  two;  and, 
having  made  a thick  batter  with  two  hand- 
fuls of  flour,  a spoonful  of  oil,  a gill  of  white 
wine,  and  some  salt,  dip  each  piece  of  the 
brains  into  it,  fry  them  in  hog’s  lard  till 
the  batter  is  crisp  and  of  a good  colour, 
and  serve  them  up  hot.  This  is  an  admi- 
rable method  of  dressing  brains;  and,  by 
using  water  for  gravy,  and  milk  for  wine, 
and  substituting  onions  only  for  garlic, 
shallots,  &c.  may  be  made  a very  cheap  as 
well  as  agreeable  dish. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


177 


Roasted  Fawn. 

THE  method  of  preparing  a fawn,  or 
young  deer,  for  the  table,  is  to  skewer  it 
and  stuff  it  like  a hare,  and  spit  it  exactly 
in  the  same  manner.  Then  put  over . it 
plenty  of  oiled  or  clarified  butter,  give  it  a 
slight  sprinkling  of  salt,  cover  the  back 
with  sheets  or  large  slices  of  bacon,  the 
bacon  with  writing  paper,  and  tie  the  whole 
fast  with  twine  or  tape.  Baste  it  well  with 
butter,  sprinkle  it  with  salt,  and  dredge  it 
with  flour,  on  taking  off  the  paper,  &c. 
Then,  having  prepared  a chevreuil  sauce, 
-pour  it  into  the  dish,  place  the  fawn  over 
it,  and  thus  serve  it  up. 

Chevreuil  Sauce. 

This  sauce,  like  it’s  name,  is  probably 
of  French  origin,  being  used  for  the  chev- 
reuil, or  roebuck.  It  is  thus  made — Put 
a small  piece  of  butter  into  a stewpan,  with 
some  chopped  parsley,  shallots,  thyme, 
mushrooms,  and  a few  spoonfuls  of  gravy 
or  brown  stock;  after  slowly  simmering 
them  for  almost  a quarter  of  an  hour,  add 
a sufficient  quantity  of  flour  to  imbibe  all 
the  butter,  and  continue  stirring  it  a few  mi- 
nutes longer  over  the  fire.  Then  put  to 
it  a pint  of  stock;  stir  it  well,  till  it  has 
boiled  a little  together;  and,  taking  it  off 
the  fire,  squeeze  in  some  lemon  juice,  and 
add  a tea-spoonful  of  sifted  loaf  sugar  and 
a small  quantity  of  pepper  and  salt. 

Roasted  Kid. 

On  account  of  the  great  rankness  of 
goats,  there  are  few  persons,  perhaps, 
who  would  not  be  prejudiced  against  know- 
ingly tasting  their  flesh.  A young  goat, 
however,  is  in  delicacy  and  tenderness  not 
inferior  to  a lamb;  and  when  very  young, 


|j  so  as  to  be  in  fact  a kid,  it  may  be  either 
| j roasted  whole  like  a fawn,  and  eaten  with 
ij  the  same  sauce,  or  be  dressed  in  the  raan- 
i|  ner  of  lamb,  when  few  people  will  know 
| the  difference.  Indeed,  it  is  by  no  means 
very  uncommon,  in  London,  for  goat’s 
flesh  to  be  sold  even  as  house  lamb,  when 
older  than  it  ought  to  be  at  all  dressed,  and 
pass  without  any  other  detection  than  a 
slight  expression  of  wonder  at  such  a rank 
! flavour  in  lamb.  The  flesh  should  not  be 
eaten  after  the  kid  has  left  oil  sucking; 
till  then,  it  is  excellent.  The  meat  ought 
to  be  fat  and  white. 

Civet  of  Fawn  or  Kid. 

The  preparation  of  this  dish  consists 
j in  simply  cutting  off  neatly  what  may  be 
left  cold  of  the  fawn  or  kid,  putting  it  in  a 
I stewpan  with  a very  little  stock  or  gravy, 
and  keeping  it  rather  near  than  on  the 
' fire,  to  get  hot,  for  it  must  by  no  means 
boil.  When  quite  warm,  it  is  to  be  put 
in  the  dish,  and  have  hot  chevreuil  sauce 
poured  over  it. 

Civet  of  Hare. 

Cut  neatly  what  may  be  left  of  a hare 
not  roasted  too  dry,  with  as  little  bone  as 
possible;  put  these  pieces  into  a stewpan 
with  three  or  four  large  onions,  some  shal- 
lots, arid  a faggot  of  parsley,  thyme,  and 
any  other  sweet  herbs,  with  three  or  four 
cloves,  a blade  or  two  of  mace,  a pint  of 
1 good  stock,  gravy,  or  broth,  and  a gill  of 
red  port.  Let  the  whole  simmer  very 
gently,  for  an  hour  and  a half  at  least,  on  a 
stoveorslow fire;  and, straining offtheliquid, 
put  the  hare  in  a dish.  Then  melt  a bit  of 
i butter  in  the  •stewpan,  mix  with  it  a little 
flour,  add  the  liquor  strained  from  the  hare, 
boil  them  together  for  a few  minutes,  and 
2 Y 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


178 

then  strain  it  through  a tammy.  In  the 
mean  time,  having  boiled  twenty  or  thirty 
beaten  onions  in  stock  or  gravy,  on  dish- 
ing up  the  hare,  pour  the  sauce  over  it, 
and  place  these  onions  at  the  top.  A civet 
of  leveret,  or  young  hare,  may  be  made 
either  in  this  manner  or  like  that  of  a 
fawn  or  kid. 

Roasted  Leveret. 

In  general,  a leveret,  or  young  hare, 
may  be  dressed  like  a hare  that  is  full 
grown.  Having  stuffed  it  in  the  usual 
manner,  with  the  liver  chopped  up,  spit  it, 
and  put  it  down  to  the  fire  ; and,  while  it  is 
roasting,  alternately  dredge  it  with  flour, 
and  baste  it  well  with  warm  milk,  till  -it 
be  three  parts  done,  and  there  is  a good 
crust  formed:  then  finish  it  with  two  or 
three  ounces  of  fresh  butter  put  into  the 
dripping  pan  ; and  serve  it  up,  with  gravy 
and  melted  butter  over,  and  melted  cur- 
rant jelly  in  a sauce  tureen.  The  follow- 
ing is  an  excellent  method  of  dressing 
either  a leveret  or  hare — Make  the  stuffing, 
for  a leveret,  about  one  third  less  than  for 
a hare  of  full  grow  th,  according  to  it’s  size, 
with  two  handfuls  of  bread  crumbs,  full 
half  a handful  of  finely-chopped  fresh  beef 
suet,  some  parsley,  a little  lemon  thyme, 
and  an  egg  or  two;  roll  it  up,  and  put  it 
in  the  belly  of  the  leveret.  Then,  having 
spitted  it,  cover  the  back  with  sheets,  or 
large  and  thin  slices  of  fat  bacon,  to  keep 
it  moist;  baste  it  well;  and,  when  done, 
dish  it  up,  and  send  it  to  table,  with  the 
same  sauces,  &c.  as  before  mentioned. 

' Excellent  Gooseberry  Fool. 

Put  a quart  of  green  gooseberries  into 
a stone  jar,  with  a little  Lisbon  or  pow- 
dered loaf  sugar,  and  a gill  of  water ; place 


the  jar  on  a warm  stove,  or  in  a saucepan 
of  water  over  the  fire.  When  the  fruit 
is  quite  tender,  press  it  through  a colander 
or  a hair  sieve  ; and,  adding  sufficient  sugar, 
let  it  remain  till  it  gets  cold.  In  the  mean 
time,  put  a pint  of  cream  or  new  milk  into  a 
stevvpan,  with  a little  rind  of  lemon,  half 
a dozen  cloves,  a stick  of  cinnamon,  a 
small  pinch  each  of  coriander  and  angelica 
seeds,  and  some  sugar;  and  beat  the  yolks 
of  four  eggs  with  a little  flour  and  water, 
strain  to  them  the  milk,  whisk  it  well  over 
a fire  to  prevent  curdling,  and  before  it  be- 
gins to  boil  set  the  pan  which  contains  it 
in  cold  water,  stir  the  cream  well  for  two 
or  three  minutes,  and  let  it  stand  to  cool. 
When  this  also  is  quite  cold,  mix  the 
gooseberries  and  prepared  cream  gradu- 
ally together;  and,  adding  a little  grated 
nutmeg,  with  more  sugar  if  necessary, 
serve  it  up.  A very  good  gooseberry  fool 
may  be  made  by  simply  preparing  and 
pulping  the  gooseberries  as  above;  and 
then  beating  up  the  yolk  of  an  egg  with 
a little  sugar  and  grated  nutmeg,  stirred 
gently  into  a quart  of  boiled  milk,  over 
a slow  fire,  till  it  begins  to  simmer,  tak- 
ing it  off,  adding  the  gooseberries  by  de- 
grees, and  serving  it  up  when  cold.  A 
sort  of  gooseberry  fool,  made  by  merely 
scalding  gooseberries  in  water  mixed  with 
treacle,  and  leaving  them  whole  in  the 
syrup,  is  commonly  sold,  during  the  sea- 
son, in  the  streets  of  London  ; which  is 
much  relished  by  children,  and  by  no  means 
either  unwholesome  or  unpalatable,  when 
neatly  and  fairly  prepared. 

Boiled  Turbot. 

Turbots  often  weigh  from  twenty  to 
thirty  pounds;  and  their  flesh,  which  is 
at  once  firm  and  tender,  abounds  with  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  179 


richest  gelatinous  nutriment.  This  ex- 
cellent fish  is  in  season  the  greater  part 
of  the  summer;  and,  when  good,  should 
be  thick,  and  have  a yellowish  white  belly: 
if  the  turbot  be  thin,  or  it’s  belly  of  a blue 
cast,  it  is  considered  as  bad.  Being  drawn, 
and  washed  clean,  for  it  has  no  scales,  it 
should  be  lightly  rubbed  over  with  salt, 
and  carefully  hung  up ; when,  in  a cool 
place,  it  will  keep  three  or  four  days  in 
high  perfection.  An  hour  or  two  before 
it  is  wanted  to  be  dressed,  soak  it  in  spring 
water  with  more  or  Jess  salt;  and  if,  at  any 
time,  it  should  not  be  perfectly  sweet,  shift 
the  water  five  or  six  times,  and  put  a larger 
quantity  of  salt  than  usual  in  the  mouth 
and  belly.  The  turbot  kettle  being  of  a 
proper  size,  put  the  fish  on  the  plate, 
cover  it  well  with  cold  water,  set  it  over 
a gentle  fire,  add  a handful  of  salt  and 
half  a gill  of  vinegar,  carefully  take  off 
the  scum  as  it  rises,  and  preserve  in 
every  way  the  delicacy  of  it’s  colour  from 
injury.  When  it  boils  up,  put  in  a little 
cold  water,  and  take  out  some  of  the  hot : 
then,  almost  immediately,  add  more  cold 
water ; and,  on  it’s  again  boiling,  if  it  be 
not  very  large,  take  it  off  the  fire : for  it 
is  a general  rule,  that  fish  should  never  be 
suffered  to  boil  strongly  up.  Boiled  tur- 
bot is  occasionally  served  up  with  many 
different  sauces;  but,  in  general,  lobster 
sauce  is  preferred  to  all  others.  This, 
therefore,  in  one  tureen,  with  anchovy  but- 
ter, and  plain  butter,  in  two  others,  is  now 
the  usual  stile.  A very  good  lobster  sauce, 
for  this  purpose,  is  readily  made,  by  melt- 
ing plenty  of  fresh  butter;  bruising  into 
it  the  spawn  of  one  or  two  lobsters,  with 
the  meat  cut  small,  and  a spoonful  or  two 
of  anchovy  liquor,  and  just  boiling  it  up. 
The  proper  garnish  for  a turbot  is  sprigs 


of  curled  parsley,  sliced  lemon,  and  scrap- 
ed horseradish,  alternately  placed  round 
the  dish.  Sometimes,  however,  it  is  dish- 
ed up,  surrounded  only  with  nicely  fried 
smelts. 

Baked  Turbot. 

It  is  but  seldom  that  turbot  is  now  bak- 
ed, being  found  so  very  excellent  when 
boiled  in  the  foregoing  simple  manner; 
from  which  the  old  system  of  sweet  herbs, 
wine,  &e.  is  entirely  discarded,  as  inter- 
fering with  the  natural  flavour.  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  best  method  of  baking  it — 
Butter  the  inside  of  the  dish  which  is  to 
contain  it,  and  sprinkle  it  all  over  with  a 
mixture  of  beaten  pepper,  grated  nutmeg, 
finely  chopped  parsley,  and  a little  salt; 
then,  pouring  in  a pint  of  mountain  wine, 
and  having  cut  off  the  head  and  tail  of  the 
turbot,  lay  it  in  the  dish,  give  it  a good 
sprinkling  of  the  same  sort  of  mixture  as 
the  bottom  and  sides  of  the  dish  before 
received,  and  pour  over  it  another  pint  of 
wine.  Stick  small  bits  of  butter  all  over 
the  fish;  dredge  a very  little  flour,  and 
strew  plentifully  crumbs  of  bread.  When 
baked  of  a fine  brown,  lay  it  on  the  dish 
in  which  it  is  to  be  served  up;  stir  the 
sauce  in  the  baking  dish  all  together;  pour 
it  into  a saucepan,  and  shake  in  a little 
flour;  add  a piece  of  butter,  and  two  spoon- 
fuls of  soy  or  ketchup,  when  it  boils  ; and, 
on  it’s  again  boiling,  pour  it  into  a tureen, 
and  serve  it  up.  The  dish  may  be  garnish- 
ed with  scraped  horse  radish  and  slices  of 
lemon. 

French  Hung  Beef. 

Bone  a rump  of  beef  with  the  greatest 
possible  care  not  to  spoil  it’s  shape,  and 
salt  it  with  about  one  pound  of  common 


180 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


salt  and  two  ounces  of  saltpetre;  lay  it 
at  length* in  the  salting  pan,  well  covered 
with  parsley,  shallots,  thyme,  laurel  leaves, 
basil,  winter  savory,  half  a handful  of 
juniper  berries,  a little  coriander  seed, 
and  two  cloves  of  garlic.  Leave  it  about 
a week  in  salt,  and  then  hang  it  to  dry 
and  smoke  in  the  chimney.  It  may  after-  j 
ward  be  kept  like  any  other  hung  beef.  I 
When  boiled,  it  is  usual  to  put  in  the 
water  a few  onions,  cloves,  and  a little  j 
nutmeg,  with  a bundle  of  sweet  herbs,  but 
no  salt;  and,  after  letting  it  stand  to  cool 
in  the  liquor,  it  is  served  up  cold,  with  a 
garnish  of  green  parsley.  If  thought  to 
be  too  salt,  it  is  soaked  in  cold  water  for  a 
few  hours  previously  to  being  boiled. 


Strange  Method  of  preparing  what  the  French 
call  Scarlet  Beef  without  Saltpetre. 

After  boning  a rump  of  beef,  for  this 
purpose,  they  cut  thick  about  a pound  and 
a half  of  bacon  to  lard  the  inside;  and, 
having  mixed  a pound  of  salt  with  an 
ounce  of  fine  spices,  and  made  the  salt 
and  spices  stick  as  much  as  possible  to  the 
bacon,  they  rub  the  beef  with  the  remain- 
der. 1 hen,  with  six  or  eight  laurel  leaves, 
thyme  and  basil  in  proportion,  and  two 
ounces  of  bruised  juniper  berries,  they  roll 
it  up  tightly  in  a linen  cloth;  fasten  a 
coarser  wrapper  round  it;  and,  digging  a 
hole  in  the  earth,  deposit  the  beef,  cover 
it  up,  and  leave  it  six  or  seven  days  in  the 
ground,  which  makes  it  as  red  as  if  cured 
with  saltpetre.  They  afterward  boil  it  with 
a few  slices  of  fresh  beef,  a bunch  of  sweet 
herbs,  onions,  and  carrots,  in  broth  or  wa- 
ter without  salt,  and  eat  it  either  hot  or 
cold.  Though  this,  judging  by  our  own 
.sensations,  seems  a disgusting  process,  the 
effect  is  certainly  curious. 


Millet  Pudding. 

Tins  agreeable  pudding  is  easily  made, 
and  scarcely  any  thing  can  be  cheaper — 
Wash  half  a pound  of  millet  seed,  and  put 
it  in  a dish  spread  over  with  a quarter  of 
a pound  of  butter:  add  some  sugar,  and 
shred  lemon  peel,  with  a little  beaten  all- 
spice, cinnamon,  grated  nutmeg,  or  even 
ginger;  and,  pouring  over  the  whole  three 
pints  of  milk,  bake  it  in  a moderate  oven. 
In  this  plain  way,  it  is  very  good ; it  may, 
however,  be  made  richer,  with  eggs,  spices, 
&c.  in  the  same  manner  as  rice,  and  has  a 
peculiarly  pleasing  flavour. 

A Grand  T rifle. 

The  trifle  being  generally  considered 
as  an  article  to  be  prepared  with  the  utmost 
delicacy  of  taste  as  well  as  of  appearance, 
is  judged  worthy  of  particular  attention. 
The  glass  in  which  it  is  served  up  should 
be  beautifully  formed  as  well  as  cut,  and 
sufficiently  large  and  elevated  to  convey 
an  idea  of  grandeur — -At  the  bottom  of 
this  elegant  depository  of  light  and  airy 
delicacies,  put  a layer  of  fine  spunge  or 
Savoy  biscuits;  over  them,  another  of  ra- 
tafias; and  a third,  of  macaroons:  strew- 
ing, between  each  two  layers,  and  on  the 
top  of  the  last,  a mixture  of  blanched  and 
pounded  almonds;  with  candied  citron, 
orange  peel,  and  pine-apple  chips, cut  small, 
and  a little  finely  beaten  mace  and  nut- 
meg. Pour  half  a pint  or  more  of  sherry, 
Lisbon,  or  fine  old  mountain  wine,  over 
the  cakes,  according  to  the  quantity  which 
they  may  be  found  capable  of  imbibing; 
and,  in  the  mean  time,  prepare  a custard 
to  cover  them,  in  the  following  manner— 
Boil  a quart  of  milk  and  cream,  in  equal 
quantities,  with  a little  lemon  peel,  some 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


181 


cinnamon,  three  leaves  of  laurel,  and 
two  or  three  ounces  of  sugar,  for  about 
twenty  minutes ; and,  whileitcools,  beatwell 
up  the  yolks  of  six  or  eight  eggs,  and  two 
spoonfuls  of  rice  dour.  Then,  gradually 
mixing  the  milk,  a little  at  a time,  well 
stirring  it  all  the  while,  and  afterward 
straining  it  into  a stewpan  through  a hair 
sieve;  place  it  over  the  fire,  and  continue 
stirring  till  it  comes  to  a boil,  when  it  must 
instantly  be  taken  off,  and  be  set  to  cool. 
On  it’s  getting  about  half  cold,  add  half  a 
gill  of  French  brandy;  with  the  same  quan- 
tity of  noyeau,  ratafia,  or  other  delicate  li- 
queur. The  custard  being  thus  made,  and 
cold,istobcput  on  the  cakes;  and,  over  that, 
some  apricot  and  raspberry  jam,  with  a lit- 
tle currant  jelly.  Then,  as  a grand  covering 
for  the  whole,  wdfisk  to  perfect  froth  a pint 
of  cream,  with  the  white  of  an  egg,  a couple 
of  lumps  of  sugar  rubbed  on  a lemon  or  Se- 
ville orange,  and  a glass  or  two  of  white  wine; 
skimming  off  the  froth,  from  time  to  time, 
with  apierced  spoon,  and  depositing  it  atthe 
top  of  an  inverted  sieve  placed  on  a dish, 
to  preserve  the  drainings,  that  they  may 
be  returned  and  whipped  up.  When  the 
whole  is  thoroughly  whipped,  heap  it  as 
high  as  possible  over  the  custard,  &c.  and, 
to  crown  the  whole,  sprinkle  or  garnish 
the  top  plentifully  with  those  minute  co- 
loured comfits,  called  harlequin  seeds  or 
nonpareils.  This,  it  is  presumed,  will  not 
fail  to  be  considered  as  a grand  trifle.  It 
is  easy,  by  retrenching,  more  or  less,  these 
articles,  to  form  a very  good  trifle,  on  this 
plan,  adapted  to  all  tastes,  circumstances, 
and  occasions. 

Patent  Potatoe  Composition  to  be  used  instead 
of  Yeast. 

For  this  ingenious  contrivance,  which 


! introduces  potatoes  as  a sort  of  leaven  for 
I making  wheaten  bread,  a patent  was  ob- 

I tained  by  the  inventor,  Mr.  Richard  Til- 

I J 

| Iyer  Blunt,  in  the  year  1787;  which,  of 
j course,  is  now  expired.  The  following  is 
the  process  for  this  purpose,  as  described 
by  Mr.  Blunt  in  his  specification — To 
make  a yeast  gallon  of  this  composition, 
such  yeast  gallon  containing  eight  beer 
quarts,  boil  in  common  water  eight  pounds 
j of  potatoes  as  for  eating:  bruise  them  per- 
fectly smooth;  and  mix  with  them,  while 
| warm,  two  ounces  of  honey,  or  any  other 
sweet,  and  one  beer  quart  of  common  yeast. 
For  making  bread,  mix  three  beer  pints  of 
the  above  composition  with  a bushel  of 
flour,  using  warm  water  in  making  the 
bread.  The  water  to  be  warmer  in  winter 
than  in  summer,  and  the  composition  to  be 
used  in  a few  hours  after  it  is  made:  and, 
as  soon  as  the  sponge,  or  the  mixture  of 
the  composition  with  the  flour,  begins  to 
fall  the  first  time,  the  bread  should  be  made, 
and  put  in  the  oven. 

I 

English  Semolina. 

It  is  well  known  that,  till  within  these 
few  years,  semolina  was  always  imported 
from  Italy,  as  well  as  vermicelli  and  maca- 
roni. Mr.  Jacob  Levy,  however,  in  1780, 
obtained  a patent  for  making  semolina, 
from  which  vermicelli  and  macaroni  are 
manufactured,  with  wheat  the  growth  of 
this  country,  equal  in  all  respects  to  that 
of  Italy.  For  this  purpose,  Mr.  Levy  states, 
the  wheat  is  ground  in  a flour  mill,  and  the 
flour  separated  from  the  middlings;  the  said 
middlings  are  dressed  in  a boiling  mill, 
in  four  different  sorts,  and  then  sifted 
through  parchment  sieves,  till  all  the  bran 
and  pollard  is  sifted  from  them.  These  par- 
ticles of  pure  wheat  constitute  the  semolina 
2 Z 


182 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Essence  of  Malt  and  Hop?,  or  Portable  Ale 
and  Beer. 

THE  utility  of  this  solid  essence  or  ex-  ! 
tract  of  malt  and  hops,  for  the  purpose  | 
of  readily  making  beer  at  sea,  and  in  dis- 
tant climes  and  countries,  is  sufficiently 
obvious,  and  has  been  proved  by  an  ex- 
perience of  many  years.  The  patent  for  i 
this  invention  was  obtained  so  loim  since  ! 

O 

as  the  year  1778,  by  Mr.  Robert  Thornton, 
chemist  and  druggist,  in  East  Smithfield; 
who,  in  his  specification,  thus  describes 
the  pi'oeess — The  new  method  of  prepar- 
ing an  essence  or  extract  of  malt  and  hops, 
is  by  the  transmitted  heat  of  compressed 
vapour  of  boiling  water,  and  a proper  ap- 
paratus for  that  purpose.  This  apparatus, 
which  may  be  made  of  iron,  tin,  or  copper, 
consists  of  a boiler  of  any  dimensions,  a 
double  vessel,  and  conducting  tubes.  The 
double  vessel  consists  of  one  vessel  placed 
within  another,  and  fitted  tight  at  their 
rims.  The  upper  vessel  forms  the  upper 
part  of  the  under  vessel,  and  contains  the 
liquor  to  be  evaporated.  The  under  vessel 
is  every  where  inclosed,  except  at  an  aper- 
ture communicating  with  the  boiler,  and 
at  another  aperture  communicating  with 
the  conducting  tubes;  and  is  constructed 
so  as  not  to  allow  any  part  of  the  vapour 
condensed  into  drops  within  it  to  escape, 
except  back  again  into  the  boiler.  It  is 
not  so  extensive  as  to  act  as  a common  re- 
frigeratory, and  yet  it  is  capacious  enough 
to  prevent  the"  liquor  boiling  over.  The 
aperture  communicating  with  the  boiler, 
is  large  enough  to  freely  admit  the  vapour 
from  the  boiler  into  the  under  vessel ; and 
the  aperture  communicating  with  the  con- 
ducting tubes,  is  of  a proper  size  to  allow 
of  the  vapour  in  the  under  vessel  being 


compressed  to  a degree  capable  of  trans- 
mitting to  the  liquor  to  be  evaporated  a 
proper  heat,  and  at  the  same  time  to  serve 
as  a passage  for  more  heat  than  is  neces- 
sary to  keep  up  that  degree  of  compres- 
sion. The  conducting  tubes  are  to  con- 
vey this  superfluous  heat  or  vapour  to  be 
used  for  farther  purposes,  or  immediately 
out  of  the  building.  In  this  manner,  or 
any  similar  way,  the  sweet  wort  of  ale  or 
beer,  after  receiving  the  infusion  of  hops, 
has  it’s  watery  part  evaporated  till  it  be- 
comes a thick  and  glutinous  essence,  capa- 
ble of  being  kept  in  jars,  or  cannisters  of 
tin,  any  length  of  time;  and  ready  to  be 
converted  into  ale  or  beer,  of  any  required 
strength,  by  a simple  dissolution  in  the 
proper  quantity  of  common  water,  with  a 
facility  fully  equal  to  that  of  making  port- 
able soup. 

Syrup  of  Sweet  Wort. 

Take  a gallon  of  the  sweetest  and  strong- 
est pale  malt  wort;  set  it  over  a clear  and 
gentle  tire;  keep  it  continually  scummed; 
and,  when  it  is  boiled  away  to  a pint,  take 
it  off',  and  put  it  in  a jar  closely  covered 
for  use.  This  agreeable  syrup,  which  is  in 
fact  an  essence  or  extract  of  malt,  is  an  old 
and  excellent  medicine  for  pains  in  the 
back,  occasioned  by  obstructions  in  the 
kidneys  or  reins,  and  particularly  for  fe- 
male weaknesses,  &c. 

Rich  Gooseberry  Wine. 

Though  this  is,  certainly,  one  of  our 
finest  fruits  for  making  wine,  it  is  often 
ill  managed ; chiefly  from  the  usual  error 
with  regard  to  the  state  of  maturity  at 
which  gooseberries  should  for  different 
purposes  be  chosen.  The  advocates  for 
using  them  in  a green  state  on  all  occa- 

• 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


133 


gions,  contend  that  their  juice,  which  is  then 
brisk,  powerful,  cool,  and  refreshing,  be- 
comes flat,  spiritless,  and  insipid,  as  the  fruit 
reaches  maturity;  while  those  who  as  con- 
stantly prefer  then?  when  quite  ripe,  main- 
tain that  the  juice  is,  till  they  attain  this  lat- 
ter state,  austere,  acid,  and  watery,  when  it 
becomes  richly  mucilaginous,  sweet,  lively, 
cooling,  pleasant,  and  vinous.  It  may, 
perhaps,  be  safely  admitted,  that  there  is 
some  truth  on  hot!)  sides  of  the  question. 
This  being  the  case,  we  must  take  goose- 
berries as  they  are;  and  select  them,  for 
different  purposes,  at  the  different  stages 
of  their  growth,  guided  by  our  own  parti- 
cular perceptions.  Undoubtedly,  very 
excellent  wine  has  been  made  with  goose- 
berries by  no  means  ripe;  but,  when  they 
thoroughly  reach  that  state,  without  get- 
ting at  all  beyond  it,  to  those  who  prefer 
richness  of  flavour,  at  the  smallest  expence, 
and  with  the  greatest  certainty,  it  is  the 
proper  period  of  selecting  them.  We  shall, 
therefore,  present  the  best  method  of  mak- 
ing wine  with  fruit  in  it’s  mature  state; 
premising  that,  by  augmenting,  in  a pro- 
portionate degree,  the  quantity  of  sugar, 
and  other  adventitious  ingredients,  accord- 
ing to  the  deficient  sweetness  of  the  fruit, 
a good  gooseberry  wine  will  be  made, 
which  some  persons  may  even  prefer — 
Bruise  five  gallons  of  ripe  gooseberries; 
and,  after  boiling  three  gallons  of  clear 
water  half  an  hour,  pour  it  hot  on  the 
mashed  fruit.  Stir  the  whole  well  together, 
cover  it  up  close,  and  let  it  remain  forty- 
eight  hours;  only  stirring  it  twice  or  thrice 
a day  during  that  time:  after  the  expira- 
tion of  which,  press  out  all  the  juice 
through  a large  sieve  or  horse-haircloth; 
and,  to  every  gallon  of  juice,  put  two 
pounds  ol  Lisbon  or  loaf  sugar,  and  keep 


j stirring  it  till  the  sugar  is  all  dissolved. 
Tun  it  immediately,  in  a barrel  of  the  pro- 
per size  for  containing  it;  and,  letting  it 
ferment  of  itself,  at  the  bung  hole,  for  fruit 
wines  seldom  require  any  yeast,  keep  fill- 
ing it  up  as  it  flows  over  with  some  of  the 
liquor  reserved  for  that  purpose,  in  the 
usual  way,  and  stop  it  close,  with  a cloth 
placed  under  the  bung,  as  soon  as  it  ceases 
to  hiss.  A pint  of  brandy,  however,  for 
every  gallon,  may  be  added  on  bunging 
it  up,  should  it  be  judged  not  likely  to 
prove  sufficiently  strong:  this,  however, 
is  by  no  means  necessary.  At  the  end  of 
four  or  five  months,  if  sufficiently  fine, 
bottle  it  off,  putting  a hit  of  loaf  sugar 
about  the  size  of  a nutmeg  in  each  bottle. 
If  not  quite  fine,  draw  it  off  into  another 
cask,  and  let  it  stand  a month  longer  be- 
fore it  be  bottled.  The  longer  it  is  kept, 
in  bottles  well  corked  and  a cool  situation, 
the  better  it  is  likely  to  prove;  but  it  will, 
at  any  time,  be  now  fit  for  drinking.  Goose- 
berry wine  thus  made,  and  carefully  pre- 
served two  or  three  years,  becomes  little 
inferior  to  muscadel  or  other  sweet  and 
delicate  Italian  wines. 

Gooseberry  I Incgar. 

In  order  to  make  gooseberry  vinegar,, 
boil  two  quarts  of  water  with  half  a pound 
of  the  coarsest  sugar,  for  every  quart  of 
the  expressed  gooseberries,  after  making 
the  above  wine.  Scum  it,  pour  it  hot  over, 
stir  the  whole  together,  and  let  it  remain 
five  or  six  days;  then  strain  it  ofl  into  a 
barrel,  keep  it  with  a piece  of  slate  or  tile 
over  the  bung  hole,  and  set  it  in  the  sun 
for  six  weeks  or  two  months.  If,  at  the 
end  of  that  time,  it  should  not  be  sufficient- 
ly sharp,  set  it  in  the  sun,  or  near  a fire, 
for  a month  or  six  weeks  longer.  This, 


184 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


will  be  a very  good  gooseberry  vinegar;  j 
but  may,  of  course,  be  made  stronger  by  ! 
lessening  the  quantity  of  water,  and  in- 
creasing that  of  the  sugar  or  fruit.  If 
gooseberries  are  bruised  purposely  for 
making  vinegar  only,  three  quarts  of  water 
may  be  used,  with  three  quarters  of  a pound 
of  coarse  sugar,  for  every  quart  of  the 
gooseberries  ; to  be  afterward  treated  as 
above  directed. 

Isle  of  Wight  Cracknels. 

Tins  peculiar  kind  of  cakes  is  said  to 
have  originated  in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  which 
still  preserves  it’s  reputation  for  them. 
They  are  made  in  several  different  ways, 
of  which  the  following  is  certainly  one  of 
the  very  best — Sift  a quart  of  the  finest  dry 
flour;  and,  beating  up  the  yolks  of  four 
eggs,  with  a little  grated  nutmeg,  some 
powdered  loaf  sugar,  and  half  a gill  of 
orange  flower  or  rose  water,  pour  it  into 
the  flour,  and  make  up  a stiff  paste.  Then 
mix,  and  roll  in,  by  slow  degrees,  a pound 
of  butter;  and,  when  thoroughly  united 
in  a soft  flexible  paste,  and  rolled  out  to  a 
proper  thickness,  which  is  about  the  third 
part  of  an  inch,  cut  it  into  round  cracknel 
shapes,  throw  them  into  boiling  water,  and 
let  them  continue  to  boil  in  it  till  they 
swim  on  the  surface.  They  must  then  be 
taken  out,  and  plunged  in  cold  water  to 
harden;  after  which,  they  are  to  be  slowly 
dried,  washed  over  with  well  beaten  whites 
of  eggs,  and  baked  on  tin  plates  in  an  oven 
sufficiently  brisk  to  make  them  crisp,  but 
not  by  any  means  high  coloured. 

Britannic  Elastic  Gum. 

For  the  invention  of  this  curious  and 
useful  composition,  a patent  was  obtained, 
in  the  year  1781,  by  Mr.  Albert  Angel: 


who  describes  it,  in  his  specification,  as 
being  very  serviceable  and  useful  in  the 
several  branches  of  portrait  and  house 
painting,  by  making  the  colours  durable 
and  free  from  peeling;  as  of  great  utility 
in  gilding,  painting,  penciling,  and  stain- 
ing, of  silks,  calicoes,  &e.  and  in  dressing 
silk,  linen,  and  cotton,  in  the  loom,  instead 
of  gum  or  paste,  so  as  to  strengthen  the 
threads  of  the  finest  cottons;  as  excellent 
for  beautifying  and  fixing  the  colours  on 
paper,  equal  to  that  done  in  India;  as  of 
the  greatest  use  for  rendering  the  clay,  or 
composition,  used  in  modeling,  sufficiently 
supple,  and  preventing  it’s  drying  too  fast; 
and,  lastly,  not  less  effectual  in  causing  a 
transparency  of  colours  fit  for  china  and 
I earthen  ware,  so  as  to  stand  baking  or  burn- 
ing. This  Britannic  gum  is  stated  to  be 
prepared  in  the  following  very  simple  man- 
ner— Put  into  an  iron  kettle,  and  melt  down 
together,  till  the  mixture  become  this  com- 
position or  elastic  gum,  a gallon  of  linseed 
or  nut  oil,  a pound  of  yellow  or  bleached 
bees  wax,  six  pounds  of  glue  or  size,  a 
quarter  of  a pound  of  verdigrease,  a quar- 
ter of  a pound  of  litharge,  and  two  quarts 
of  spring  or  rain  water. 

Essence  of  American  Spruce. 

This  valuable  terebinthine  juice  or  ex- 
tract is  obtained,  in  spring,  from  the  young 
shoots  and  tops  of  the  red,  yellow,  and 
black  fir  trees;  being  varieties  of  the  pinus 
abies,  or  spruce  fir  or  pine,  of  the  Linnaean 
system:  and,  in  autumn,  from  their  cones. 
Much  of  this  prepared  essence  having  been 
imported  from  America,  where  spruce  beer 
has  long  been  the  commonest  possible  be- 
verage, it  is  usually  called  essence  of  Ame- 
rican spruce;  though,  in  fact,  our  own 
country,  and  every  other  part  of  the  north 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


185 


of  Europe,  produces  these  trees  in  great 
perfection  for  the  same  purpose.  The 
tops  and  cones  are  merely  boiled  in  water 
to  the  consistence  of  thin  honey  or  mo- 
lasses: when  the  bark  and  softer  part  of 
the  tops  and  young  shoots,  which  entirely 
dissolve,  make  the  finest  essence ; while 
the  cones  and  bark  of  larger  branches,  un- 
dergoing only  a partial  solution,  form  an 
inferior  sort,  after  being  strained  from  the 
residuum  or  dregs.  Both  sorts,  when  de- 
canted off  clear,  are  put  up  in  casks,  bot- 
tles, or  pots,  and  preserved  for  making 
spruce  beer. 

Excellent  Spruce  Beer. 

The  salubrity  of  spruce  beer  is  univer- 
sally acknowledged ; and,  notwithstanding 
it’s  invincible  terebinthine  flavour,  forms 
so  refreshing  and  lively  a summer  drink, 
that  it  begins  to  be  greatly  used  in  this 
country.  It  is,  in  fact,  a very  powerful 
antiscorbutic:  and,  as  it  by  no  means  of- 
fends the  weakest  stomach,  whatever  may 
be  it’s  effect  on  the  palate,  it  is  highly  en- 
titled to  our  attention.  In  situations  where 
the  green  .shoots  and  tops,  &c.  are  easily 
obtained,  it  may  be  brewed  immediately 
from  them,  instead  of  from  the  extract: 
which,  however,  is  by  no  means  to  be  com- 
monly effected  in  England;  where  these 
trees  are  not  remarkably  numerous,  and 
are  always  private  property.  The  regular 
method  of  brewing  spruce  beer,  as  it  is  at 
present  in  the  best  manner  prepared,  and 
so  highly  admired  for  it’s  excessive  brisk- 
ness, is  as  follows — Pour  eight  gallons  of 
cold  water  into  a barrel ; and  then,  boiling 
eight  gallons  more,  put  that  in  also:  to  this, 
add  twelve  pounds  of  molasses,  with  about 
half  a pound  of  the  essence  of  spruce;  and, 
on  it’s  getting  a little  cooler,  half  a pint 


of  good  ale  yeast.  The  whole  being  well 
stirred,  or  rolled  in  the  barrel,  must  be 
left  with  the  bung  out  for  two  or  three 
days;  after  which,  the  liquor  may  be  im- 
mediately bottled,  well  corked  up,  and 
packed  in  saw-dust  or  sand,  when  it  will 
be  ripe,  and  fit  to  drink,  in  a fortnight. 
If  spruce  beer  be  made  immediately  from 
the  branches  or  cones,  they  are  required 
to  be  boiled  for  two  hours;  after  which, 
the  liquor  is  to  be  strained  into  a barrel, 
have  the  molasses  and  yeast  added  as  to  the 
extract,  and  be  in  all  respects  treated  after 
the  same  manner.  Spruce  beer  is  best 
bottled  in  stone;  and, from  it’s  volatile  na~ 
ture,the  wholeshould  be  immediately  drank 
when  the  bottle  is  once  opened. 

Blackmans  celebrated  Oil  Colour  Cakes  for 
Artists. 

This  ingenious  mode  of  preparing  oil 
colour  cakes,  communicated  to  the  Society 
for  the  Encouragement  of  Arts,  Manufac- 
tures, and  Commerce,  in  the  Adelphi,  by 
Mr.  George  Blackman,  was  rewarded  by 
a vote  of  twenty  guineas,  in  addition  to 
the  great  silver  pallet  of  that  honourable 
society.  The  following  is  the  process, 
as  described  in  the  Society’s  Transactions, 
for  the  use  of  the  public — Take  four  ounces 
of  the  clearest  gum  mastich,  and  a pint  of 
spirit  of  turpentine;  mix  them  together  in 
a bottle,  stirring  them  frequently  till  the 
mastich  be  dissolved.  Where  haste  is  re- 
quired, some  heat  may  be  applied,  but  the 
solution  is  better  when  made  cold.  Let 
the  colours  be  the  best  which  can  be  pro- 
cured; taking  care  that,  by  washing,  &c. 
they  are  brought  to  the  greatest  possible 
degree  of  fineness.  When  the  colours  are 
dry,  grind  them  on  a hard  close  stone,  for 
which  purpose  porphyry  is  best,  in  spirit 
3 \ 


186 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


of  turpentine,  adding  a small  quantity  of 
the  mastich  varnish.  Let  the  colours  so 
ground  become  again  dry;  then  prepare, 
in  the  following  manner,  the  composition 
for  forming  them  into  cakes:  procure  some 
of  the  purest  and  whitest  spermaceti ; melt  j 
it,  in  a clean  earthen  vessel,  over  a gentle 
fire;  and,  when  fluid,  adding  one  third  it’s 
weight  of  pure  poppy  oil,  stir  the  whole  well 
together.  These  things  being  in  readiness, 
place  over  a frame  or  support  the  stone  on 
which  the  colours  were  ground,  with  a char- 
coal fire  to  warm  it  beneath.  This  done, 
grind  the  colour  fine  with  a muller,  on  the 
warm  stone;  after  which,  adding  a suffi- 
cient quantity  of  the  mixture  of  poppy  oil 
and  spermaceti,  work  the  whole  together 
with  a muller  to  the  proper  consistence. 
Lastly,  taking  a piece  of  the  fit  size  for 
the  cake  intended  to  be  made,  roll  it  into 
a ball,  put  it  into  a mould,  and  press  it, 
when  the  process  will  be  compleat.  These 
cakes,  on  being  wanted  for  use,  must  be 
rubbed  down  in  poppy  or  other  oil,  or  in 
a mixture  of  spirit  of  turpentine  and  oil, 
as  may  best' suit  the  convenience  or  in- 
tention of  the  artist.  It  was  certified,  bv 
those  distinguished  artists,  Mr.  Cosway, 
and  the  late  Mr.  Abbot,  that  Mr.  Black- 
man’s oil  colour  cakes  work  as  well  as 
other  oil  colours;  that  their  drying  without 
a skin  on  the  surface  is  a great  advantage; 
and  that,  on  the  whole,  this  invention  is 
an  essential  improvement  in  oil  painting. 

Asparagus. 

T HIS  delicious  and  very  salubrious  ve- 
getable marrow  is  thus  simply  prepared 
in  the  best  manner  — Having  carefully 
scraped  the  stalks  till  they  appear  white, 
and  thrown  them  into  cold  water,  tie  them 
up  in  small  bundles  of  about  a quarter  of 


a hundred  each,  and  cut  the  stalks  of  an 
equal  length.  Then  put  them  into  a stew- 
pan  of  boiling  water,  moderately  salted  ; 
and,  as  soon  as  they  become  a little  ten- 
der, take  them  up:  otherwise,  they  will 
[j  lose  not  only  their  colour  and  taste,  but 
their  form  and  substance  also.  In  the 
mean  time,  make  toasts  half  an  inch  thick 
for  the  bottom  of  the  dish,  well  browned 
on  both  sides;  and,  moistening  them  in 
the  asparagus  liquor,  place  them  regularly, 
and  pour  a little  melted  butter  over;  then 
lay  the  pieces  of  asparagus  on  the  toasts, 
all  round  the  dish,  with  the  heads  united 
at  the  centre,  hut  pour  no  butter  over 
them.  Melted  butter  should  be  sent  to 
table  in  a sauce  tureen;  or,  preferably,  in 
separate  cups  for  the  company,  each  sea- 
soning with  salt  and  pepper  to  their  own 
palate, 

Asparagus  Peas. 

The  best  method  of  preparing  what  are 
called  asparagus  peas  is  as  follows — Scrape 
and  cut  some  of  the  small  or  sprue  aspa- 
ragus, as  far  as  the  green  part  extends 
from  the  heads,  into  bits  the  size  of  peas. 
Put  a pint  of  these  asparagus  peas  in  a 
stewpau  to  a little  boiling  water  and  salt  ; 
and,  when  nearly  done,  strain  o(f  the  liquor, 
boil  it  down  till  reduced  to  less  than  half 
a pint,  and  add  about  two  ounces  of  fresh 
butter,  a small  quantity  of  powdered  loaf 
sugar,  and  flour  and  milk  to  render  it  of  a 
proper  consistence.  Make  toasts  of  French 
bread  well  buttered,  put  them  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  dish,  and  pour  in  the  asparagus 
peas  well  mixed  with  the  sauce. 

Veal  Olives. 

Cut  as  many  thin  slices  of  veal  as  the 
number  of  olives  required,  each  about  eight 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


187 


inches  long  and  three  broad ; brush  them 
with  beaten  up  egg,  place  a delicate  force- 
meat over  them,  brush  that  also  with  egg, 
and  spread  on  the  top  a forcemeat  covering; 
then  roll  them  up,  egg  them  well  over,  place 
them  on  slices  or  bars  of  ham  or  bacon  at  the 
bottom  of  a stevvpan  which  just  contains 
them,  put  to  them  a few  spoonfuls  of  good 
veal  stock  or  gravy,  cover  them  with  more 
bacon  or  ham,  and  let  them  stew  gently 
for  an  hour  Wipe  them  dry,  on  dishing 
them  up,  and  pour  over  them  a sauce  sharp- 
ened with  sorrel,  capers, or  lemon  juice.  They 
are  sometimes  wrapped  up  with  the  bacon 
or  ham,  tied  on  a bird  spit,  slovMy  roasted, 
frothed  with  flour  and  butter,  and  servedi 
up  on  a rich  cullis  or  thick  gravy  sauced 
with  truffles,  morels,  mushrooms,  and  force- 
meat balls. 

Beef  Olives. 

Make  a good  forcemeat,  with  lean  veal 
and  ham,  bread  soaked  in  milk,  truffles, 
beaten  mace,  chopped  parsley  and  shallots, 
a little  finely  shred  beef  marrow  or  veal  i 
suet,  powdered  long  pepper  and  salt,  le- 
mon peel,  and  half  a glass  of  mountain 
wine.  Then,  cutting  slices  of  prime  mel- 
low beef,  about  ten  inches  long,  and  about 
five  broad,  from  the  under  part  of  a 
rump  or  sirloin,  brush  the  steaks  with  beat- 
en egg,  cover  them  well  with  the  force- 
meat, roll  them  up,  stick  a small  skewer 
through  each  olive,  dip  them  in  yolk  of 
egg,  strew  them  with  seasoned  crumbs  of 
bread,  and  fry  them  in  boiling  lard.  Some, 
however,  prefer  dipping  them  in  butter, 
after  which  they  fry  them  of  a fine  brown. 
They  are  then  either  served  up  with  a rich 
cullis  or  thick  gravy  sauce;  or  surrounded 
vvitli  fine  stewed  olives.  Common  beef  olives 
are  often  made  with  under  dressed  meat. 


Stewed  Olive  Sauce. 

This  fine  sauce  is  usually  made  with  the 
greenest  French  olives,  carefully  stoned, 
and  stewed  in  veal  stock  or  gravy  till  they 
are  quite  tender;  when  the  reduced  liquid 
is  sharpened  with  lemon  juice,  and  season- 
ed to  palate  with  Cayenne  or  long  pepper 
and  salt. 

Art  of  making  Bread  Boxes  for  Spinach , 
Mushrooms,  Oysters,  8$c. 

Cut  any  shape  for  boxes,  according  to 
fancy,  out  of  the  solid  crumb  of  a loaf; 
making  one,  for  the  centre  of  the  dish  in 
which  they  are  to  be  placed,  larger  than 
the  rest.  Having  fashioned  their  external 
form,  and  cut  slices  for  covers,  neatly 
marked  with  a knife,  fry  the  bread  in  clari- 
fied  butter,  or  good  lard,  to  a fine  colour; 
then,  scooping  out  the  insides,  so  as  to 
leave  a proper  margin  all  round,  as  well 
as  a due  thickness  at  the  bottom,  fill  them 
with  boiled  spinach,  mushrooms,  oysters, 
or  any  other  light  and  delicate  article, 
cover  them,  and  send  them  to  table,  with  a 
napkin  in  the  dish  on  which  they  are  served 
up.  A large  box  for  the  centre,  with  six 
or  eight  small  boxes  round,  has  a very 
pleasing  elfcct. 

Admirable  Yorkshire  Ale  and  Beer,  without 
Boiling  either  the  Wort  or  the  Hops. 

Tins  curious  article  will,  perhaps,  not  a 
little  puzzle  the  philosophy  of  the  brew- 
house.  The  fact,  however,  stands  on  good 
authority,  and  is  in  substance  as  follows — 
A person  of  high  respectability  in  the 
county  of  York,  gave  a popular  physician, 
who  visited  the  family  during  their  stay  in 
London,  some  of  the  beer  and  ale  which 
had  been  brewed  at  the  party’s  residence 


188 


FAMILY  llECEIPT-BOOK. 


in  the  country;  which  he  describes  as 
having  been  the  best,  the  clearest  or  finest, 
and  also  the  softest  or  smoothest,  which  he 
had  ever  drank.  After  warmly  expressing 
the  above  sentiments,  he  was  asked  how  j 
old  he  imagined  the  beer  and  the  ale, 
which  he  had  tasted,  might  respectively  1 
be?  And,  on  replying  that  he  could  not,  ; 
from  their  softness,  smoothness,  and  plea-  | 
santness,  tasting  like  newly  brewed  drinks, 
more  than  those  of  any  age,  suppose  either 
of  them  so  much  as  a month  ; he  was  told,  | 

with  a smile,  that  each  was  more  than  four  i 

1 

years  old.  On  being  very  inquisitive, 
how  they  were  made  to  keep  so  long,  with 
such  softness,  smoothness,  and  briskness;  | 
he  was  informed,  that  the  family  had  brew-  1 
ed  their  own  ale  and  beer  for  above  fifty  ! 
years  in  Yorkshire,  and  it  was  there  uni- 
versally allowed  that  both  were  absolutely 
the  best  brewed  in  the  whole  county.  The 
causes  assigned  for  which  were,  first,  they 
always  brewed  with  the  best  malt;  second- 
ly, they  allowed  enough  of  it ; thirdly, 
they  never  boiled  their  wort ; and,  fourth- 
ly, they  never  boiled  their  hops.  These 
positive  but  plain  rules  were  supported  by 
the  following  arguments — First,  it  was  stat- 
ed that,  without  good  malt,  it  was  impos- 
sible to  make  good  ale  or  beer.  Secondly, 
they  always  allowed  enough  malt;  be- 
cause that  replenished  it  with  spirits  and 
strength,  and  kept  it  from  souring,  or 
growing  hard  or  unpleasant:  observing 
that,  as  small  beer  would  by  no  means 
keep  so  long  as  strong,  so  it  would,  in 
vastly  a less  time,  grow  hard,  sour,  and 
undrinkable;  and  this,  which  was  occa- 
sioned by  it’s  deficiency  of  malt,  made  it 
necessary  to  be  soon  drank  out,  while  the 
liquor  with  more  malt  would  keep  a length 
of  time  fully  proportioned  to  the  larger 


quantity  of  malt  which  it  contained.  Third- 
ly, it  was  assigned,  as  one  motive  for  never 
boiling  the  wort,  that  malt  enough  being 
put  in  at  first,  therecould  be  no  necessity  for 
boiling  away  the  water,  one  of  the  pre- 
tences for  boiling  the  wort,  to  have  less 
water  for  the  malt,  or  more  malt  to  the 
water.  Besides,  it  was  urged,  the  boiling 
of  the  wort  does  it  an  injury;  for,  the 
wort  being  replenished  with  the  most  sub- 
tile flour  of  the  malt,  it  is  so  united  with 
the  liquor  as  to  render  it  a sort  of  fluid  glue, 
like  a small  quantity  of  starch  boiled  in 
water:  so  that,  being  thus  intimately  blen- 
ded with  it,  a vastly  longer  time  of  fermen- 
tation would  be  requisite  to  separate  the 
mealy  or  floury  particles  of  the  malt  from 
the  wort,  in  reducing  it  to  ale  or  beer  ; not 
less,  it  was  stated,  than  ten  times  the  usual 
period.  Such  a protracted  fermentation, 
too,  must  necessarily  injure  the  drink,  by 
evaporating  a large  quantity  of  it’s  spiritu- 
ous qualities,  and  thus  rendering  it  weaker; 
so  as  to  make  it  speedily  grow  hard,  un- 
pleasant, and  vapid.  On  the  other  hand, 
wort  unboiled  preserves  all  the  strength 
of  the  malt ; and,  being  less  intimately 
combined  with  the  floury  particles,  they  are 
separated  by  a very  gentle  and  short  fer- 
mentation, so  that  the  ale  or  beer  grows 
perfectly  fine  in  the  tenth  part  of  the  time, 
without  any  loss  of  it’s  spirituous  strength, 
and  is  thus  for  a long  while  preserved  soft, 
smooth,  pleasant,  strong,  and  sprightly, 
tasting  more  like  newly  brewed  than  old 
or  stale  liquors.  Fourthly,  it  was  stated, 
that  they  never  boiled  the  hops,  but  only 
let  them  warm  and  infuse ; scalding  them 
in  the  water  heated  for  the  first  mash,  and 
either  mashing  them  with  the  malt,  as  was 
their  most  usual  practice,  or  putting  them 
into  a net,  placing  it  in  the  tun,  and  letting 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


189 


it  remain  all  the  time  of  working.  By  these 
means,  the  pleasant  flavour  only  of  the 
hops  is  extracted,  without  that  styptic, 
earthy,  harsh,  and  unpleasant  taste,  which 
the  liquor  obtains  from  them  by  boiling: 
for  good  hops,  it  was  remarked,  have  a 
noble  and  generous  fragrance,  and  are 
replete  with  highly  volatile  particles,  and 
a subtile  oily  essence,  superior  to  most 
other  vegetables  in  the  world;  which,  by 
boiling,  are  all  lost.  This  was  instanced 
by  some  other  vegetable  productions  of  a 
pure  and  volatile  nature;  teas,  for  exam- 
ple, of  the  various  sorts.  These,  in  Europe 
at  least,  are  never  boiled,  but  only  infused 
and  scalded  for  a short  space  of  time;  and, 
by  that  means,  their  whole  virtue  is  drawn 
forth,  without  being  accompanied  by  any 
of  those  unpleasant  properties  which  boil- 
ing would  extract,  while  it  was  dissipating 
in  proportion  the  agreeable  light  and  fra- 
grant essence  which  forms  it’s  chief  cha- 
racteristic value  and  distinction.  Why, 
then,  it  was  urged,  should  not  the  like  me- 
thod prevail  with  regard  to  hops,  as  in 
other  volatile  vegetables?  In  the  practice 
of  half  a century,  this  method  had  been  used 
with  invariable  success;  nor  had  they  found 
the  smallest  reason  to  alter  it,  as  their  ale 
and  beer  were  constantly  praised  bj^  every 
person  who  tasted  them.  Of  chemical  and 
philosophical  causes,  no  knowledge  was 
pretended  : they  left  science  to  the  discus- 
sion of  it’s  respective  schools,  students, 
and  professors;  convinced  that  this  process 
did  actually  produce  incomparable  ale  and 
beer,  at  a price  both  of  labour  and  of  mo- 
ney of  which  they  knew  the  extent,  and 
with  which  they  were  perfectly  satisfied. 
Flow  far  it  might  suit  public  brewers,  or 
even  private  families,  .to  follow  this  exam- 
ple, must  be  left  to  the  decision  of  the  re- 


spective individuals.  Our  business  is  to  re- 
cord curious  facts  and  experience,  and  this' 
we  cannot  but  regard  as  an  article  highly 
worthy  of  mature  consideration. 

Patent  Ponder,  Stain,  and  Varnish,  for  Beau- 
tifying and  Preserving  the  Colour  of  all 
Sorts  of  JVood,  cither  Unzcrought  or  in  Fur - 
7 lit  ure,  Sfc. 

This  patent  was  obtained  in  1778,  by 
Mr.  Humphrey  Jackson,  who  states  his 
invention  to  consist  in  an  entire  new  me- 
thod of  beautifying,  and  preserving  the 
native  colour,  of  all  sorts  of  wood,  parti- 
cularly mahogany  furniture,  in  a very  su- 
perior manner  to  any  hitherto  practised, 
by  means  of  a powder,  stain,  and  varnish. 
The  powder,  which  is  also  extremely  use- 
ful in  polishing  and  sharpening  all  fine 
steel  edged  instruments,  is  described  in 
the  following  manner — Take  equal  parts 
of  finely  pulverized  pumice  stone  and  burnt 
alum;  and  half  apart  each  of  finely  powder- 
ed true  lapis  calaminaris,  tile,  and  green  vi- 
triol calcined  to  redness : mix  them  together, 
and  rub  the  wood  with  a woollen  cloth  co- 
vered by  the  powder,  till  it  has  received  a 
good  polish.  Then  use  the  following  stain 
— Boil  six  pounds  of  stick  lac  in  three  gal- 
lons of  water,  till  the  colour  be  extracted, 
and  strain  off  the  liquor;  then,  adding  to 
it  half  a pound  of  madder  root,  boil  it  till 
reduced  to  three  quarts.  Digest  half  a 
pound  of  cochineal,  half  a pound  of  kermes 
berries,  and  four  ounces  of  clean  scarlet 
rags,  in  a glass  vessel,  with  a gallon  ot 
spirit  of  wine  and  a solution  of  two  ounces 
of  pearl  ash  in  half  a pint  of  water,  till  all 
the  colour  be  extracted:  strain  the  liquid, 
and  add  to  it  the  stick  lac  decoction.  Last- 
ly, add  as  much  aqua  fortis  as  will  bring 
it  to  a proper  red  colour,  with  which  brush 
3 B 


190 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


over  the  wood  till  it  becomes  of  the  desired  ; 
appearance.  The  varnish,  by  which  it  is  ' 
of  course  to  be  preserved,  is  thus  made — 
Take  a pound  of  clear  white  amber,  and 
half  a pound  of  gum  copals  put  them  into 
u close  vessel,  with  six  pounds  of  oil  of  nuts, 
and  half  a pound  each  of  spirit  of  turpen- 
tine and  oils  of  rosemary  and  lavender. 
Digest  them  in  a sand  heat,  till  the  oils  be- 
come as  thick  as  syrup;  strain  for  use; 
and,  when  it  is  quite  clear,  varnish  the 
wood  with  a brush,  and  let  it  dry.  It  seems 
scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that  the  powder, 
when  applied  on  leather  for  the  purpose 
of  polishing  and  sharpening  steel  edged 
instruments,  must  be  levigated  to  the  finest 
and  most  impalpable  state. 


: Excellent  Shrub , as  made  in  the  West-Indies. 

Having  first  made  a good  syrup  with 
twelve  pounds  of  best  moist  sugar,  they 
add  three  quarts  of  lime  juice,  and  nine 
quarts  of  rum  ; mixing  them  well  together, 
and  fining  the  liquid  in  the  same  manner 
as  wine.  A few  pints  of  brandy,  with  pro- 
' portionably  less  rum,  is  considered  as  an 
improvement.  In  England,  where  fresh 
lime  juice  is  not  to  be  procured;  and 
, where  moist  sugar  unadulterated  is  by  no 
means  with  certainty  always  obtainable 
iti  small  quantities,  lemon  juice  and  loaf 
; sugar  must  be  substituted  ; though  both, 
perhaps,  and  certainly  the  former,  are  some- 
what inferior. 


West  India  Bitters,  or  Anti-Bilious  Drops. 

The  following  is  said  to  have  been  Tous- 
saint,  late  Emperor  of  Hati’s  celebrated 
bitters,  called  by  him  anti-bilious  drops, 
and  used  generally  throughout  the  ’West 
India  islands — Take  three  drams  of  Seville 
orange  peel;  two  drams  of  gentian  root; 
one  dram  each  of  cardamoms,  grains  of 
paradise,  and  gallengals;  half  a dram  each 
of  nutmeg  and  cloves;  one  scruple  each 
of  saffron  and  cochineal;  and  half  a hand- 
ful each  of  camomile  flowers  and  Roman 
wormwood.  Infuse  the  w hole  in  two  quarts 
of  brandy,  rum,  or  Madeira  wine;  and, 
after  it  has  stood  some  time,  pour  off  what 
is  clear,  and  add  to  the  ingredients  a quart 
more  of  either  liquor,  though  brandy  is 
considered  as  best  lor  the  purpose.  This, 
too,  having  remained  a somewhat  longer 
time,  and  been  occasionally  shaken,  may 
be  in  like  manner  poured  otf  for  use.  Two 
tea-spoonfuls,  or  somewhat  less,  are  direct- 
ed to  be  taken,  an  hour  before  dinner,  in 
half  a glass  of  wine. 


Art  of  making  Bed  and  White  Burnt 
Almonds  or  Prawlongs. 

WHAT,  in  England,  we  call  simply. burnt 
almonds,  though  covered  with  coatings  of 
sugar,  the  French  distinguish  by  the  ap- 
pellation of  amandes  a la  praline;  front 
whence  has  arisen  the  name  of  prawdings, 
or  prawlongs,  as  most  other  articles  of 
this  sort  are  denominated  by  our  confec- 
tioners. Burnt  almonds,  or  rather  almond 
prawlongs,  are  thus  prepared — Sift  the  dust 
from  some  of  the  best  Jordan  almonds; 
and  rub  them  w ell  in  a cloth,  to  clean  them 
properly,  though  they  are  not  to  be  scald- 
ed or  blanched:  then  put  them  into  a pre- 
serving pan,  or  stewpan,  either  with  some 
syrup,  or  with  their  weight  in  sugar,  and 
a little  water.  Keep  them  on  the  fire,  con- 
tinually stirring  them,  till  they  crackle  and 
fly  about  and  the  sugar  begins  to  colour; 
then,  taking  them  off,  stir  them  gently 
about  to  collect  the  sugar,  put  them  on  a 
sieve,  separate  from  each  otiier  those  w hich 
stick  together,  and  leave  them  about  two 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


191 


hours  to  dry  in  the  stove,  the  sun,  or  any 
other  moderate  heat.  After  this,  as  they 
should  always  have  two  coats  of  sugar,  pre- 
pare another  pan  of  boiling  syrup,  put 
them  in  again,  and  give  a second  coating 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  first.  This  mode 
produces  them  white;  but,  in  order  to  make 
red  burnt  almonds,  or  red  almond  pravv- 
longs,  mix  about  a tea-cupful  of  water  with 
sufficient  cochineal  to  produce  a good  red; 
and,  putting  in  half  of  it  with  the  first  boil- 
ing syrup,  and  the  other  half,  adding  a lit- 
tle more  cochineal,  with  that  for  the  last 
coating,  they  will  be  of  a beautiful  and 
lively  rosaceous  or  deep  crimson  colour. 

Pistachio  Prawlongs,  Filbert  Prawlongs , 8$c. 

Red  and  While. 

Pistachio  prawlongs,  both  red  and 
white,  are  made  with  pistachio  nut  kernels 
exactly  in  the  same  manner  as  the  red  and 
white  burnt  almonds  or  prawlongs.  Fil- 
bert prawlongs,  though  so  called,  are  sel- 
dom made  with  any  thing  but  Barcelona 
nuts,  the  kernels  of  which  are  roasted  on 
tin  or  copper  sheets,  &c.  in  an  oven;  after 
which,  they  are  treated  in  all  respects  the 
same,  for  both  colours,  as  the  other  Draw- 
longs.  Filberts,  of  course,  or  even  our 
own  hazel  nuts,  might  easily  be  done  in 
the  like  manner. 

Orange  and  Lemon  Prauiongs. 

Cut  away  all  the  white  from  either  le- 
mons, or  Seville  or  China  oranges,  the  pro- 
cess being  precisely  the  same  for  each,  and 
cut  them  into  regular  pieces  of  about  three 
quarters  of  an  inch  in  length, and  the  eighth 
part  of  an  inch  in  width;  and,  having  a 
proper  quantity  of  syrup  boiled  nearly 
to  carimel  height,  stir  in  the  bits  of  peel, 
keeping  them  as  much  as  possible  separate, 


with  a long  wooden  spoon,  off  the  fire, 
till  they  become  quite  cold.  Shake  them 
in  a large  sieve,  to  drain  through  any  sugar 
which  may  not  adhere,  and  keep  them  dry 
in  papered  boxes.  Orange  flowers,  and 
many  other  articles,  may  be  managed  in 
a similar  way. 

White  Sugared  Almonds. 

These  almonds  differ  from  the  praw- 
longs, in  being  blanched  before  they  arc 
coated,  put  into  the  boiiing  syrup  for  a 
moment  only  before  the  sugar  begins  ta 
change  it’s  colour,  and  stirred  continually 
as  long  as  it  sticks  to  the  pan.  Should  it 
cool  too  soon,  it  may  be  again  put  on  the 
fire,  and  have  the  almonds  rolled  in  it  as 
before.  Sugared  almonds  are  seldom  co- 
loured; but  it  is  easily  effected,  in  the  same 
manner  as  prawlongs,  comfits,  ike.  Nuts, 
or  filberts,  may  also  be  sugared  after  the 
above  method,  being  first  blanehed. 

Rich  Cream  for  Fruit  Pies  or  Tarts. 

Boil  a bit  of  lemon  or  Seville  orange 
peel,  a little  cinnamon,  two  laurel  leaves, 
adozen  coriander  seeds,  two  or  three  cloves, 
a blade  of  mace,  and  a pint  of  newr  milk; 
and,  having  ready  in  another  stewpan 
the  yolks  of  three  eggs,  beaten  up  with 
a little  good  milk  and  half  a spoonful  of 
j fine  flour,  strain  and  stir  the  hot  milk  in, 
set  it  over  the  fire,  instantly  begin  whisk- 
ing it  to  a thick  cream  consistence,  and 
immediately  take  it  off  again.  As  it  gets 
a little  cool,  stir  in  a table-spoonful  of  rose 
or  orange-flower  water;  or,  if  higher  per- 
fume be  required,  a little  syrup  of  clove- 
gilliflowers,  and  a few  drops  of  essence  of 
ambergrease.  This  rich  cream  is  particu- 
larly agreeable  with  pies  or  tarts  of  green 
gooseberries,  codlings, or  currants.  Itmay 


1<)2 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


be  made  in  a plain  manner,  very  good,  with 
lemon  peel,  cinnamon,  and  laurel  leaves 
only,  boiled  in  milk,  and  a single  egg  beat 
up  with  a spoonful  of  rice  flour.  Fruit 
pies  with  cream  should  always  be  covered, 
like  tarts,  with  puff  paste;  and,  when 
served  up,  have  their  tops  cut  round  and 
taken  off,  for  the  purpose  of  depositing 
either  of  the  above  creams  on  the  fruit: 
after  which,  the  top  may  be  replaced,  either 
whole  or  in  quarters,  or  small  leaves  of  or- 
namental baked  puff  paste  be  laid  all  round. 

Curious  Origin  of  the  famous  Barbadocs  Water. 

The  French  claim,  with  much  plausi- 
bility, the  honour  of  having  first  prepared 
this  excellent  liqueur — A Frenchman,  they 
say,  a native  of  Marseilles,  and  who  was 
by  profession  a distiller,  having  been  ta- 
ken at  sea,  by  an  English  man  of  war,  in 
the  year  169b,  was  carried  as  a prisoner 
to  Barbadoes.  During  his  residence  there, 
lie  remarked  that  they  made  a small  drink 
with  the  bitter  scum  and  dregs  of  the  sugar, 
as  a beverage  for  the  working  negroes  and 
domestics.  In  order  to  prepare  it,  they 
Idled  vats  and  other  large  vessels  with  wa- 
ter and  these  gross  articles;  adding  flowers 
and  rinds  of  oranges  and  citrons,  with  some 
cinnamon  and  a few  cloves.  This  com- 
nosition  fermenting  in  the  heat  of  the  sun, 
soon  acquired  the  strength  of  a hydromel, 
or  small  wine.  The  English  rested  satis- 
fied with  drinking  it  thus,  never  once  ima- 
gining that  this  weak  beverage  was  capable 
of  producing  so  cordial  a liquor.  The 
Frenchman,  being  served  with  it,  like  the 
rest,  instead  of  wine  or  beer,  thinking  he 
oould  convert  it  into  something  good,  pro- 
posed giving  it  a rectification;  which  so 
well  answered,  after  a few  experiments,  that 
the  liquor  was  found  very  agreeable:  and, 


at  length,  he  carried  it  to  such  perfection, 
that  the  governor  and  principal  inhabitants 
resolved  on  sending  some  of  it  to  England  ; 
where  it  charmed  every  body,  and  is  to  this 
day  one  of  the  richest  and  most  delicious 
cordials.  It  is  extremely  difficult  to  be 
imitated;  for,  though  we  may  give  it  the 
same  taste,  strength,  and  fragrance,  the 
delicacy  of  the  sugar  spirit  is  never  to  be 
caught:  besides,  even  the  best  brandy 

spirit,  even  that  of  wine,  retains  constantly 
a slight  degree  of  acridity,  which  it  con- 
tracts from  the  stones  of  the  grapes  during 
the  fermentation,  and  of  which  it  is  diffi- 
cult, if  not  impossible,  to  be  divested,  by  even 
the  most  skilful  practitioners  in  the  art. 
The  French  author,  however,  who  makes 
this  judicious  remark,  not  very  consistently 
asserts,  that  the  counterfeit  Barbadoes  wa- 
ter, made  with  brandy,  is  preferable  to  the 
original. 

Genuine  Method  of  making  Barbadoes  Water. 

The  following  is  said  to  be,  at  present, 
the  genuine  method  of  making  Barbadoes 
water — Having  pared  a number  of  fresh 
citrons  extremely  thin,  and  dried  their 
yellow  rinds  in  the  sun;  grate  the  white 
part  down  to  the  pulp  or  juice,  put  it  into 
a cold  still,  and  draw  off  as  much  of  that 
simple  water  as  can  be  obtained  good,  with 
a quick  fire.  In  the  mean  time,  put  after  the 
rate  of  a pound  of  it’s  dried  yellow  rinds  into 
a quart  of  the  best  Barbadoes  spirit;  and, 
when  they  are  sufficiently  soaked,  to  each 
quart  of  the  spirit,  a quart  of  Madeira  wine. 
Then  distil  the  spirit,  with  the  yellow  rinds 
and  wine,  in  a cold  still:  and,  putting  a 
pint  of  simple  water  to  a quart  of  the  other 
strong  water,  prepare  a syrup  of  double 
refined  sugar.  Make  this  syrup,  by  boil- 
ing three  pints  of  water,  and  the  whites  of 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


193 


three  eggs,  to  every  pound  of  sugar;  care- 
fully scumming  it,  and  running  it  through 
a jelly  bag  till  quite  clear.  Half  a pint  of 
this  syrup,  more  or  less,  according  to  the 
preferred  degree  of  sweetness,  must  be 
added  to  each  quart  bottle  of  the  mixed 
liquid,  with  a bit  of  alum  not  larger  than 
a pea;  and,  when  it  grows  quite  clear  and 
tine,  it  is  to  be  racked  off  into  other  bot- 
tles, with  a few  flowers  of  citron  in  each.  It 
is  easy  to  perceive  that,  with  fine  fresh 
Seville  oranges  and  large  thick  rinded  le- 
mons, and  perhaps  a little  essence  of  citrons, 
and  especially  with  lemon  or  orange  flow- 
ers as  substitutes  for  those  of  citron,  and  pure 
French  brandy  instead  of  the  Barbadoes 
spirit,  following  in  all  other  respects  the 
genuine  method  above  described,  a very 
fine  Barbadoes  water  may  with  certainty 
be  made  even  in  England.  We  must  not, 
however,  venture  to  recommend  it  as  su- 
perior to  that  of  Barbadoes. 

Admired  Liqueur,  called  Cre  me  de  Barbadc, 

or  Barbadoes  Cream,  as  made  in  France. 

This  truly  delicious  French  cordial, 
which  proudly  vies  with  the  original,  and 
even  aims  to  surpass  it,  is  thus  prepared 
— Infuse,  for  a fortnight,  in  nine  quartsof 
brandy,  the  rinds  of  three  citrons,  and  of 
three  fine  large  China  oranges,  a few  cloves, 
four  drams  of  cinnamon,  and  two  drams  of 
mace.  Distil  the  whole,  in  a water  bath; 
and,  having  extracted  six  quarts,  return 
it  by  the  neck  of  the  cucurbit,  and  coho- 
bate.  Having  a second  time  extracted 
five  quarts  of  spirit,  dissolve  in  it  six  pounds 
of  double  refined  sugar;  and,  when  well 
* mixed  and  filtered,  bottle  the  cream,  or 
liqueur,  for  use.  This  is  certainly  a most 
admirable  French  cordial  liqueur,  and  not 
of  very  difficult  preparation. 

* 


Curious  Substitution  of  Sour  Grapes  for  Green 
Gooseberries. 

It  too  often  happens,  in  England,  that 
grapes,  where  the  vines  are  neglected,  and 
the  summer  proves  unfavourable,  never 
ripen.  In  such  cases,  they  may,  at  least, 
be  made  into  tarts  or  pies,  like  green  goose- 
berries; from  which,  it  is  certain,  they  will 
then  not  be  readily  distinguishable.  It  is 
an  undoubted  fact,  that  his  late  Royal  High- 
ness the  Duke  of  Gloucester,  when  at  Flo- 
rence, and  slowly  recovering  from  a long 
and  dangerous  illness,  felt  a most  vehe- 
ment inclination,  or  longing,  for  a goose- 
berry tart,  at  a season  when  no  such 
fruit  was  there  obtainable;  to  the  mor- 
tification and  disappointment  of  all  the  fa- 
mily, as  well  as  of  his  royal  highness.  At 
length,  however,  to  their  great  joy,  Mrs. 
Vanini,  an  Englishwoman,  mentioned  in 
Dr.  Smollet’s  Travels,  who  kept  a great 
inn  at  Florence,  undertook  to  make  one. 
This  she,  accordingly,  did;  and  the  duke, 
who  both  relished  and  praised  it  exceed- 
ingly, desired  to  have  owe  every  day  sent 
him  while  he  remained  with  the  British 
minister.  Sir  Horace  Mann,  at  whose 
house  he  then  resided. 

Good,  Cheap,  and  Wholesome,  English  Coffee. 

Many  are  the  substitutes  for  genuine 
coffee,  and  true  it  is  that  it  may  be  in 
some  degree  easily  imitated;  but,  after 
all,  good  coffee  has  a fragrance  peculiarly 
it’s  own,  which  is  no  were  else  to  be  ex- 
actly found.  Though  that  which  w7e  are 
about  to  recommend  has  been  extolled  as 
possessing  the  same  taste  and  flavour  as 
the  true  Mocha  coffee,  and  absolutely  pro- 
nounced undistinguishable  by  the  greatest 
connoisseurs,  we  feel  compelled  to  acknow- 
ledge it’s  chief  superiority  over  even  the 
3 c 


I 


194 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


humblest  true  coffee,  must  be  sought,  we 
apprehend,  in  it’s  excessive  cheapness  and 
it’$  undoubted  salubrity.  It  is  certain, 
however,  from  the  very  great  diversities  in 
prepared  genuine  coffee,  owing  to  a va- 
riety of  causes,  even  persons  a good  deal 
accustomed  to  drinking  coffee  might  unsu- 
spectingly take  the  present  substitute  for 
real.  This,  surely,  added  to  it’s  being 
truly  wholesome  and  nourishing  as  food, 
and  prodigiously  cheap,  must  render  it  a 
desirable  article  in  numerous  families.  In 
short,  there  is  scarcely  any  thing  which 
can  possibly  be  healthier  or  cheaper;  this 
English  coffee  being,  in  fact,  little  else  than 
horse  beans,  which  are  to  be  prepared  in 
the  following  easy  manner — Roast  any 
quantity  of  these  beans  in  a common  but 
clean  frying  pan,  over  a clear  fire,  till  they 
begin  to  darken  in  colour;  and  then,  from 
the  point  of  a knife,  continue  putting  small 
bits  of  honey  among  the  beans,  stirring 
them  all  the  time,  till  they  become  of  a 
deep  chesnut  brown.  Having  now  taken 
them  off  the  fire,  to  a quart  of  beans,  im- 
mediately put  an  ounce  of  cassia  mundata 
into  the  pan,  and  stir  them  about  in  it  till 
they  get  cool.  After  being  ground,  and 
made,  exactly  like  real  coffee,  few  persons 
will  detect  the  difference.  It  may  be  pro- 
per to  add,  that  the  cassia  mundata  is  a 
very  cheap  spicey  drug,  somewhat  of  the 
nature  of  cinnamon,  but  far  less  expen- 
sive. On  this  account,  the  cassia  bark  is 
too  often  sold  for  cinnamon. 

Raspberry  Jam. 

After  properly  picking  any  quantity 
of  ripe  raspberries,  mash  them  fine  with  a 
long  wooden  spaddle  or  spatula;  and,  with 
three-quarters  of  a pound  of  powdered  loaf 
sugar  dissolved  in  half  a pint  of  water  for 


every  pound  of  raspberries,  boil  them  about 
half  an  hour,  stirring  the  whole  well  toge- 
ther, so  as  to  mix  them  thoroughly  and 
prevent  any  burning  at  the  bottom.  When 
the  jam  is  sufficiently  done,  put  it  up  in  a 
pan  or  pots;  sifting  a little  powdered  loaf 
sugar  over  the  jam,  before  it  be  closely 
covered  up. 

Calf’s  or  Neat’s  Foot  Jelly. 

Those  who  would  really  have  calf’s  foot 
jelly,  must  probably  make  it  themselves; 
what  is  commonly  sold  as  such,  being  al- 
most invariably  prepared  with  neat’s  feet, 
vulgarly  called  cow  heels.  The  decep- 
tion, however,  is  of  little  consequence;  the 
latter  being  full  as  nourishing,  though  per- 
haps not  quite  so  delicate.  Boil,  therefore, 
either  two  feet  of  a calf,  or  a single  neat’s 
foot,  in  near  a gallon  of  water,  till  it  be 
almost  half  reduced;  then,  straining  it  off, 
and  letting  it  stand  till  cold,  skim  off  the 
top,  and  take  away  the  clear  jelly,  leaving 
the  sediment  or  dregs  behind.  Put  this 
clear  jelly  into  a saucepan,  with  half  a pint 
of  mountain,  or  three  quarters  of  a pint 
of  good  raisin  wine,  the  juice  of  two  large 
lemons,  with  one  Seville  or  China  orange, 
about  a quarter  of  a pound  of  powdered 
loaf  sugar,  and  some  of  the  lemon  or  orange 
rind.  Whisk  up  the  whites  of  half  a dozen 
eggs  while  the  jelly  is  warming,  and  stir 
them  well  in  till  it  boils.  After  it  has  boil- 
ed together  five  minutes,  take  out  a little 
in  a spoon,  to  try  if  it  will  jelly  as  it  cools ; 
and,  being  satisfied,  pour  it  into  a flannel 
bag  hung  near  the  fire,  to  preserve 
the  fluidity  of  the  jelly  by  the  warmth, 
that  it  may  pass  more  freely  through.  If 
it  should  not  run  clear  into  the  bowl  or 
pan,  repass  it  till  it  becomes  so,  and  then 
run  it  into  the  glasses,  or  fill  them  up  with 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


a spoon.  When  this  jelly  is  taken  medi- 
cinally, there  may  be  less  lemon  or  orange 
juice,  or  even  none,  as  well  as  more  or 
less  wine,  according  to  circumstances.  On 
the  other  hand,  some  use  almost  double 
the  quantity  of  these  articles,  as  well  as  of 
common  sugar. 

Damson  Cheese,  and  Refined  Damson  Cheeses 
or  Biscuits. 

THOUGH  it  might  be  difficult  to  main- 
tain the  propriety  of  either  of  these  names 
for  such  articles,  they  are  both  very  agree- 
able delicacies,  and  are  thus  easily  and  by 
no  means  expensively  prepared — Bake  any 
quantity  of  fine  picked  and  clean  ripe  dam- 
sons, in  a deep  earthen  pan  or  jar,  covered 
over  with  paper,  till  they  are  quite  soft, 
in  a slow  oven;  and,  rubbing  them,  while 
hot,  through  a colander,  put  the  juice  and 
pulp  into  a stewpan,  with  powdered  loaf 
sugar  to  palate,  and  boil  them  at  least  two 
hours  and  a half  over  a gentle  fire;  fre- 
quently stirring  the  mass,  till  it  becomes 
quite  thick  and  stiff.  In  the  mean  time, 
having  cracked  and  blanched,  or  rather 
skinned,  the  kernels  of  the  damsons,  stir 
them  also  in,  about  five  minutes  before 
taking  it  off,  and  put  the  whole  into  moulds 
or  cups.  After  letting  it  stand  twenty-four 
hours,  dip  in  brandy  pieces  of  writing  pa- 
per cut  of  a proper  size  to  cover  the  tops  of 
the  damson  cheeses,  place  the  paper  over, 
and  keep  them  in  a dry  place.  Damson 
cheese  thus  made  will  continue  good  some 
years;  and,  in  the  same  way,  cheese  may 
also  be  prepared  with  plums,  bullaces,  &c. 
If  made  up  in  very  small  moulds,  and  not 
intended  for  long  keeping,  there  will  be 
no  necessity  for  the  brandied  paper  to  co- 
ver them.  A superior  or  refined  sort  of 
damson  cheeses,  sometimes  called  fresh  dam- 


193 

son  biscuits,  so  that  these  damson  have  the 
names  both  of  cheese  and  bread,  without 
partaking  the  nature  of  either,  is  made  in 
the  following  manner — The  damsons  be- 
ing baked  thoroughly,  are  first  to  be  skinned 
and  stoned ; then  forced  through  a sieve,  by 
means  of  a spoon;  and,  two  pounds  of  sifted 
loaf  sugar,  with  the  addition  of  two  whisk- 
ed whites  of  eggs,  for  every  pound  of  this 
damson  jam,  well  mixed  up  with  it.  Then, 
folding  up  writing  paper  into  small  square 
boxes,  called  by  the  confectioners  coffins, 
the  mixture  is  to  be  deposited  therein  as 
smoothly  and  finely  as  possible.  These 
cheeses  or  biscuits  are  then  to  be  placed 
in  a stove,  or  other  moderately  warm  situa- 
tion, for  about  a week,  or  till  sufficiently 
dry  ; when,  the  paper  being  torn  from  them, 
they  are  to  be  kept  in  proper  boxes,  lined 
with  paper,  like  other  dried  sweetmeats,  for 
use.  Apricots,  peaches,  and  even  barberries, 
&c.  are  thus  made  into  what  are  called  bis- 
cuits of  the  respective  fresh  fruits;  only, 
of  course,  adding  more  or  less  sugar,  with 
other  slight  but  obvious  deviations  in  pre- 
paring the  different  sorts. 

Artificial  Seltzer  Water. 

Tiie  genuine  Seltzer  water,  one  of  the 
most  salubrious  mineral  fluids  in  the  world, 
is  produced  from  springs  which  rise  near 
Nieder  Selters,  in  the  Archbishopric  of 
Triers.  Though  it  may  be  copiously  drank 
in  almost  ail  cases,  on  merely  preserving 
the  bowels  in  a regular  state,  the  usual 
quantities  prescribed,  by  medical  men,  are 
from  half  a pint  to  a pint  at  a time.  Such, 
indeed,  are  it’s  grateful  taste,  and  exhil- 
arating properties,  that  it  forms  a favotrite 
and  pr  incipal  refreshment  at  the  tables  of 
the  luxurious,  not  only  in  Germany  but 
in  Holland.  It  is  exported  in  stone  bot- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


196 

tics  sealed  with  the  episcopal  cross,  each 
containing  about  two  and  a half  English 
pints.  This  water,  which  has  a mildly  sa- 
line and  alkaline  taste,  and  a pungent  brisk- 
ness, is  particularly  recommended  in  slow 
hectic  fevers  accompanied  with  profuse 
nocturnal  perspirations,  in  all  cutaneous 
eruptions,  disordered  states  of  the  stomach, 
heartburn,  affections  of  the  alimentary  ca- 
nal in  general,  nervous  and  nephritic  com- 
plaints, &c.  Those  who  cannot  afford  the 
expence  of,  or  may  be  doubtful  of  obtain- 
ing, the  genuine  Seltzer  water,  will  easily 
get  prepared  a very  admirable  substitute, 
of  no  mean  medicinal  efficacy,  and  certainly 
still  more  pleasant  to  the  taste  than  even 
the  natural  water,  which  it  considerably  re- 
sembles, by  adding,  to  every  two  quarts 
of  the  lightest  and  softest  common  or  dis- 
tilled water,  half  a scruple  of  magnesia,  a 
dram  of  fossil  alkali,  and  two  scruples  of 
common  salt;  saturating  the  whole  with 
fixed  air  by  the  usual  process. 

Pyrmont  Water. 

The  celebrated  spring  by  which  this 
genuine  mineral  water  is  supplied,  rises 
at  Pyrmont,  in  the  circle  of  Westphalia. 
Pyrmont  water,  though  of  a strongly  aci- 
dulated taste,  is  very  agreeable;  and,  emit- 
ting a large  portion  of  gas,  is  said  to  affect 
the  persons  who  attend  at  the  well,  as  it 
does  those  who  drink  it  in  any  consider- 
able quantity,  with  a sensation  not  very 
different  from  that  of  intoxication.  It  is 
highly  recommended  in  all  cases  of  debi- 
lity, where  the  constitution  requires  the 
assistance  of  an  active  tonic  which  does  not 
excite  permanent  heat;  in  bilious  sickness; 
and  particularly,  when  mixed  with  milk, 
in  the  gout.  The  proper  dose  is  easy  soon 
to  be  ascertained  by  the  respective  parties: 


it  should,  however,  never  exceed  three 
pints  in  twenty  four  hours-  and,  in  most 
cases,  half  that  quantity  may  be  sufficient. 
It  promotes  the  secretion  of  urine;  and, 
sometimes,  occasions  a salutary  eruption 
of  the  skin.  We  have  the  high  authority 
of  that  distinguished  physician,  Sir  John 
Pringle,  that  the  foregoing  artificial  Selt- 
zer water,  with  the  addition  of  eight  or  ten 
drops  of  the  muriated  tincture  of  iron  in 
every  pint,  will  resemble  the  genuine  Pyr- 
mont water  both  in  properties  and  taste. 

Malloivitz’s  Curious  and  Ncxdy-Invcnied  Me- 
thod of  Silvering , so  as  to  penetrate  or  sink 
into  the  Metal. 

The  ingenious  inventor  of  this  process, 
Mr.  Mallowitz,  is  a native  of  Russia;  and, 
we  have  some  reason  to  believe,  his  very 
curious  method  of  silvering  so  as  to  sink 
into  the  metal,  by  means  of  a powder  and 
a paste,  has  been  hitherto  unknown  in  this 
country,  though  for  some  time  practised  by 
the  Russians.  The  whole  process,  as  de- 
scribed by  Mr.  Mallowitz,  is  this — For  the 
powder,  dissolve,  in  aqua  fortis  precipitated 
by  copper,  silver  one  part;  luna  cornea, 
washed  and  dried,  one  part;  and  borax, 
very  well  calcined  and  powdered,  two 
parts.  Mix  the  whole  in  a glass  mortar, 
and  sift  the  powder  through  a line  sieve. 
To  make  the  paste,  take  equal  parts  of 
this  powder;  pure  salt  of  glass,  being  the 
scum  which  rises  in  melting  glass;  purified 
sal  ammoniac;  pure  sal  gem;  and  pure 
martial  vitriol : each  of  them  finely  pul- 
verized. Mix  these  powders ; and  grind 
them  on  a porphyry,  moistened  with  pure 
water,  or  a weak  solution  of  gum,  till  it 
becomes  a paste  capable  of  being  conve- 
niently spread  or  laid  on  with  a hair  pen- 
cil. The  metal  to  be  silvered,  being  prev 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


J97 


viouslv  well  polished,  and  well  moistened 
with  water  in  which  a very  little  salt  has 
been  dissolved,  is  to  have  some  of  the  first 
powder  sifted  as  even  as  possible  over  it: 
and,  thus  charged,  to  be  heated  on  live 
coals  till  red ; when  it  is  to  be  immediately 
plunged  into  boiling  water  in  which  have 
been  dissolved  a little  salt  and  white  tartar, 
and  well  scratch  brushed  while  it  is  kept 
wet  with  boiling  water  and  has  all  impuri- 
ties cleaned  off.  In  this  first  operation, 
which  is  the  most  essential,  the  silver  pene- 
trates the  copper.  A new  charge  is  then 
laid  on  with  a pencil,  of  the  prepared 
paste:  when  the  piece  is  to  be  heated  of  a 
cherry  red,  plunged  into  boiling  water, 
scratch  brushed  in  cold  water,  wiped  dry, 
and  then  rubbed  with  white  tartar.  These 
charges  are  to  be  repeated  four  or  five 
times;  after  which,  the  article  will  be  like 
silver  mat,  and  may  be  burnished  as  fine 
as  the  best  silver.  By  means,  also,  of  Mr. 
Mallowitz’s  process,  the  silver  may  be 
partially  renewed  in  places  wrorn  out  by 
time  or  use. 

Preserved  Cucumbers,  or  Green  Gerkins,  as 
fine  Wet  and  Dry  Sweetmeats. 

Pick  out  the  greenest  unspotted  small 
cucumbers  or  gerkins,  and  let  them  soak 
two  days  and  nights  in  salt  and  water; 
then  boil  them  up  a very  little  in  fresh 
water,  and  let  them  afterward  soak  in  it 
all  night.  Next  morning,  drain  them  into 
a saucepan,  put  sufficient  water  to  cover 
them,  and  to  each  pint  of  water  a pound 
of  loaf  sugar.  Let  them  boil,  close  cover- 
ed, for  five  minutes;  and  then  return  them, 
with  the  syrup,  into  the  vessel  where  they 
were  soaked,  or  any  other,  and  let  them 
remain  till  the  following  day.  In  this 
Planner  continue  to  boil  them  gently  up. 


a few  minutes  only,  for  three  or  four 
days;  first,  however,  boiling  the  syrup 
with  a little  lemon  or  Seville  orange  peel, 
and  putting  in  the  cucumbers  for  five 
minutes  only.  When  they  have  suffici- 
ently imbibed  the  syrup,  pour  them  into 
the  wet  sweetmeat  pot  or  jar,  or  glasses, 
let  them  stand  a day  or  two  uncovered,  and 
then  carefully  close  them  up  for  use.  To 
convert  these  wet  cucumbers  into  a dried 
sweetmeat,  or  sugared  preserve,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  wash  off  all  the  syrup  with 
warm  water,  lay  them  on  the  top  of  a wire 
sieve  to  drain,  and  set  them  for  a day  in 
a drying  stove  or  other  warm  situation  ; 
after  which,  having  stood  till  quite  cold, 
they  are  to  be  taken  off  the  sieve,  and  purt 
up  in  boxes  properly  lined  with  paper  for 
keeping.  In  this  simple  manner  may  most 
wet  preserved  fruits  be  converted  into  dry 
sweetmeats. 

Superlative  Strong  Peer  for  Bottling. 

The  following  process  for  brewing  an 
ale  barrel,  or  thirty-two  gallons,  of  super- 
lative strong  bottled  beer,  is  submitted  to 
those  who  are  fond  of  experiments  in  brew- 
ing— Prepare  two  bushels  of  malt,  with 
half  a bushel  of  wheat  just  cracked  in  the 
mill  and  having  part  of  the  flour  sifted  out. 
Then,  heating  a copper  of  water  scalding 
hot,  pour  into  the  mashing  vat  a suffici- 
ent quantity  for  the  required  barrel  of 
wort;  and,  when  it  has  stood  till  the  fea- 
tures of  the  face  are  reflected  on  looking 
in,  put  to  it  first  the  malt,  and  then  the 
wheat,  without  stirring  either.  After  it 
has  thus  remarked  two  hours  and  a half, 
let  it  run  into  a tub,  on  two  pounds  of 
fresh  hops  and  a handful  of  rosemary 
flowers;  and,  as  soon  as  the  wort  is  all 
run  in,  put  it  in  the  copper,  and  boil  it 
3 D 


'FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


198 

two  hours.  Strain  it  off,  set  it  to  cooling 
Tery  thin,  dear  it  util,  and  work  it  very 
cool  with  a small  quantity  of  good  yeast. 
On  the  yeast’s  beginning  to  fall,  put  the 
beer  into  the  barrel;  and,  when  it  has 
there  ceased  working,  put  in  a pint  of 
whole  wheat,  with  half  a dozen  eggs,  stop 
it  up,  let  it  stand  a year,  and  then  bottle 
at  off.  This  is  the  entire  process  for  mak- 
jng  a superlative  bottled  beer.  In  the 
mean  time,  by  mashing  again,  twice,  in 
dike  manner,  the  same  malt,  wheat,  &c. 
as  produce  this  beer,  and  mixing  together 
both  runnings,  a couple  of  barrels  of  good 
family  beer  will  also  be  produced.  Per- 
haps, if  the  wheat  were  malted,  this  plan  i 
might  answer  still  better. 

Fine  Wlusked  or  Whipped  Syllabub. 

Take  a quart  of  cream,  a pint  of  moun- 
tain wine,  the  juice  of  a large  Jemon,  and 
one  Seville  or  two  China  oranges,  with 
a large  glass  or  move  of  brandjq  a gill  of 
^orange-flower  water,  and  powdered  loaf 
sugar  to  palate.  Whisk  or  whip  it  up  well  •, 
and,  as  the  frot.h  rises,  take  it  off  with  a 
spoon,  and  lay  it  on  an  inverted  sieve  to 
drain.  If  it  should  not  rise  well,  add  the 
-whites  of  a couple  of  eggs.  When  suf- 
ficiently whipped,  put  a few  spoonfuls  of 
the  liquid  into  the  syllabijb  glasses,  grate 
in  a little  nutmeg,  and  fill  up  h%h  with 
the  froth.  It  may  be  made  of  colour, 
either  with  a little  cochineal,  or  by  using  . 
red  port  wine  instead,  of  mountain,  but 
this  is  seldom  done.  A common  sort,  how- 
ever, is  made  in  some  parts  of  the  coun- 
ty, chiefly  with  new  mii^>  cyder,  orange 
or  lemon  juice,  and  sugar  and  nutmeg, 
which  they  colour  either  green,  red,  or 
yellow,  by  means  of  spinach  juice,  cochi- 
neal, or  saffron. 


Dartmouth  Pie. 

This  curious  pie,  formerly  of  great  fame* 
is  thus  made — Chop  or  mince  small,  on  a 
chopping  board,  two  pounds  of  the  Jeaa 
part  of  a leg  of  mutton,.  with,  one  pound 
of  beef  suet;  keeping  them  constantly- 
stirred  up  from  the  board,  to  prevent  the 
minute  particles  ftom  sticking.  Add  a 
pound  of  well  cleansed  currants,  sift  over 
three  ounces  of  powdered  loaf  sugar,  grata 
some  nutmeg,  and  season  with  a little  salt. 
The  whole  being  well  mixed,  is  to  be  put 
into  a paste  composed  of  two  parts  puri- 
fied beef  suet,  and  one  part  fresh  butter; 
both  melted,  mixed  in  the  water  which  is 
to  make  the  crust  or  paste,  then  boiled  up 
together,  poured  into  the  excavated  cen» 
tre  of  the  sifted  flour,  kneaded  up,  and 
rolled  out  in  the  usual  way,  for  lining  and 
covering  the  dish. 

Syrup  of  Nutmegs,  u'ith  Brarfly. 

By  preparing,  with  brandy,  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner,  a small  quantity  of  tins 
syrup,  it  will  be  at  all  times  ready  fof 
puddings,  &c.  where  a little  of  both  these 
articles  may  be  required ; and  not  only  pre- 
vent waste,  but  admit  a neater  and  more 
intimate  union  with  the  composition,  what- 
ever it  may  happen  to  be,  as  well  as  w ith, 
each  other? — Put  into  a small  stevvpan,  three 
puuces  of  pounded  nutmegs,  pour  oq  them 
a pint  and  a half  pf  bpiling  water,  and  let 
them  boil  in  it  three  quarters  of  an  hour. 
On  straining  off  the  liquid,  put  to  it  twp 
pounds  and  a half  of  sifted  loaf  sugar,  beat 
up  an  egg  in  a little  rose  or  orange-flower 
water,  set  the  whole  over  a clear  fire,  and 
carefully  take  off  the  scum  as  it  rises,  till  a 
good  syrup  be  formed.  On  it’s  getting 
quite  cold,  mix  with  it  at  least  half  a pint 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


1 99 


of  brand y;  put  it  in  a bottle,  and  keep  it 
closely  stopped,  in  a cooL  situation,  for 
use.  It  will  be  found  a very  convenient 
article  in  a family,  for  many  purposes. 

Syrup  of  Cloves,  Cinnamon , or  Mace. 

ALL  these,  syrups,  which  will  be  useful 
on  many  occasions,  are  made  exactly  on 
the  same  plan — Take  two  ounces  of  either 
cloves,  cinnamon,  or  mace,  well  pounded, 
and  put  it  into  about  a pint  of  boiling 
water  in  a small  stewpan.  Let  it  boil 
about  half  an  hour,  run  the  liquor  through, 
a hair  sieve,  dissolve  in  it  a pound  and  a 
half  of  powdered  loaf  sugar,  clear  it  over 
the  fjre  with  the  beaten  up  white  of  an  egg 
and  a little  rose  or  orange-flower  water, 
and  let  it  gently  simmer  till  the  syrup  be 
formed  and  clear.  Then  put  it  up  in  phials, 
lout  they  must  not  be  closely  corked  till  the 
syrup  gets  entirely  cold. 

Baked  Gooseberry  Pudding. 

Stew  gooseberries  over  a slow  fire  till 
they  are  as  tender  as  possible,  and  then 
pulp  them,  through  a hair  sieve.  Beat  up 
0ve  or  six  eggs,  strain  them  to  about  a 
quart  of  the  gooseberry  pulp  when  cold, 
find  mix  up  both  with  crumbs  pf,  bread 
of  Naples  biscuits,  plenty  of  sugar,  and  a 
little  grated  orange  @r  lemon  peel  and  nut- 
meg, with  some  rose  or  orange-flower  wa- 
ter. Line  the  dish,  witli  paste,  pour  in  the 
fruit,  &c.  place  a rim  of  paste  round,  and 
let  it  be  moderately  balked. 

Gooseberry  Tansy. 

Melt  some  fresh  butter  in  a frying  pan,  , 
and  try  with  it  a quart  of  gooseberries  till 
-they  are  quite  teuder  and  capable  of  being 
compleatly  mashed  together.  Beat  up 
^ix  yolks  and  four  whites  of  eggs  with  a 


pound  of  sugar,  a glass  of  white  wine  or 
brandy,  a gill  of  cream,  the  grated  crumb 
of  a two-penny  loaf,  and  three  table-spoon- 
fuls of  flour.  Pour  the  gooseberries  out 
of  the  pan  to  this  mixture,  stir  the  whole 
well  together,  and  set  it  in  a saucepan  over 
the  fire-  to  thicken.  Then  put  butter  in 
the  frying  pan,  fry  the  whole  brown,  and 
serve  it  up  with,  moist  sugar  strewed  oc 
loaf  sugar  grated  over. 

Rich  Gooseberry  Pie  or  Tart. 

Butter  and  flour  the  dish  or  tart  pan,, 
to  prevent  the  crust  of  the  pie  or  tart,  from 
sticking  when  baked  ;.  then  line  it  with  a 
sheet  of  putf  paste,  and  put  in  the  goose- 
berries, well  mixed  and  topped  with  sugar,, 
but  do  not  add  any  water.  Cover  it  in 
witli  puff  paste  brushed  over,  with  the  white 
of  an  egg,  sift  on  it  little  fine  sugar,  and 
let  it  be  well  but  not  too  much  baked.  On 
coming  from  the  oven,  having  ready  a pro- 
per quantity  of  prepared  cream,  cut  opeqt- 
the  top  of  the  pie  or  tart  to  introduce  if,1 , 
and  serve  up  in  the  usual  stile.  Indeed, 
gooseberries  always  bake  greener  with  an 
open  than  a close  top,  and  in  a quick  oven; 
if  they  are  wanted  to  be  red,  they  should 
be  baked  slowly,  and  have  a close  covering- 

Beautiful  Black  Dye  for  Linen . 

It  is  well  known,  tfiat  linen  has  always 
been  with  more  difficulty  dyed  of  a black 
colour  than  either  silk,  woollen,  or  cotton. 
The  black  obtained  from  green  vitriol  and 
galls  is  quickly  washed  outs;  and  a beauti- 
ful, deep,  and  permanent  black,  is  only  to 
be  obtained  for  linen  by  the  following  pro- 
cess—Mix,  in  a.  large-  bottle,  with  a quart 
of  soft  water,  two  o unces  and  a half  of  com- 
mon aqua,  fortisj  and,  adding  gradually 
the  same  quantity  of  litharge,  slightly  cork- 


200 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  bottle,  occasionally  shake  it,  and  keep 
it  in  a warm  situation.  After  a few  days, 
the  liquid  may  be  poured  into  a deep  earth- 
en, leaden,  or  pewter  vessel;  in  which  the 
linen  to  be  dyed,  being  first  well  washed,  j 
though  not  bleached,  should  be  immersed  I 
for  ten  or  twelve  hours.  Beiii£  then  taken  ! 
out,  and  three  times  washed  and  rinsed  in  j 
cold  water,  it  is  to  be  dipped  in  a weak  j 
solution  of  common  glue,  again  rinsed,  and 
hung  in  the  shade  to  dry.  In  a quart  of  | 
rain  or  other  soft  water,  three  quarters  of  ! 
an  ounce  of  well  bruised  galls  are  next  to  j 
be  boiled  for  eight  or  ten  minutes,  when  j 
the  like  quantity  of  common  salt  must  be 
added.  As  soon  as  the  salt  is  dissolved, 
the  linen  should  be  boiled  seven  or  eight 
minutes  in  the  liquor;  after  which,  it  must 
be  taken  out,  washed,  wrung  three  times 
as  before,  and  dried  in  the  shade.  At  this 
stage  of  the  process,  the  linen  will  receive 
a dark  grey -yellowish  tinge,  which  dis- 
poses it  for  the  better  reception  of  the  co- 
lour. It  is  now  to  be  immersed,  for  eight 
or  ten  hours,  in  a liquid  composed  of  three 
quarters  of  an  ounce  each  of  copperas,  or 
vitriol  of  iron,  and  common  salt,  dissolved 
in  a quart  of  hot  water;  after  which,  it  is 
to  be  again  washed,  rinsed,  and  hung  to 
dry  in  the  shade.  For  striking  the  black 
coloui,  three  quarters  of  an  ounce  of  lo0-- 

_ O 

wood  is  to  be  boiled  for  seven  or  eight 
minutes  in  somewhat  more  than  half  a gal- 
lon of  river  or  rain  water;  when  a quarter 
of  an  ounce  of  white  starch,  previously 
mixed  with  a little  cold  water  to  prevent 
it’s  rising  in  lumps,  must  be  added.  This 
being  perfectly  dissolved,  the  linen  is  to 
be  boiled  in  the  liquor  for  seven  or  eight 
minutes,  when  it  must  be  again  rinsed  and 
dried  as  before.  It  will  thus  acquire  a fine 
Idack  tinge;  but,  if  the  dye  be  not  deep 


enough,  it  is  to  be  again  dipped  and  treated 
in  the  same  manner,  as  often  as  may  be 
necessary  to  effect  this  purpose.  As,  how- 
ever, the  linen  will  not,  in  this  state,  admit 
of  being  washed  in  ley  or  soap  water,  with- 
out losing  colour,  it  is  to  be  dipped  in  a 
cold  solution,  prepared  by  boiling,  for  se- 
ven or  eight  minutes,  an  ounce  of  well 
bruised  galls  in  a quart  of  the  glue  water, 
wherein  an  ounce  of  copperas  must  then 
be  dissolved.  The  linen  having  remained 
an  hour  in  this  liquor,  must  be  pressed, 
and  dried  in  the  shade;  when  it  will  have 
acquired  a beautiful,  deep,  and  durable 
black  colour,  capable  of  being  washed 
with  the  same  security  as  any  other  dyed 
colour  whatever. 

Oxymcl  of  Garlic  for  Asthmatic  Complaints, 
Rheumatism,  &;c. 

In  a general  sense,  oxymels  are  any 
compositions  of  honey  and  vinegar  boiled 
to  the  consistence  of  a syrup.  Simple  oxy- 
mel,  for  example,  is  merely  clarified  honey 
melted  in  an  equal  weight  of  water,  with 
the  addition  of  as  much  vinegar  as  water, 
boiled  to  the  consistence  of  a syrup;  and 
even  this,  taken  about  half  an  ounce  at  a 
time,  is  said  to  attenuate  gross  humours, 
carry  away  slimy  matter,  open  old  stop- 
pages and  obstructions  of  the  lungs,  and 
remove  phlegm  with  whatever  else  occa- 
sions shortness  of  breath.  In  the  humid 
asthma,  for  promoting  expectoration  and 
the  fluid  secretions,  &c.  the  oxymel  of 
garlic  seems  to  stand  in  still  higher  estima- 
tion with  the  faculty.  It  is  thus  made — 
Boil,  in  a pint  of  vinegar,  half  an  ounce 
each  of  cleansed  carraway  and  sweet  fen- 
nel seeds,  for  about  a quarter  of  an  hour; 
then  take  it  off  the  fire,  slice  in  three  ounces 
of  garlic,  and  cover  it  closely  up.  As  soon 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


as  it  becomes  cold,  the  liquor  must  be 
strained  and  expressed ; and  mixed,  by  the 
heat  of  a water  bath,  with  a pound  and  a 
quarter  of  clarified  honey,  to  a proper 
syrupv  consistence.  A tea-spoonful  or 
two  of  this  oxymel,  taken  occasionally, 
particularly  night  and  morning,  will  scarce- 
ly ever  fail  of  proving  beneficial  to  all  per- 
sons afflicted  with  an  asthma.  It  is  also  fre- 
quently serviceable  in  rheumatic  com- 
plaints, especially  when  assisted  by  warm 
embrocations. 

American  Pot-Asli  Cakes  or  Biscuits. 
This  curious  article,  though  at  present 
unknown  in  England,  will  probably  be- 
come as  common  here,  after  a fair  trial,  as 
it  has  long  been  in  America.  Pot-ash 
cake  or  biscuit  is,  indeed,  both  easily  and 
cheaply  made,  and  agreeable,  wholesome, 
and  even  nutritious,  when  it  is  made;  the 
method  of  doing  which  is  simply  as  follows 
— Take  a pound  of  flour,  and  mix  with  it 
a quarter  of  a pound  of  butter : then,  hav- 
ing dissolved  and  well  stirred  a quarter  of 
a pound  of  sugar  in  half  a pint  of  milk;  and 
made  a solution  of  about  half  a tea-spoon- 
ful of  salt  of  tartar,  crystal  of  soda,  or  any 
other  purified  pot-ash,  in  half  a tea-cupful 
of  cold  w'ater;  pour  them,  also,  among  the 
flour,  work  up  the  paste  to  a good  consis- 
tence, roll  it  out,  and  form  it  into  cakes  or 
biscuits.  The  lightness  of  these  cakes  de- 
pending much  on  the  expedition  with  which 
they  are  baked,  they  should  be  set  in  a 
brisk  oven. 

The  Honourable  Mr.  Charles  Hamilton  s Me- 
thod of  making  Grape  Wines,  fully  equal  to 
Champaign  and  Old  Hock,  from  the  Fruit 
of  his  beautiful  Vineyard,  at  Pain's  Hill, 
in  Surry. 

Tiie  vineyard  belonging  to  Pain’s  Hill, 


201 

one  of  the  finest  country  residences  in  the 
united  kingdom,  is  situated  on  the  south 
side  of  a gentle  hill,  the  soil  being  a gra- 
velly sand.  It  is  planted  entirely  with  two 
sorts  of  Burgundy  grapes : the  Avernat, 
which  is  the  most  delicate  and  tender;  and 
the  miller’s  grape,  originally  so  named  from 
the  powdered  whiteness  on  the  leaves  in  the 
spring,  called  inEngland  the  black  cluster  or 
Burgundy  grape.  We  shall  give,  in  the  Ho- 
nourable Mr.  Hamilton’s  owm words,  his  va- 
luable account  of  the  process  pursued,  and 
it’s  successful  effect — “The first  year,  I at- 
tempted to  make  wine  in  the  usual  way, 
by  treading  the  grapes;  then  letting  them 
ferment  in  the  vat  till  all  the  husks  and 
impurities  formed  a thick  crust  at  the  top, 
the  boiling  ceased,  and  the  clear  wine  w as 
drawn  off  from  the  bottom.  This  essay  did 
not  answer.  The  wrine  w'as  so  very  harsh 
and  austere,  that  I despaired  of  ever  mak- 
ing red  wine  fit  to  drink;  but,  through 
that  harshness,  I perceived  a flavour  some- 
thing like  that  of  small  French  wfflite  wines, 
which  made  me  hope  I should  succeed 
better  with  white  wine.  That  experiment 
succeeded  far  beyond  my  most  sanguine 
expectations:  for,  the  very  first  year  I 
made  white  wine,  it  nearly  resembled  the 
flavour  of  Champaign;  and,  in  twro  or  three 
years  more,  as  the  wine  grew  stronger,  to 
my  great  amazement,  my  wine  had  a finer 
flavour  than  the  best  Champaign  I ever 
tasted.  The  first  running  was  as  clear  as 
spirits;  the  second  running  was  ceil  de 
perdrix,  cr  partridge  eye  colour;  and  both 
sparkled  and  creamed  in  the  glass,  like 
Champaign.  It  would  be  endless,  to  men- 
tion how  many  good  judges  of  wine  wrere 
deceived  by  my  wine,  and  thought  it  supe- 
rior to  any  Champaign  they  ever  drank. 
Even  the  Duke  de  Mirepoix  preferred 
3 E 


202 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


it  to  any  other  wine.  But,  such  is  the  pre-  j 
judiee  of  some  people  against  any  thing  j 
of  English  growth,  I generally  found  it  : 
most  prudent  not  to  declare  where  it  grew  ' 
till  after  they  passed  their  verdict  on  it.  j 
The  surest  proof  I can  give  of  it’s  excel-  ■ 
lence  is,  that  I have  sold  it  to  wine  mer-  j 
chants  for  fifty  guineas  a hogshead  ; and 
one  wine  merchant,  to  whom  I sold  five 
hundred  pounds  worth  at  one  time,  assured 
me,  he  sold  some  of  the  best  of  it  from 
seven  shillings  and  sixpence  to  ten  shillings 
per  bottle.  After  many  years  experience, 
the  best  method  I found  of  managing  it 
was  this — I let  the  grapes  hang,  till  they 
had  got  all  the  maturity  the  season  would 
give  them;  then,  they  were  carefully  cut 
off  with  scissars,  and  brought  home  to  the 
wine  barn  in  small  quantities  to  prevent 
their  breaking  or  pressing  one  another. 
Then,  they  were  all  picked  off  the  stalks, 
and  all  the  mouldering  or  green  ones  dis- 
carded, before  they  were  committed  to  the 
press;  where  they  were  all  pressed  in  a 
few  hours  after  they  were  gathered.  Much 
would  run  from  them,  before  the  press 
squeezed  them,  from  their  own  weight  on 
one  another.  This  running  was  as  clear 
as  water,  and  as  sweet  as  syrup;  and  all 
of  the  first  pressing,  and  part  of  the  second, 
continued  white:  the  other  pressings  grew 
reddish,  and  were  not  mixed  with  the  best. 
As  fast  as  the  juice  run  from  the  press  into 
a large  receiver,  it  was  put  into  the  hogs- 
heads and  closely  bunged  up.  In  a few 
hours,  one  would  hear  the  fermentation 
begin;  which  would  soon  burst  the  casks, 
if  not  guarded  against  by  hooping  them 
strongly  with  iron,  and  securing  them  in 
strong  wooden  frames,  and  the  heads  with 
wedges.  In  the  height  of  the  fermentation, 

I have  frequently  seen  the  wine  oozing 


through  the  pores  of  the  staves.  These 
hogsheads  were  left  all  the  depth  of  win- 
ter in  the  cold  barn,  to  have  the  benefit 
of  the  frost.  When  the  fermentation  was 
over,  which  was  easily  discovered  by  the 
cessation  of  the  noise  and  oozing;  (but,  to- 
be  more  certain,  the  pegging  the  cask 
shewed  when  it  would  be  quite  clear:)  then 
it  was  racked  off  into  clean  hogsheads,  and 
carried  to  the  vaults,  before  any  warmth 
of  weather  could  raise  a second  fermenta- 
tion. In  March,  the  hogsheads  were  exa- 
mined. If  they  were  not  quite  fine,  they 
were  fined  down  with  common  fish  glue,  or 
isinglass,  in  the  usual  manner;  those  which 
were  fine  of  themselves  were  not  fined  down. 
All  were  bottled,  about  the  end  of  March; 
and,  in  about  six  weeks  more,  would  be  in 
perfect  order  for  drinking,  and  would  be  in 
their  prime  for  above  one  year:  but,  the 
second  year,  the  flavour  would  abate;  and 
would  gradually  decline,  till  it  lost  all  fla- 
vour and  sweetness.  Some,  that  I kept  six- 

teen years,  became  so  like  Old  Hock,  that 
it  might  pass  for  such  to  one  who  was  not 
a perfect  connoisseur.  The  only  art  I ever 
used  to  it  was,  putting  three  pounds  of 
white  sugar-candy  to  some  of  the  hogs- 
heads, when  the  wine  was  first  tunned  from 
the  press;  in  order  to  conform  to  a rage 
that  prevailed,  to  drink  none  but  very 
sweet  Champaign.”  In  the  astonishing 
success  of  this  process,  we  see  demonstrated 
how  little  assistance  from  art  is  required 
by  nature,  provided  that  little  be  judici- 
ously applied. 

Irish  Ale. 

In  Ireland,  where  whiskey  has  long 
been  the  favourite  beverage  of  the  com- 
mon people,  and  claret  of  the  middle  and 
higher  classes  of  society,  great  attention  to 
ale  or  beer  was  not  much  to  be  expected. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


203 


The  generality  of  Irish  ale  was  too  thin 
and  light  for  hard-working  men,  which  not 
a littlecontributed  toestablish  their  decided 
preference  for  ardent  spirits;  a very  fatal 
consequence,  to  which  may  possibly  be  as- 
cribed many  of  those  dreadful  scenes  which 
have  so  often  stained  that  unhappy  country. 
As  Ireland,  however,  in  a disposition  to  cul- 
tivate science,  and  a fitness  naturally  qua- 
lified for  it’s  reception,  yields  to  no  other 
country  whatever;  the  Dublin  Society, 
with  a zeal  which  cannot  be  sufficiently 
commended,  have  directed  much  of  their  ; 
attention  to  this  important  subject.  At 
present,  therefore,  not  only  as  good  ale 
and  beer,  but  as  good  porter  too,  begin  to 
be  brewed  in  that  part  of  the  united  king- 
dom as  in  England.  Indeed,  many  years 
ago,  the  Wicklow  ale,  in  particular,  was 
deservedly  famous;  and,  as  the  mode  of 
producing  it  will  afford  a favourable  no- 
tion of  the  Irish  general  method  of  brew- 
ing, it  is  here  thought  proper  to  be  de-  ! 
scribed.  There  are  few  countries,  from 
which  some  practical  knowledge  is  not  to 
be  gained,  and  Ireland  is  by  no  means 
one  of  them.  This  was  their  method — 
They  brewed  at  Wicklow,  with  hard  water, 
for  the  best  reason  in  the  world — because 
they  had  no  other.  For  every  barrel  of 
fine  ale,  thirty-two  gallons,  they  used  six 
bushels  of  pale  malt  very  coarsely  ground, 
with  two  pounds  of  hops.  In  brewing 
with  this  proportion  of  ingredients,  they 
regulated  the  heats  of  their  liquor  by  add- 
ing, for  the  first  mash,  one  barrel  of  cold 
water  from  the  well  to  every  four  barrels  of 
boiling  water  in  the  copper,  on  the  first  mo- 
ment of  it’s  beginning  to  boil;  but,  for  the  se- 
cond mash,  only  one  barrel  of  cold  to  six 
barrels  of  boiling  water.  They  then  boiled 
the  hops  in  the  wort  of  both  the  first  and  the 


second  mash,  for  two  hours  each ; and,  mak- 
ing a third  mash  for  the  like  quantity  of 
table  beer,  boiled  the  hops  three  hours 
in  that  wort  also.  In  fermenting,  they 
beat  in  the  yeast;  and,  as  soon  as  the  se- 
cond head  had  fallen,  cleansed  into  the  bar- 
rels, and  kept  filling  them  up  for  eighteen 
hours:  then,  putting  about  an  ounce  of 
dry  hops  into  each  barrel,  bunged  it  loose- 
ly; and  left  in,  forafew  days  only,  a spill 
near  the  bung,  to  give  it  vent.  After  this, 
they  bunged  it  down  close  ; leaving  only  a 
spill  in  the  head,  to  know  when  it  dropped 
fine,  which  was  seldom  so  long  as  six  weeks, 
and  sometimes  sooner  than  a month.  It 
was  commonly  kept  about  six  months  be- 
fore sending  it  out : when  it  generally  prov- 
ed a very  pale  coloured,  but  lively,  brisk, 
spirituous,  and  rather  intoxicating  ale; 
sparkling  in  the  glass  to  the  last,  like  ale 
which  has  long  been  bottled. 

Curious  Tartarian  Method  of  preparing  Corn 

for  Food,  without  either  Mills  or  Ovens. 

The  Tartars,  for  this  process,  generally 
use  either  common  or  Siberian  buck  wheat, 
but  it  is  applicable  to  most  other  species 
of  corn  or  grain.  It  consists  in  thus  sim- 
ply blanching  the  seeds — Pour  cold  water 
on  any  quantity  of  corn,  sufficient  for 
bringingall  the  light  and  imperfect  grains 
to  the  surface,  which  are  to  be  poured  off 
with  the  water.  Then  deposit  the  wet  corn 
in  sacks,  for  ten  or  twelve  hours : and,  when 
it  has  thus  become  a little  swelled,  roast 
it  in  an  iron  pan  over  the  fire;  continually 
stirring  it,  till  the  grain  gets  hard  enough 
to  feel  tough  and  elastic  between  the  teeth. 
When  the  husks  are  in  this  manuer  found 
to  crack,  they"  are  easily  separated  from 
the  kernel  by  pounding  them  with  a wood- 
en pestle  and  mortar.  The  Tartars  use  a. 


204 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


bruising  machine  made  with  the  hollow 
trunk  of  a tree.  The  grain  thus  prepared 
has  a yellow  transparent  appearance,  and 
is  at  the  same  time  greatly  improved  in 
taste.  It  is  both  eaten  in  this  state,  and 
cooked  in  a variety  of  ways. 

Scotch  Burgoo. 

This,  though  a humble  dish  of  our  nor- 
thern brethren,  forms  no  contemptible 
article  of  food.  It  possesses  the  grand  qua- 
lities of  salubrity,  pleasantness,  and  cheap- 
ness; and  we  shall  not  envy  the  feelings 
of  those  who  can  look  with  scornful  dis- 
dain on  the  thousands  of  their  fellow-crea- 
tures to  whom  it  affords  a comfortable 
% regale.  It  is,  in  fact,  a sort  of  oatmeal 
hasty  pudding  without  milk,  much  used 
by  those  patterns  of  combined  industry, 
frugality,  and  temperance,  the  Scottish 
peasantry;  as  well  as  mariners,  fishermen, 
&c.  and  this,  among  other  examples  of  the 
ceconomical  Scotch,  is  well  worthy  of  be- 
ing at  least  occasionally  adopted  by  all 
who  have  large  families  and  small  incomes. 
It  is  made  in  the  following  easy  and  ex- 
peditious manner — To  a quart  of  oatmeal, 
add  gradually  two  quarts  of  water,  so  that 
the  whole  may  smoothly  mix:,  then,  stir- 
ring it  continually  over  the  fire,  boil  it 
together  for  a quarter  of  an  hour;  after 
which,  take  it  up,  and  stir  in  a little  salt 
and  butter,  with  or  without  pepper.  This 
quantity  will  serve  a family  of  five  or  six 
persons  for  a moderate  meal.  Cockburn, 
in  his  Diseases  of  Seamen,  testifies  it’s 
peculiar  salubrity  for  mariners,  by  observ- 
ing that  burgoo  corrects  that  unwhole- 
some costiveness  of  habit  to  which  persons 
in  a seafaring  life  are  generally  subjected 
by  the  constant  use  of  salt  provisions,  &c. 
4 his  is  not  by  any  means  a trivial  recom- 
mendation of  it’s  use. 


German  Cement  for  Mending  Glass  and  China. 

REDUCE,  separately,  to  the  finest  pow- 
der, equal  quantities  of  unslacked  lime 
and  flint  glass,  and  as  much  litharge  as 
both  of  them  together;  the  proportions  to 
be  adjusted  by  measure,  when  reduced  to 
powder.  Mix  them  well  together,  and  work 
them  up  into  a thin  paste  with  old  dry  ing 
oil.  This  cement,  or  paste,  which  is  very 
durable,  will  even  acquire  a greater  de- 
gree of  hardness  when  immersed  in  water. 

Excellent  Cheap  and  Wholesome  Method  of 

House  Painting,  as  practised  in  Germany, 

Russia,  &;c.  ixithout  Oil. 

For  a white  colour,  bruise  lumps  of  fresh 
curd,  and  put  them  in  an  earthen  pan  to 
an  equal  quantity  of  lime  well  quenched 
in  water  and  become  thick  enough  for 
kneading.  Stir  the  mixture  briskly  with- 
out any  addition  of  water,  and  a white 
fluid  will  soon  appear;  which  may  be  ap- 
plied with  as  much  facility,  by  means  of  a 
brush,  as  any  oil  paint  or  varnish,  and 
dries  much  quicker  than  either,  without 
possessing  any  bad  smell.  It  must,  how- 
ever, be  all  used  immediately  on  being 
prepared,  as  it  will  next  day  become  too 
thick  for  use.  When  two  coats  of  this 
white  paint  have  been  used,  it  may  be 
polished  with  a piece  of  woollen  cloth,  &c. 
After  polishing,  if  the  place  be  exposed  to 
moisture,  brush  it  over  with  w'hite  of  egg, 
which  will  render  it  as  durable  as  oil  paint- 
ing. Several  other  colours  may  be  pre- 
pared, by  mixing  ochre,  Armenian  bole. 
See.  which  are  not  liable  to  be  injured  by 
the  lime,  after  they  have  been  well  levi- 
gated. From  the  very  extravagant  prices 
generally  charged  for  all  sorts  of  house 
painting,  this  article  is  of  no  small  value 
to  the  wise. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  201 


Raspberry  Postilla,  an  elegant  Confection 
made  in  Russia. 

This  sort  of  confection,  called  in  Russia  | 
postilla,  or  postillar,  is  extremely  delicate,  i 
and  there  most  highly  esteemed.  Hitherto, 
like  numerous  other  articles  in  this  col- 
lection, it  has  been  quite  unknown  in  Eng- 
land. It  is,  however,  made  by  a very  sim- 
ple process,  with  which  we  are  favoured  by 
the  friendship  of  a distinguished  traveller. 
Put  raspberries  in  an  earthen  baking  pan 
or  pot,  and  let  it  stand  all  night  in  a mo- 
derately heated  oven.  Mash  the  fruit 
next  day,  press  it  through  a sieve,  add 
about  a quarter  of  the  quantity  of  honey, 
and  set  it  in  the  oven  for  another  night. 

Apple  Postilla. 

Bake  codlins,  or  any  other  sour  apples, 
but  without  burning  them,  pulp  them 
through  a sieve  into  a bowl  or  pan,  and 
beat  them  with  a wooden  spaddle  for  four 
hours;  then,  adding  as  much  honev  as  will 
sufficiently  sweeten  the  quantity  of  fruit, 
beat,  it  at  least  four  hours  longer;  it  is  reck- 
oned, the  longer  beaten  the  better.  Pour 
on  a cloth  spread  over  a tray,  a thin  layer  of 
the  mixture;  and  bake  it  in  a slow  oven, 
with  bits  of  wood  placed  beneath  the  tray. 
If  found,  on  taking  it  out,  to  be  not  enough 
baked  on  one  side,  set  it  again  in  the  oven; 
and,  when  quite  done,  turn  it,  place  on  it 
a fresh  layer  of  the  mixture,  and  proceed 
with  it  in  the  like  manner  till  the  whole 
be  properly  baked.  Apple  postilla  is  also 
made  by  peeling  the  apples  and  taking  out 
the  cores  after  they  are  baked,  mixing  su- 
gar to  palate,  and  beating  it  up  with  a 
wooden  spoon  or  spaddle  till  all  is  of  a 
froth;  then  putting  it  into  trays,  and  bak- 
ing it  for  two  hours  in  an  oven  moderately 


hot.  After  which,  another  layer  of  the- 
beaten  apples  is  added,  and  powdered  loat 
sugar  spread  over.  It  may  be  either  in 
thick  or  thin  pieces.  Sometimes,  a still 
finer  sort  is  made,  by  heating  yolks  of  eggs 
to  a froth,  and  then  mixing  it  with  the  apple 
juice.  The  grand  point,  in  these  Russian 
preparations,  is  that  of  long  perseverance 
in  whipping  or  boating  up  the  fruits,  &c. 

Infallible  Method  of  Killing  and  Expelling  the 
Tape-  Worm . 

Worms,  of  every  description,  might  be 
considered  as  constituting  some  of  the  most 
distressful  and  afflictive  maladies  of  human 
nature,  were  they  not,  in  general,  by  timely 
attention,  and  prudent  management,  soon 
killed  and  expelled.  Itinerary  mountebanks, 
and  quacks  of  other  descriptions,  have  ever 
found  a rich  harvest  in  the  natural  dread  of 
worms;  by  exhibiting  different  species  of 
these  loathsome  and  voracious  devourers 
found  in  the  entrails  of  various  animals, 
and  pretending  to  have  expelled  them 
from  human  bodies  through  the  efficacy 
of  their  nostrums,  &e.  Among  all  the  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  those  tormenting  worms 
which  infest  the  bowels  of  mankind,  as 
well  as  of  many  animals,  the  most  dreadful 
are  the  several  species  of  the  tosnia  or  tape- 
worm. Ot  these,  are  the  armed  tape- 
worm, the  unarmed  tape-worm,  the  long 
limbed  tape-worm,  the  short  limbed  or  broad 
tape-worm.  That  most  frequently  occur- 
ring in  this  country,  is  the  solium  of  the 
Lin  mean  system;  which  is  described  as 
moving  about,  and  having  a regular  round 
head  resembling  a wart.  The  body  is  com- 
posed  of  a number  of  articulated  rings  or 
joints,  by  which  it  attaches  itself  to  the 
membranes  of  the  intestines.  It  is  often 
about  half  an  inch  broad,  and  not  unfre- 
3 F 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


*06 

■| 

quently  more  than  sixty  feet  long.  The  j! 
usual  symptoms  of  worms,  such  as  nausea, 
vomiting,  giddiness,  indigestion,  colic,  (la-  j 
tulcnee,  fits,  &c.  with  a sensible  pressure 
in  certain  parts  of  the  abdomen,  which 
mostly  produces  a chilling  sensation  when 
the  worm  changes  it’s  place,  may  assist  to 
announce  it’s  actual  presence;  the  only 
positive  criterion,  is  the  expulsion  of  one 
or  more  pieces  of  the  worm.  T his,  indeed, 
often  happens;  but,  nature  having  en- 
dowed the  creature  with  a power  of  re- 
generation, it  soon  acquires  it’s  original 
size,  and  excites  all  the  former  emotions. 
The  King  of  France  purchased  and  pub- 
lished a celebrated  specific  for  destroying  i 
the  tape-worm;  and  the  King  of  Prussia,  ! 
also,  only  a few  years  ago,  honoured  an  ; 
apothecary  at  Berlin,  named  Mathieu,  with  j 
a title  and  pension,  for  a similar  discovery. 
Though  both  are,  doubtless,  excellent  re- 
medies for  the  purpose ; the  following  very 
simple,  but  most  potent  process,  may  be 
relied  on  as,  generally  speaking,  quite  in- 
fallible— "When  the  worm  bites,  that  is  to 
say,  when  a sensation  of  this  sort  is  felt 
in  any  particular  part,  which  will  generally 
happen,  after  taking  a brisk  laxative  in  the 
morning,  and  lias  been 'remarked  to  follow 
a supper  of  strawberries,  by  physicians  on 
the  continent,  apply  through  that  part  as 
strong  an  electric  shock  as  the  party  can 
bear.  This  infallibly  kills  the  worm;  i 
which,  on  taking  a powerful  and  quickly  1 
operating  purge  or  two,  will  commonly  j 
be  all  voided  in  a few  days.  However,  as  -j 
in  such  cases  there  cannot  be  too  much 
security,  and  our  readers  may  wish  to  see  I 
the  particulars  of  both  the  French  and  i 
Prussian  specifics,  thought  worthy  of  being  1 
so  liberally  patronized  by  these  respective 
sovereigns,  we  shall  gratify  their  curiosity  j 


bv  translating  them  from  the  original  re- 
ceipts. 

Madame  Aoujfier’ s famous  French  Specific  for 
Destroying  the  Tape-Worm. 

OS  the  day  before  that  of  taking  this 
remedy,  the  patient  must  not  have  any 
food  after  dinner,  till  about  eight  in  the 
i|  evening.  A panada,  composed  of  a pint  and 
a half  of  water,  two  or  three  ounces  of  fresh 
butter,  and  two  ounces  of  French  bread 
cut  into  thin  slices,  with  a small  quantity 
of  salt,  is  then  to  be  eaten:  and,  shortly 
after,  a biscuit;  after  which,  a single  glass 
of  white  wine  is  to  be  swallowed.  Next 
morning,  two  or  three  drams  of  the  male 
fern,  or  polypodium  filix  mas  ot  Linuteus, 
collected  in  autumn,  and  finely  pulverized, 
is  to  be  taken,  either  in  tea  or  pure  water. 
If  the  medicine  occasion  nausea,  any  spice 
may  be  chewed,  though  it  must  not  be  swal- 
lowed, or  even  strong  vinegar  may  beinhaled 
to  check  the  sickness;  but  if,  after  all,  the 
powder  should  be  ejected,  the  dose  is  to 
be  repeated,  and  the  patient  must  endea- 
vour to  rest  as  soon  as  the  sickness  subsides. 
Two  hours  after,  ten  grains  each  of  mer- 
cury fourteen  times  sublimed,  and  select 
resin  of  scammony,  with  six  or  seven  grains 
of  fresh  gamboge,  finely  powdered,  being 
formed  into  two  boluses  with  any  fit  con- 
serve, tire  to  be  taken  tit  different  times, 
washing  down  each  bolus  with  a cupful 
of  weak  tea.  During  the  whole  operation, 
indeed,  large  draughts  of  weak  tea  should 
be  drank.  When  the  worm  is  expelled, 
a bason  of  good  broth  may  be  taken,  and 
the  customary  diet  renewed.  Should  the 
tape-worm  be  discharged  before  the  se- 
cond dose  has  been  administered,  only  the 
greater  part  of  it,  or  a portion  of  the  Ep- 
som salt,  is  then  to  be  taien.  This  is  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


French  prescription;  but,  as  mercury  four- 
teen times  sublimed  is  now  never  prepared 
in  England,  our  calomel,  or  six  times  sub- 
limed mercury,  is  considered  by  the  faculty 
in  general  to  be  equally  safe  and  effica- 
cious. 

Mathicu’s  celebrated  Prussian  Specific  for  the 
Tape- Worm,  Sc. 

Tins  Prussian  process,  which  is  consider- 
ublv  more  complicated,  is  thus  described — 
Take  first  an  ounce  of  filings  of  pure  tin; 
three  quarters  of  an  ounce  of  pulverized 
male  fern ; and  hall  an  ounce  each  of 
wormseed,  powdered  jalap  root,  and  poly- 
chrest  salt,  which  last  is  now  called  vitrio- 
iated  kali.  The  whole  to  be  finely  pow- 
dered, and  properly  made  up  into  an  elec- 
tuary with  clarified  honey.  Then,  take  1 
two  scruples  each  of  powdered  root  oi  jalap  ■ 
and  polvchrests  It;  o ue  scruple  ol  Ah  ppo 
scammon y ; and  ten  grains  of  gamboge: 
and,  with  like  honey,  make  these  into  a 
second  electuary.  For  several  days  prior 
to  the  use  of  this  rente  iy,  the  patient 
should  adopt  a very  moderate  diet;  con- 
sisting of  panada,  and  light  vegetable  food: 
but,  especially,  not  eat  sailed  provisions,  ! 
such  as  herrings,  he.  After  this  preparation,  I 
a tea-spoonful  of  the  first  electuary  is  to  I 
betaken  every  two  hours,  for  two  or  three 
days,  till  a sensation  cf  the  worm’s  motion 
befell  in  the  intestines;  immediately  after 
which,  a tea  spoonful  of  the  second  elec- 
tuary is  to  be  taken,  and  continued  every 
two  hours  till  the  tape-worm  be  discharged. 
Should  it  fail  of  success,  which  rarely  hap- 
pens, two  or  three  table-spoonfuls  of  fresh 
castor  oil  are  to  be  swallowed  ; or  a clyster, 
consisting  chiefly  of  this  oil,  ought  to  be 
administered.  The  inventor  advises  that, 
where  convenient,  the  use  of  these  active 


207 


physician,  on  account  of  the  material  dif- 
ference in  the  sex,  age,  and  constitution, 
of  various  individuals.  He  also  cautions 
against  the  use  of  any  other  than  the 
real  male  fern;  on  which,  he  says,  the 
efficacy  of  the  remedy  greatly  depends: 
and  adv  ises  that,  even  of  the  genuine  root, 
only  the  medullary  part  be  pulverized,  in 
which  state  it  has  a reddish  appearance. 
We  recognise,  in  this  Prussian  remedy, 
no  sort  of  originality;  it  is  a mere  com- 
bination of  the  most  popular  vermifuges, 
exhibited  in  a somewhat  different  dress. 
It’s  efficacy,  however,  can  scarcely  be 
doubted,  any  more  than  the  specific  of 
Madame  Noulfer,  on  which  it  seems  pal- 
pably founded.  We  shall,  therefore,  enter 
no  protest  against  his  remuneration,  how- 
ever extravagant,  as  it  seldom  enough  hap- 
pens that  any  sort  of  real  merit  is  too 
highly  rewarded.  Ilerrenschvvandt,  an 
eminent  German  physician,  recommends  a 
simpler  plan  for  the  same  effect — Take  a 
dram  of  the  male  fern  two  successive  morn- 
ings before  breakfast;  and  also,  each  even- 
ing, two  hours  after  a light  supper.  On 
the  third  morning,  twenty  grains  of  salt 
of  wormwood,  twelve  grains  of  purified 
gamboge,  and  two  grains  of  Starkey’s 
soap,  the  whole  duly  incorporated,  are  to 
be  taken,  followed  by  large  portions  of 
weak  tea.  Three  hours  after  which,  an 
ounce  of  castor  oil  is  to  be  swallowed  in  a 
cup  of  beef  tea,  and  repeated  once  or  twice 
with  like  intervals.  Should  the  worm  still 
be  retained,  a clyster,  composed  of  equal 
parts  of  milk  and  water,  with  three  ounces 
of  castor  oil,  injected  in  the  evening,  will 
seldom  fail  to  occasion  it’s  immediate  ex- 
pulsion. During  the  passage  of  the  worm, 
where  it  is  still  alive,  great  care  must  be 


203 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


taken  not  to  interrupt  it’s  progress;  as  it  j 
will,  on  the  smallest  irritation,  either  re- 
turn into  the  body,  or  suddenly  break  oil, 
when  the  complaint  will  with  certainty  be 
renewed.  To  avoid  this,  it  is  advisable  for 
the  party  to  sit  over  a vessel  containing  j 
lukewarm  milk;  into  which  these  worms  | 
have  often  been  observed  gradually  and 
entirely  to  descend,  thus  happily  termi- 
nating the  dreadful  calamity. 

Art  of  Extracting  Spots  of  Grease,  Tallow, 

Oil,  SCc.  from  Valuable  Books,  Prints,  and 

Papers  of  all  Sorts,  without  the  smallest 

Injury  to  the  Printing  or  Writing. 

The  frequency  of  such  accidents  as  spot 
with  grease  valuable  printed  books,  prints,  | 
ledgers  and  other  account  books,  as  well 
as  letters  and  writings  of  all  descriptions, 
renders  the  method  of  restoring  them  to 
their  pristine  purity  of  appearance  an 
article  of  no  little  importance.  For  this 
purpose,  the  following  is  the  exact  process 
— Having  in  readiness  some  common  blot- 
ting paper,  gently  warm  the  spotted  part 
of  the  book,  or  other  article  damaged  by 
grease,  tallow,  or  oil;  and,  as  it  melts,  j 
take  up  as  much  as  possible,  by  repeated 
applications  of  fresh  bits  of  the  blotting 
paper.  When  no  more  can  thus  be  im- 
bibed, dip  a small  brush  in  the  essential 
oil  of  well  rectified  spirit  of  turpentine, 
heated  almost  to  a boiling  state  ; and  wet 
with  it  both  sides  of  the  paper,  which  should 
also  be  at  the  same  time  a little  warm. 
This  operation  must  be  repeated  till  all 
the  grease  be  extracted:  when  another 
brush,  dipped  in  highly  rectified  spirit  of 
wine,  being  passed  over  the  same  part, 
the  spot  or  spots  will  entirely  disappear, 
and  the  paper  reassume  it’s  original  white- 
ness, without  detriment  of  any  sort  to  the 


paper,  or  any  printed  or  written  characters 
previously  impressed  thereon. 

Dutch  Method  of  making  Butter. 

The  following  method  of  making  butter 
is  practised  in  Holland  with  such  advantage 
that  it  seems  highly  entitled  to  general 
consideration — After  the  Dutch  have  milk- 
ed their  cows,  they  leave  the  milk  to  get 
entirely  cold  before  it  lie  put  in  the  pans. 
When  it  is  there  placed,  they  do  not  sutler 
it  to  stand,  for  the  cream  to  rise,  more  than 
about  four  hours.  They  then  stir  it  toge- 
ther, in  order  to  combine  more  intimately 
the  milk  and  the  cream,  and  continue  thus 
to  do  at  least  two  or  three  times  a day. 
If  it  be  in  this  manner  agitated,  as  occasion- 
ally happens,  till  the  whole  be  quite  thick, 
the  butter  thus  obtained  is  the  more  highly 
esteemed.  As  soon,  however,  as  it  ac- 
quires the  usual  consistency,  it  is  churned, 
commonly  about  .an  hour,  till  the  butter 
begins  to  form.  Cold  water  is  then  added, 
proportioned  to  ihe  quantity  of  milk,  for 
the  purpose  of  facilitating  the  separation 
of  the  fluid  part,  called  the  butter-milk. 
The  butter  being  properly  come,  it  is  taken 
from  the  churn,  and  repeatedly  washed 
and  kneaded  in  fresh  water,  till  the  butter- 
milk being  all  expressed,  it  no  longer  re- 
ceives any  tinge  of  white.  By  this  simple 
mode,  not  only  far  more  butter  is  obtained 
from  the  same  quantity  of  milk  than  in 
any  other  known  way;  but  the  butter  it- 
self is  actually  firmer,  sweeter,  and  con- 
tinues longer  fresh,  than  the  generality  of 
butter  made  in  England,  while  the  butter- 
milk is  prodigiously  more  agreeable  to  the 
palate.  By  this,  and  oilier  (economical  ex- 
pedients, the  Dutch  are  enabled  to  supply 
us  with  the  butter  w hich  we  might  make 
in  sufficient  quantities  for  ourselves. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


209 


Cambridge  Butter. 

THIS  useful  butter,  with  which  the  British 
metropolis  is  so  largely  supplied  as  to  ex- 
cite much  general  astonishment  at  the  fer- 
tility of  the  little  county  of  Cambridge, 
which  can  produce  it  in  such  abundance, 
need  not  occasion  the  smallest  surprise; 
for,  though  Cambridgeshire  certainly  pro- 
duces it’s  share  of  excellent  butter,  where 
it  is  sold  by  measure,  instead  of  by  weight — 
that  is  to  say,  in  prodigiously  long  rolls,  by 
the  yard — not  an  ounce  of  the  moderately 
salted  article  commonly  called  Cambridge 
butter,  is  ever  made  in  that  county,  but 
every  firkin  of  it  imported  from  abroad, 
and  known  by  the  dealers  to  be,  in  point 
of  fact,  Dutch  butter.  The  peculiar  and 
not  disagreeable  flavour  perceptible  in 
this  butter,  Seems  to  be  derived  from  the 
use  of  a very  small  portion  of  saltpetre; 
and,  perhaps,  of  sugar.  It  is,  probably, 
slightly  salted  after  a mode  somewhat  simi- 
lar to  that  recommended  by  Dr.  Anderson. 

Important  New  Discovery  of  a Method  of 
Granulating  Potatoes;  or,  the  Art  of  pre- 
paring Potatoes  in  the  Form  of  a Grain  re- 
sembling Rice. 

This  important  discovery  is  announced 
by  Monsieur  Grenet,  in  the  Journal  of  the 
Paris  Lyceum  of  Arts:  who,  noticing  the 
usual  objections  to  potatoes,  as  substitutes 
for  corn — that  they  are  excessively  heavy, 
and  consequently  inconvenient  for  carriage 
from  place  to  place;  that  they  occupy, 
when  stored,  a considerable  space;  and 
that  they  are  not  only  apt  to  grow,  but 
also  subject  to  be  damaged  and  spoiled 
by  bruises  and  other  accidents — proposes 
to  remedy  all  these  inconveniences,  by 
means  ol  a simple  machine,  and  very  easy 


process,  both  of  which  he  has  familiarly 
described.  The  machine  for  granulating 
potatoes  consists  of  a thick  plank  of  wood 
eight  feet  in  length,  and  not  more  than 
eight  inches  broad;  under  which,  along 
it’s  entire  length,  are  two  strong  pieces  of 
wood,  each  three  inches  square.  Into  this 
plank  are  firmly  fixed,  by  means  of  pegs 
driven  in  beneath,  two  uprights;  and, 
between  these,  formed  of  a board  turned 
edgeway,  is  a lever  let  into  the  top  of 
one  of  the  uprights,  where  it  turns  on  a 
pin  so  as  to  move  freely  up  and  down  in  a 
mortise  made  in  the  other.  In  the  middle 
j of  this  lever,  between  the  uprights,  is 
placed  a round  wooden  piston,  or  pestle, 
the  head  of  which  is  divided  by  a mortise 
so  as  to  take  in  the  lever,  to  which  it  is 
made  fast  by  a pin  going  through  both, 
in  such  a manner  as  to  have  a free  motion 
on  the  pin  that  fixes  it.  On  another  part 
of  the  lever  is  a small  bracket,  to  prevent 
the  piston’s  going  too  far,  when  the  lever 
is  raised  as  high  as  it  can  go  in  the  mor- 
tised upright:  and  a wire  is  fixed  to  the 
piston,  which  passes  through  a staple,  and 
terminates  in  a bracket;  serving  to  bring 
the  piston  back  to  it’s  place,  and  preserve 
it  in  a proper  position.  A tin  tube,  eigh- 
teen inches  high,  and  two  in  diameter, 
pierced  full  of  small  holes,  is  fitted  to  and 
placed  exactly  under  the  piston.  The  top 
of  this  tin  tube  terminates  in  a sort  of  fun- 
nel head  made  also  of  tin,  and  at  the  bot- 
tom is  fixed  a large  plate  from  fifteen  to 
eighteen  inches  in  diameter.  At  the  bot- 
tom, the  tube  is  secured  by  means  of  a 
plug  of  wood,  of  the  same  diameter  as  the 
tube,  fixed  into  the  plank.  The  machine 
being  thus  manufactured,  the  potatoes  are 
prepared  in  the  following  manner — In  a 
copper  or  boiler  of  any  kind,  put  a very 
3 G 


210 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


open  wicker  frame  or  hurdle  to  fit,  being  j 
supported  about  two  or  three  inches  from 
the  bottom:  then,  pouring  in  as  much  wa- 
ter as  will  nearly  touch  it,  fill  up  the  vessel 
with  potatoes,  and  cover  them  up  with  a !, 
wet  linen  cloth  twice  or  thrice  folded  or  j 
doubled.  By  this  mode,  the  water,  haw  j! 
ing  a moderate  fire  beneath,  will  soon  be  1 
converted  into  steam;  which  steam  will  j 
so  spread  itself  about  the  potatoes,  and  ] 
moisten  them,  without  either  penetrating  ; 
them  too  much,  or  taking  from  them  their 
flavour,  and  particularly  without  destroy-  j 
ing  their  mucilaginous  part,  that  they  may 
easily  have  their  skins  stripped  off,  and  j 
will  be  very  brittle.  When  they  have  been 
skinned,  and  are  cold,  fill  the  tube  with 
them  ; and,  by  a stroke  of  the  lever, 
force  all  the  pulp  or  substance  of  the  po- 
tatoes to  pass  through  the  small  holes  in  j 
the  tube.  As  the  pulp  is  thus  forced  out, 
it  will  appear  in  the  form  of  long  filaments, 
somewhat  similar  to  vermicelli;  which,  by 
virtue  of  their  own  gravity,  will  fall  on  the 
plate  separated  into  small  bits,  or  grains, 
about  the  size  of  rice.  This  being  thrown 
as  lightly  as  possible  off  the  plate,  into  a ! 
sort  of  large  bason  composed  of  tin,  and 
pierced  full  of  holes,  like  a colander,  it 
must  be  sifted  over  linen  cloths  covered 
with  unsized  paper;  and  afterward  ex- 
posed to  the  sun,  or  to  the  heat  of  a room 
warmed  by  means  of  a stove.  In  either  of 
these  situations,  this  sort  of  broken  paste 
is  to  be  from  time  to  time  stirred  with  a 
small  box  wood  rake;  and,  in  less  than 
twelve  hours,  will  be  obtained,  by  such 
gradual  evaporation  of  the  moisture,  a 
grain  similar  to  rice,  of  an  agreeable  smell, 
and  of  a transparent  appearance.  This 
potatoe  grain  may  be  put  into  sacks,  and 
stowed  away,  without  danger  of  it’s  be- 


coming damp  or  being  destroyed  by  in- 
sects; and,  provided  it  be  placed  in  a room 
sufficiently  exposed  to  the  air,  may  be  pre- 
served, if  necessary,  for  ten  years.  This 
grain  is  stated,  in  the.Iournal  of  the  Lyceum 
of  Arts,  to  possess  the  following  advantages 
— First,  the  potatoe  grain  thus  prepared, 
may  with  a slight  boiling  be  used  in  broth 
or  milk,  or  be  dressed  with  a little  butter, 
&c.  like  rice.  It’s  original  taste  being 
much  improved  by  the  process,  it  is  excel- 
lent in  soups,  or  made  into  paste;  and, 
in  short,  it  forms  one  of  the  wholesomest 
and  most  agreeable  articles  of  nourishment 
which  can  be  used  in  our  ordinary  house- 
hold oeconomy.  Secondly,  these  potatoe 
grains  may  be  ground,  in  a common  coffee 
mill,  to  a coarse  powder;  and,  in  that  state, 
will  serve  for  thickening  broth,  milk,  &c. 
Thirdly,  this  potatoe  grain  may  be  sent, 
like  common  wheat,  to  the  mill,  and  con- 
verted into  excellent  flour;  which,  being 
mixed  with  wheat  flour,  makes  an  admi- 
rable light  bread,  capable  of  being  much 
longer  kept  than  other  bread.  For  this 
purpose,  ten  pounds  of  wheat  flour  and  ten 
pounds  of  potatoe  flour,  will  make  thirty- 
five  pounds  of  good  and  very  light  bread, 
which  may  be  kept  fresh  more  than  a fort- 
night. This  valuable  manner  of  using 
potatoes  has,  it  seems,  lately  been  com- 
municated to  the  French  Lyceum  of  Arts, 
by  M.  Picket,  professor  at  Geneva;  where 
he  had  several  times  tried  the  experiment, 
and  always  with  uniform  success. 

Blailiic’s  Patent  Substitute  for  Cum , in  thick- 
ening Colours  for  Calico  Printers , &;e. 

THIS  useful  article  is  thus  described  by 
Mr.  Francis  Blaikie  of  Glasgow,  the  paten- 
tee, in  his  specification — The  gum  substi- 
tute, to  thicken  colours  for  linen  and  ca- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


lico  printing,  and  making  up  or  furnishing 
printers  colour  tubs,  and  which  may  also 
be  applied  to  several  other  uses,  is  pre- 
pared by  boiling  any  quantity  of  flax  seed 
in  a sufficient  quantity  of  water,  till  the 
whole  substance  be  extracted;  and,  hav- 
ing strained  it  through  a linen  or  woollen 
cloth,  again  boiling  down  the  liquor  to 
the  consistence  of  a jelly.  T his  is  to  be 
kept  in  a close  vessel;  and,  for  preserva- 
tion, to  have  a little  strong  spirits  put  in, 
or  some  sweet  oil  poured  on  the  top.  It 
might,  however,  be  preserved  with  bitters. 
The  printer,  in  using  this  substitute,  may 
either  put  a certain  quantity  into  a gallon 
of  colour,  according  to  the  nature  of  it, 
and  the  particular  kind  of  work  to  be  done, 
and  regulate  himself  by  trial,  as  is  common 
in  using  gum,  or  reduce  the  substitute 
by  boiling  it  in  water  to  the  consistence 
wanted. 

Delicious  Apricot  Jam . 

PARE,  and  cut  ill  halves,  ripe  but  not 
over  ripe  apricots;  then,  taking  out  and 
cracking  the  stones,  blanch  and  well  bruise 
the  kernels.  Boil  together  the  parings, 
crushed  stones,  and  skins,  in  double  the 
small  proportion  of  water  which  may  be 
required  for  boiling  the  quantity  of  fruit, 
as  it  will  be  necessary  to  reduce  it  about 
one  half  in  boiling.  This  being  done,  to 
a pound  of  apricots,  put  a gill  of  the  strain- 
ed liquor  thus  obtained,  with  a pound  of 
sifted  loaf  sugar  and  the  pounded  kernels. 
Set  it  over  a brisk  fire,  and  stir  the  mix- 
ture well  together  till  the  fruit  be  thorough- 
ly mashed,  and  the  whole  of  a good  consis- 
tence, but  by  no  means  very  stiff.  After 
pouring  it  off,  and  letting  it  stand  covered 
till  quite  cold,  put  it  up  in  the  pot  or  pan, 
sift  a little  sugar  over,  and  place  a piece 


211 

of  writing  paper  dipped  in  brandy  on  the 
top.  Then  close  it  up,  and  keep  it  for 
use.  This  is  a most  delicious  article;  and, 
full  as  salutary  and  nourishing  as  it  is 
agreeable.  In  exactly  the  same  manner, 
may  be  made  peach  jam,  nectarine  jam, 
green  gage  jam,  &c.  all  of  them  admirably 
delicate  and  wholesome. 

Apple  Jelly. 

Pare,  quarter,  and  core,  any  quantity 
of  the  finest  baking  or  boiling  apples;  and, 
covering  them  well  with  water,  let  them 
boil  till  they  compleatly  mash.  When  the 
whole  is  of  a good  consistence,  but  not  too 
thick,  pour  it  into  a sieve,  and  set  it  to 
drain  over  a pan.  In  the  mean  time,  get 
ready,  in  another  pan,  a good  syrup  : 
made  by  boiling  the  rinds,  sound  cores, 
&c.  in  water  ; then  straining  it,  and 
boiling  up  the  usual  quantity  of  sugar  for 
making  it  sufficiently  rich.  Of  this  syrup, 
take  as  much  in  quantity  as  the  apple 
juice  which  comes  through  the  sieve;  and, 
boiling  it  up  to  a considerable  degree  of 
height,  but  not  nearly,  carimel,  add  the  jelly, 
and  let  them  boil  together  about  eight  or 
ten  minutes.  This  jelly  is  frequently 
poured  hot  over  richer  fruits,  kc.  to  assist 
in  preserving  them:  but,  when  there  is 
sugar  sifted  over,  and  brandy  paper,  it  can 
scarcely  ever  be  necessary.  Apple  jelly, 
which  should  itself,  like  all  other  fruit 
jellies,  be  kept  covered  in  the  same  man- 
ner, is  a very  useful  and  most  wholesome 
article  in  all  families* 

Green  or  Bed  Gooseberry  Jelly * 

The  preparation  of  gooseberry  jelly  is 
somewhat  similar  to  that  of  apples,  it  be- 
ing thus  made — Boil  a quart  of  picked 
gooseberries,  either  red  or  green,  but  Jiot 


■t  12 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.* 


over  ripe,  in  as  much  water,  till  they  mash  ; 
into  a tolerable  consistence:  then  drain  all 
the  juice  from  them,  through  a sieve  or  ! 
flannel  jelly  bag;  and,  having  boiled  up  | 
as  much  common  syrup  as  there  is  of  ' 
gooseberry  juice,  to  a height  similar  to  that  ! 
above  directed  for  the  apple  jelly,  boil 
them  together  for  about  ten  minutes,  skim- 
ming the  mixture  all  the  time,  when  a fine 
jell  v will  be  formed,  which  may  be  kept  or 
used  at  pleasure. 

Red,  While,  and  Black,  Currant  Jellies. 

These  respectively  most  useful  family 
jellies  are  all  made  precisely  after  the  same 
manner;  only  that  some  put  a somewhat 
larger,  and  others  a somewhat  less,  pro- 
portion of  sugar,  to  the  red  and  the  white 
than  to  the  black  currants.  The  distinc- 
tion, however,  is  of  no  real  consequence. 
Each  may  be  made  in  the  following  man- 
ner— Pick  from  their  stalks  any  quantity 
of  either  red,  white,  or  black  currants,  and 
put  them  into  a preserving  pan,  or  sauce- 
pan, over  a good  fire;  and,  when  they  are 
mashed  compleatly,  without  boiling,  run 
their  liquor  through  a flannel  bag.  To  a 
pint  of  juice,  add  nearly  a pound  of  sifted 
loaf  sugar;  and,  letting  it  boil  quick,  skim  it 
clean, and  reduce  it  to  a proper  stiffness.  This 
is  always  easily  ascertained,  by  putting  a 
small  quantity  in  a china  cup  or  saucer, 
and  setting  it  in  cold  water.  When  it  is 
thus  perceived  to  be  a fine  jelly,  put  it  up 
in  pots  or  glasses;  and,  having  let  it  stand 
at  least  twenty-four  hours,  to  get  entirely 
cold,  sift  over  it  a little  powdered  sugar, 
cover  the  top  with  a piece  of  writing  pa- 
per cut  to  the  exact  size  and  dipped  in 
brandy,  and  afterward  close  and  fill  it 
up  in  the  usual  way.  Many  persons,  in 
making  red  currant  jelly,  use  a third  part 


of  white  currants.  The  uses,  as  well  as  the 
pleasantness,  of  currant  jellies,  of  the  dif- 
ferent sorts,  medicinally  and  otherwise, 
are  sufficiently  known. 

Genuine  India  Curry  Powder. 

This  is  a rare  and  most  valuable  receipt : 
very  little  known,  even  in  India ; in  Europe, 
scarcely  at  all.  It’s  authenticity  may  be 
fully  relied  on,  as  it  comes  from  a friend 
of  the  highest  respectability  and  honour— 
Take  a quarter  of  a pound  each  of  fennel 
seed,  cummin  seed,  and  coriander  seed  ; 
with  two  ounces  each  of  carraway  seed, 
turmeric,  and  black  pepper.  Having  mixed 
together  these  ingredients,  dried  them  well 
before  the  fire,  and  ground  or  beaten  them 
in  a mortar  to  a fine  powder,  sift  it,  and 
preserve  it  dry  for  use.  Grated  ginger, 
Cayenne  pepper,  and  ground  turmeric, 
are  to  be  added,  in  proportions  suited  to 
the  palate,  when  the  currry  powder  is  used. 
This  is  the  genuine  mode,  as  practised  in 
India;  but,  certainly,  those  who  please 
may  at  first  introduce  the  ginger,  Cayenne 
pepper,  Sec.  so  as  to  make  the  powder  at 
once  compleat.  Curry  powder,  or  what 
is  pretended  to  be  so,  as  sold  in  England, 
always  contains  the  Cayenne  pepper;  in- 
deed, if  we  except  the  turmeric,  it  seems 
frequently  to  consist  of  very  little  else. 
This  genuine  India  curry  powder  will  be 
found  a most  admirable  article  in  prepar- 
ing many  of  the  various  oriental  dishes  with 
rice.  Sec. 

Curious  Turkish  Dish,  called  Quojf'tics. 

Chop  very  fine  some  slices  of  beef,  or 
beef  steaks,  with  a little  pai  sley  and  onion; 
add  grated  bread  crumbs,  beaten  pepper 
and  spice,  salt,  and  the  yolk  of  an  egg. 
Mix  them  together  with  a very  little  water. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  213 


so  as  to  make  them  into  balls  about  the 
size  of  an  egg.  Then  flour  them,  place 
them  regularly  in  a frying-pan,  and  fry 
-them  of  a good  colour  with  lard  or  drip- 
ping. 

Stewecl  Macearoni. 

This  favourite  dish  is  thus  prepared — 
Having  a sufficient  quantity  of  brown  stock, 
or  good  beef  gravy,  with  a relish  of  ham, 
boil  in  it  half  a pound  of  macearoni;  and, 
when  about  three  parts  done,  strain  it  off, 
and  add  a gill  of  new  milk  with  another 
of  cream,  a quarter  of  a pound  each  of 
grated  Parmasan  cheese  and  fresh  butter, 
and  Cayenne  pepper  and  salt  to  palate. 
Stir  the  whole  together  over  a good  fire  for 
a few  minutes,  slightly  cover  it  with  grated 
Parmasan,  smooth  the  surface  of  the  mac- 
caroni,  brown  the  top  with  a red  hot  iron, 
and  send  it  immediately  to  table. 

Admirable  Hasty  Pudding. 

There  are  few  better  articles,  either  for 
oeconomy  or  health,  than  this  neglected 
pld  English  country  food;  particularly, 
when  made  in  the  best  manner,  which  is 
thus  easily  and  cheaply  effected — Boil  four 
leaves  of  laurel  in  a quart  of  milk,  with  a 
very  little  butter  and  salt;  and,  beating  up, 
in  a tea-cupful  of  cold  milk,  the  yolks  of  a 
couple  of  eggs,  put  this  to  the  boiling  milk, 
and  stir  them  well  together.  Then,  taking 
out  the  laurel  leaves,  stir  in,  by  a spoonful 
at  a time,  sufficient  flour  to  render  it  of  a 
good  consistence,  but  not  by  any  means 
too  thick.  When  it  has  sufficiently  boiled, 
being  well  stirred  all  the  while,  both  to 
prevent  lumps  and  burning  at  the  bottom, 
pour  it  into  a dish,  and  stick  over  it  small 
bits  of  butter.  A common  hasty  pudding, 
which  is  also  very  good  and  wholesome. 


maybe  made  without  either  laurel,  butter, 
or  eggs,  and  even  with  water  added  to  the 
milk;  which  is  eaten  with  sugar,  and  a bit 
of  butter,  in  many  parts  of  the  country. 

French  Method  of  making  Garlic  Vinegar. 

This,  which  is  one  of  the  favourite  French 
vinegars,  is  thus  simply  made — Steep  an 
ounce  of  garlic  in  two  quarts  of  the  best 
white  wine  vinegar,  with  a nutmeg  soaked 
and  cut  in  bits,  and  about  a dozen  cloves. 

Fine  Tarragon  Vinegar. 

The  peculiar  and  agreeable  spicy  warmth 
which  this  slightly  bitter  herb,  the  Arteme- 
sia  dracunculus  of  the  Linnaean  system, 
communicates  to  vinegar,  makes  it  much 
used  for  that  purpose,  as  well  as  in  sallads, 
soups,  &c.  throughout  Europe.  In  Spain, 
and  the  South  of  France,  it  grows  naturally 
to  great  perfection;  and  it  flourishes  in  the 
soil  of  our  English  gardens,  where  it  flow- 
ers in  July,  and  produces  ripe  seeds  in 
autumn.  The  best  way  of  making  tarragon 
vinegar,  is  by  putting  a quantity  of  the 
fresh  leaves  loosely  into  a jar,  and  then  fill- 
ing it  up  with  vinegar  to  the  height  first 
occupied  by  the  leaves;  if,  for  example, 
the  jar  be  thus  apparently  filled,  there  will 
be  still  room  enough  for  the  proper  quan- 
tity of  vinegar,  After  it  has  thus  remained 
two  or  three  weeks,  chiefly  in  the  sun  or 
other  warm  situation,  it  may  be  strained 
off,  and  passed  through  a cotton  or  flan- 
nel jelly  bag;  and,  if  not  sufficiently  fine 
for  putting  up  in  bottles,  is  to  be  cleared 
in  the  usual  way,  either  by  means  of  isin- 
glass or  a little  alum  water.  It  is  com- 
monly kept  in  large  bottles;  which  should 
be  well  corked,  and  placed  in  a dry  situa- 
tion. As  tarragon  is  strongly  recom- 
mended to  be  eaten  with  lettuce,  this  vine** 

' 3 H 


214 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


gar  may  in  some  measure  supply  the  place 
of  the  herb;  as  a corrector  of  coldness,  it 
is  also  advisable  to  be  used  with  cucum- 
bers, Sec.  The  famous  Evelyn  says,  that 
tarragon  is  not  only  highly  cordial,  but 
friendly  to  the  head,  heart,  and  liver,  and 
a great  corrector  of  the  weakness  of  the 
ventricle. 

Vinegar  of  Roses. 

This  fmeand  beautiful  vinegar  is  made 
by  pouring  the  best  white  wine  vinegar 
into  a jar  or  bottle  loosely  filled  with  rose 
leaves,  and  letting  it  remain  and  be  treated 
exactly  after  the  same  manner  as  the  tar- 
ragon; putting,  howev  er,  into  each  bottle,  a 
lump  of  refined  sugar.  Precisely  in  this 
way,  are  also  to  be  made  vinegars  of  gilli- 
flowers,  elder  flowers,  Sec. 

Buckinghamshire  Method  of  Killing  and 
Curing  a Bacon  Hog. 

In  Buckinghamshire, where  the  flesh  of  the 
hog  affords  almost  the  only  animal  foodof  that 
numerous  class  of  people  who  are  employ- 
ed in  agricultural  affairs,  it  is  well  they  have 
in  general  such  excellent  bacon.  The  time 
of  killing  the  annual  hog,  which  the  small- 
est village  families,  above  actual  indigence, 
contrive  to  fatten  for  bacon,  is  soon  after 
Michaelmas.  Men,  called  hog  butchers, 
undertake  this  business,  which  they  per- 
form by  cutting,  with  a large  knife,  the 
throat  of  the  animal;  when  the  blood  is 
caught,  and  stirred  with  salt,  for  black 
puddings.  Some  straw  being  then  spread 
on  the  ground,  by  way  of  bed,  the  hog, 
when  quite  dead,  is  there  stretched  at  full 
length,  and  compleatly  covered  over  with 
a quantity  of  fresh  straw.  This  is  kindled 
into  a blaze,  usually  about  daylight  in  the 
morning,  and  forms  a sort  of  savage  spec- 


tacle ; the  fire  being  commonly  surrounded 
by  the  family  and  most  of  the  young 
neighbours,  all  interested  in  the  business 
of  the  scene,  as  well  as  attracted  by  the  bon- 
fire blaze.  Sufficient  straw  having  been  con- 
sumed to  sweal,  or  rather  singe,  as  it  is  there 
called,  the  upper  side  of  the  hog,  that  is 
compleatly  to  burn  the  hair  or  bristles, 
the  butcher  scrapes  off  all  the  burnt  parts 
with  his  knife,  wipes  the  browned  skin 
quite  clean  with  straw,  and  turns  the  hog 
on  the  other  side.  Then,  heaping  over 
more  straw,  that  side  also  is  singed  and 
scraped  in  the  same  manner.  In  the 
meantime,  a general  scuffle  often  takes 
place  among  the  young  visitors,  for  the 
hoofs,  which  are  wrung  off  when  sufficient- 
ly loosened  by  the  fire,  and  furnish  inter- 
nally a strong  and  barely  eatable  horny 
substance;  these,  with  sometimes  the  end 
of  the  tail,  are  devoured  as  savoury  mor- 
sels, worth  contending  for,  though  the 
whole  that  can  be  thus  eaten  would  not 
weigh  half  an  ounce.  After  this,  the  hog 
is  hung  up,  and  the  entrails  or  internal 
parts  are  all  taken  out;  and,  as  every  part 
of  this  useful  creature  is  eatable,  the  bowels 
orchitterlings  are  carefully  cleansed,  andthe 
small  ones  knotted  up,  like  a sort  of  thong, 
for  boiling.  The  carcase  being  thus  cleared 
and  cold,  and  the  hocks  severed,  the  hog 
is  placed  on  the  chopping  stool  with  it’s 
back  upward  ; and,  in  this  state,  the  head  is 
first  taken  off,  and  a chine  cut  out  the  full 
length  of  the  back.  The  hams  are  next 
separated ; after  them,  the  spareribs  and 
griskins  ; and,  lastly,  the  blade  bones  from 
the  two  flitches  or  sides,  with  as  much  lean 
meat  as  can  be  fairly  taken  away.  This 
may  be  denominated  the  compleat  cutting 
up  and  disposal  of  a bacon  hog.  The  va- 
rious internal  parts,  with  the  spareribs, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


215 


nnd  other  lean  meat  in  general,  as  well  j| 
as  the  black  puddings,  are  in  part  consumed  j| 
by  the  owner’s  family ; and  the  rest,  being 
visually  much  the  largest  part,  is  sold  to 
different  neighbours.  The  chines,  head, 
tongue,  and,  hocks,  are  well  salted;  all 
the  other  parts  of  what  is  termed  the  hog- 
meat,  are  eaten  fresh,  being  merely  sprink- 
led with  salt  on  hanging  them  up  for  im- 
mediate use.  The  grand  article,  that  of 
the  bacon,  one  or  both  flitches  of  which 
are  generally  kept  by  the  family,  now  oc- 
cupies their  chief  attention.  The  hams, 
too,  are  sometimes  kept  and  cured,  but 
they  are  oftener  disposed  of  green  by  small 
or  humble  families.  When  kept,  however, 
they  are,  with  the  bacon,  thus  cured — 
Having  finely  powdered  about  half  a pound 
of  saltpetre,  rub  well  over  both  hams  with 
equal  quantities  of  half  the  saltpetre,  lay- 
ing each  on  a dish  with  the  rind  or  back 
of  the  ham  downward;  and,  o\er  the  two 
flitches,  rub  an  equal  div  ision  of  the  remain- 
ing quarter  of  a pound  of  saltpetre,  paying 
particular  attention  to  the  parts  where  the 
hocks  are  cutoff,  and  leave  them  on  the  salt- 
ing form.  Next  morning,  heat  first  three 
or  four  pounds  of  salt,  with  about  a pound 
of  moist  sugar,  in  a frying-pan;  and,  when 
quite  hot,  rub  it  equally  over  both  hams*  l 
and  put  them,  with  their  rind  side  down- 
ward, in  the  salting  pan  or  tub,  without 
any  otlter  brine;  as  they  will  of  themselves 
make  a sufficient  quantity,  especially  if  two 
pounds  of  salt  be  used  for  each  ham.  Then, 
for  the  two  flitches,  heat  six  or  seven  pounds 
of  salt,  with  a pound  of  sugar,  in  like  man- 
ner as  for  the  hams,  and  rub  them  also 
equally  all  over,  wdiile  the  mixed  salt  and 
sugar  is  as  hot  as  it  can  possibly  be  borne 
by  the  hand.  This  being  thoroughly  done^ 
place  one  of  the  flitches  over  the  other,  and 


set  a pan  to  catch  the  brine  as  it  runs. 
Both  the  hams  and  bacon  should  remain 
at  least  a month  in  the  salt,  and  be  rubbed 
over  with  the  brine,  and  turned,  once  or 
oftener  every  week;  the  under  flitch  of  the 
bacon  being,  each  time,  placed  at  the  top. 
As  Buckinghamshire  is,  in  general, a woody 
country,  and  the  chimney  places  are  ex- 
tremely wide,  both  the  bacon  and  hams, 
when  enough  salted,  can  conveniently  be 
hung,  bv  strings  tied  tightly  round  the  hocks, 
sufficiently  near  a constant  wood  fire  to  be 
well  though  gradually  dried,  without  being 
what  may  be  denominated  poisoned  with 
smoke.  To  this  circumstance,  and  the 
solid  feed  of  the  animals,  commonly  fatten- 
ed with  peas,  as  well  as  often  bred  in  habits 
of  obtaining,  in  the  woods  and  on  the  com- 
mons, beech  mast,  acorns,  &c.  may  be  as- 
cribed much  of  the  distinguishing  sweet- 
ness and  solidity  of  Buckinghamshire  ba- 
con;  little  of  which,  however,  finds  it’s 
way7  to  the  London  market,  being  gladly 
consumed  at  home.  Even  where  the  chim- 
ney corners  are  not  wide  enough,  the  ba- 
con rack  alone,  which  is  seen  depending 
from  the  cieling  of  every  kitchen,  will  oftei^ 
suffice  to  dry  a flitch  or  two  of  bacon;  par- 
ticularly7, as  they  do  not  want  it  tainted  by 
smoke,  but  only  dried  by  the  salutary  heat 
of  their  pleasant  wood  fires. 

Ctibobj  an  Indian  Dish. 

In  the  East  Indian  word  cabob,  has  un- 
doubtedly7 originated  the  name  of  kebob- 
bed  mutton,  w7hich  we  have  already  de- 
scribed, and  which  seems  to  be  a refinement 
on  the  simple  Indian  cookery.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a genuine  receipt  for  preparing 
cabobs,  as  first  practised  in  the  East  In- 
dies— Cut  a loin  of  mutton  into  chops  or 
pieces  of  a tolerable  size,  season  them  well 


216 


FAMILY  KECEIPT-BOOK. 


with  salt  and  pepper,  spit  them  with  a large 
onion  between  every  two  pieces,  roast  them 
at  a clear  tire,  and  serve  them  up  hot  with 
. cutchcree. 

Cntchcrcc,  to  cat  with  Cabobs. 

Take  about  a pint  of  split  peas,  a large 
tea-cupful  of  rice,  an  onion,  a little  pow- 
dered ginger  and  pepper,  and  some  salt. 
Boil  together  the  peas  and  rice,  till  both 
are  tender,  but  not  too  soft;  stir  them  with 
a fork  til!  the  water  has  wasted  away,  put- 
ting a paper  over  the  saucepan  to  draw 
the  steam;  and,  stirring  in  turmeric  suf- 
ficient to  make  it  all  yellow,  serve  it  up 
in  a dish  garnished  with  hard  egg  and 
onions  boiled  whole. 

Genuine  Indian  Method  of  Cooking  a Curry. 

Cut  the  meat  or  fowl  as  for  a fricassee, 
fry  it  of  a light  brown,  and  stew  it  in  gravy. 
Put  in  a large  spoonful  or  two  of  curry 
powder,  according  to  the  quantity  of  meat; 
adding,  if  necessary,  grated  ginger,  tur- 
meric, and  Cayenne  pepper.  When  it  is 
sufficiently  well  stewed,  thicken  it  with 
butter  rolled  in  flour  and  some  good  cream. 
Add  a little  lemon  juice,  with  shallots  and 
garlic,  and  dish  it  up  garnished  with  slices 
of  lemon. 

Best  Manner  of  Boiling  Rice , to  eat  with  a 
Curry  or  any  Roast  Meat. 

PICK  the  rice  very  clean,  wash  it  with 
'hot  water,  and  strain  it  olf.  Having,  in 
the  mean  time,  a good  quantity  of  water 
over  the  fire,  when  the  rice  is  cold  and  the 
water  boils,  put  in  as  much  only  as  will  be 
compleatly  covered  by  the  water,  add  a 
little  salt,  stir  it  well  together,  and  let  it  boil 
very  quick.  On  it’s  swelling  to  a good 
size,  without  being  over  soft,  instantly  take 
it  up;  and,  straining  off  the  water,  re- 


i turn  the  rice  to  the  saucepan,  or  set  it  on 
a sieve  before  the  fire,  to  remain  till  it 

I separates  and  dries.  A rampart  of  this 
] rice  may  be  raised  round  the  dish  of  curry, 
as  is  practised  at  the  most  fashionable  tables, 
; and  a quantity  be  also  served  up,  in  a py- 
| ramidal  form,  on  a separate  dish.  A table- 

ii  spoonful  of  curry  powder  will,  in  general, 
be  found  to  make  three  or  four  of  rice  very 
strong  and  good.  As  rice  which  is  to  be 
eaten  with  curry  or  roast  meat  should  be 
firm,  well  separated, and  dry  ; some  skilful 
cooks,  after  having  drained  ir,  when  suffi- 
ciently boiled,  in  a large  hair  sieve,  put  it 

i into  a stewpan  with  paper  over  it,  as  well 
as  the  cover,  and  set  it  for  an  hour  or  more 
in  a moderate  oven.  This,  where  it  is 
quite  convenient,  cannot  be  amiss;  but 
no  means  necessary. 

Turkish  Dolmas. 

CUT  the  meat,  both  fat  and  lean,  from 
about  two  pounds  of  the  best  part  of  a loin 
of  mutton  ; and,  chopping  it  as  small  as 
for  forcemeat,  add  an  onion,  parsley,  salt, 
j spices,  and  a tea-cupful  of  rice.  Mix  the 
whole  well  together;  and,  scalding  some 
I cabbage  leaves  till  they  are  quite  flexible, 
| take  a little  of  the  mixed  meat,  not  more 
than  the  size  of  a large  walnut  at  a time, 
and  wrap  or  envelope  it  in  part  of  the  scald- 
ed cabbage  leaf,  so  as  to  form  it  all  into 
balls,  without  squeezing  them  hard.  Then, 
laying  the  bones  from  which  the  meat  is 
cut  at  the  bottom  of  -the  stewpan,  and 
the  dolmas  over  them,  pour  in  as  much 
boiling  water  as  will  cover  them;  and  keep 
shaking,  but  not  stirring  them,  over  a gentle 
fire,  till  they  are  done.  When  they  are 
ready  to  dish,  beat  up  the  yolk  of  an  egg, 
mix  it  with  the  liquor  and  lemon  juice,  and 
pour  the  whole  over  them.  Dolmas  are 


it  seems  by 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


217 


frequently  made  after  the  same  manner 
with  cucumbers  instead  of  cabbage;  in 
which  case,  the  cucumbers,  being  well  pared 
and  scraped,  have  a small  piece  cut  out,  to 
take  away  their  seeds,  &c.  when  they  are 
filled  with  the  prepared  meat,  and  have  the 
pieces  replaced  and  tied  on,  after  which 
they  are  treated  in  all  respects  the  same  as 
the  other  dolmas. 

Genuine  Receipt  for  preparing  the  Celebrated 
Eau  des  Carmes. 

This  excellent  balm  water  owes  it’s 
French  appellation  to  the  circumstance  of 
having  been  first  invented,  or  at  least  in- 
troduced into  France,  by  the  religious  order 
of  Carmelites  or  White  Friars.  It  is  consi- 
dered as  a grand  specific  in  apoplexy, 
lethargy,  weaknesses,  fainting  fits,  swoon- 
ings,  &c.  and  it’s  virtues,  in  these  respects, 
says  an  eminent  French  chemist,  have  been 
experienced  and  acknowledged  by  all  the 
world.  The  following  is  the  process  for  mak- 
ing it,  as  given  by  Monsieur  De  Beaume 
in  his  Elements  of  Pharmacy  ; who  ob- 
serves, that  all  the  aromatic  waters  should 
be  prepared  in  the  like  manner — Take  two 
pounds  of  fresh  gathered  balm  when  in 
flower,  and  cleared  from  the  stalks ; four 
ounces  of  lemon  peel  pared  immediately 
from  the  newest  fruit;  eight  ounces  of  cori- 
ander seeds;  two  ounces  each  of  pounded 
cloves, cinnamon,  and  nutmegs;  one  ounce 
of  dried  and  pounded  angelica  roots;  and 
ten  quarts  of  highly  rectified  spirit  of  wine. 
Having  steeped  these  several  ingredients 
four  or  five  days  in  the  spirit  of  wine,  draw 
off,  by  distillation,  in  the  heat  of  a water 
bath,  ten  quarts.  Cohobate,  or  rectify  the 
distilled  liquor,  by  a second  distillation  in  a 
water  bath,  drawing  off  somewhat  less  than 
nine  quarts.  In  this  rectification,  the  more 


volatile,  subtile,  and  aromatic  parts  of  the 
ingredients,  alone  arise;  leaving  behind  an 
acrid,  bitter,  white  liquor,  loaded  only  with 
the  grosser  oil,  and  deprived  of  all  the  speci- 
fic flavour  of  the  respective  articles.  When 
balm  water  is  thus  prepared,  it  has,  Mon- 
seur  De  Beaume  asserts,  something  in  it 
more  perfect  than  any  of  the  odoriferous 
spirits  which  are  extolled  for  their  supe- 
rior excellence,  having  the  general  though 
undeserved  reputation  of  being  the  best. 
The  common  spirits  of  this  kind,  when 
rubbed  on  the  hands,  &c.  leave,  after  the 
more  volatile  parts  are  evaporated,  a dis- 
agreeably empyreumatic  smell ; and,  on  be- 
ing diluted  with  water,  in  order  to  be  taken 
medicinally,  leave- a similar  nauseous  fla- 
vour in  the  mouth:  to  prevent  which,  this 
famous  chemist  found,  after  many  experi- 
ments, it  was  necessary  not  only  for  the 
spirit  to  be  at  first  perfectly  pure,  but  for 
the  liquor  to  be  also  rectified  after  having 
been  distilled  from  the  ingredients.  It 
seems  a curious  circumstance,  that  aroma- 
tic spirituous  waters  should  have,  in  gene- 
ral, less  odour,  when  newly  distilled,  than 
after  they  have  been  kept  about  six  months; 
and  he  strongly  suspects,  for  this  reason, 
that  the  preparations  of  that  sort  which 
have  been  most  famous,  had  been  thus  im- 
proved by  keeping. 

Curious  Method  of  giving,  in  a few  Hours,- all 
the  meliorating  Effects  of  Age  to  Cordial 
and  Aromatic  Spirituous  Waters,  $$c. 

In  consequence  of  the  foregoing  obser- 
vations made  by  Monsieur  I)e  Beaume, 
with  regard  to  the  power  of  age  on  distil- 
led cordial  and  aromatic  spirituous  waters, 
he  was  induced  to  pursue  such  experiments 
as  led  him  to  a compleat  knowledge,  that 
all  the  good  effects  of  age  might  in  a very 
3 I 


£!8 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


short  time  be  produced  by  means  of  cold. 
On  plunging,  therefore,  quart  bottles  of 
the  liquor  into  a mixture  of  pounded  ice. 
and  sea  salt,  he  found  that  the  spirit,  after 
being  placed  in  the  degree  of  cold  result- 
ing from  that  mixture  for  eight  hours  only, 
proved  as  grateful  as  similar  liquors  which 
had  been  kept  several  years.  Simple  wa- 
ters are  also  meliorated,  by  being  frozen, 
so  as  to  become  more  agreeable  than  be- 
fore ; but  always  in  a less  degree  than  those 
drawn  with  spirit,  and  exposed  to  a like 
temperature.  The  effect  of  frost,  in  me- 
liorating distilled  waters,  seems  to  have 
been  originally  noticed  by  the  celebrated  I 
Geoffroy,  though  then  little  regarded;  per- 
haps, even  at  present,  it’s  important  con- 
sequence is  but  imperfectly  appreciated. 

Rich  Chantilly  Basket. 

In  a dish  shaped  like  a basket,  stick 
around  small  ratafia  cakes,  or  drops,  with 
clarified  syrup  boiled  to  a carimel  height. 
Then  put  at  the  bottom  pieces  of  sponge  j 
biscuit,  blanched  almonds,  and  small  ma- 
caroons, with  apricot  jam,  or  other  sweet- 
meat; and,  over  these,  a good  covering  of 
tart  cream  or  thin  custard,  and  a whipped 
cream  froth  at  top,  with  a light  sprinkling 
of  rose  leaves  or  coloured  nonpareil  com- 
fits. By  cutting  ratafia  cakes  into  squares, 
and  dipping  them  in  carimel  to  make  them 
adhere,  sometimes  an  elevation  is  raised 
several  stories  high. 

Chantilly  Cake. 

The  Chantilly  cake,  which  was  the  ori- 
ginal, seems  to  have  given  way  to  the  Chan- 
tilly basket,  the  former  being  now  seldom 
geen  at  fashionable  tables.  It  is,  however, 
prepared  exactly  after  the  same  manner; 
only  that,  instead  of  being  formed  in  a 


| basket  dish,  a large  Savoy  cake  is  made 
and  scooped  ou,t  for  the  purpose;  in  which, 

| probably,  the  internal  parts  taken  out 
: were  formerly  placed  in  bits,  and  soaked 
I with  a little  wine,  as  the  sponge  biscuit, 
i &c.  are  at  present.  It  appears  likely,  that 
! the  Chantilly  cakes,  in  this  simple  way, 
j not  only  gave  rise  to  the  fashionable  Chan- 
tilly baskets;  but,  also,  to  that  still  more 
celebrated  dish,  if  it  may  lie  so  denomi- 
nated, the  trifle,  the  analogy  with  which 
is  too  striking  to  escape  observation. 

Cheap  and  Excellent  Blue  Colour  for 
Cielings,  8$c. 

Boil,  slowly,  for  three  hours,  a pound 
of  blue  vitriol,  and  half  a pound  of  the 
best  whiting,  in  about  three  quarts  of 
water;  stir  it  frequently  while  boiling,  and 
also  on  taking  it  off  the  fire.  When  it  has. 
stood  till  quite  cold,  pour  off  the  blue 
liquor;  then  mix  the  cake  of  colour  with 
good  size,  and  use  it  with  a plaisterer’s 
brush  in  the  same  manner  as  white-wash, 
either  for  walls  or  debugs. 

Composition  for  Cleaning  Marble  Hearths, 
Chimney  Pieces , Alabaster , &;c. 

Mix  finely  pulverized  pumice  stone 
with  verjuice,  somewhat  more  than  suf- 
ficient to  cover  it;  and,  after  it  has  stood 
an  hour  or  more,  dip  a sponge  in  the  com- 
position, rub  it  well  over  the  marble  or 
alabaster  which  requires  cleaning,  wash  it 
off'  with  warm  water,  and  dry  it  with  clean, 
linen  or  cotton  cloths. 

Rice  Jelly. 

This  is  one  of  the  best  and  most  nourish- 
, ing  preparations  of  rice,  particularly  for 
valetudinarians.  It  is  thus  made — Boil 
a quarter  of  a pound  of  rice  flour,  with 
half  a pound  of  loaf  sugar,  in  a quart  of 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  219 


water,  till  the  whole  becomes  one  uniform 
gelatinous  mass;  then  strain  off  the  jelly, 
and  let  it  stand  to  cool.  If,  cf  this  light, 
nutritions,  and  salubrious  food,  a little  be 
frequently  eaten,  it  will  be  found  very  be- 
neficial to  all  weakly  and  infirm  constitu- 
tions. 

Oriental  Did),  called  a Birdwan  Stew. 

The  following  is  a genuine  and  original 
receipt  for  making  a birdwan  stew,  as  prac- 
tised in  the  East  Indies,  &c. — Let  a fowl 
be  first  half  boiled  in  a little  w^atcr : then, 
cutting  it  up,  put  it  to  a pint  of  the  water 
in  which  it  was  boiled,  with  two  dozen  an- 
chovies, a glass  of  white  wine,  a little  but- 
ter and  flour,  boiled  onions,  pickled  oys- 
ters, and  Cayenne  pepper,  and  stew  it  over 
a gentle  heat.  This,  in  India,  is  common- 
ly done  over  what  they  call  a lamp  table. 

Sea  Kale. 

TlIE  best  sea  kale,  is  that  which  grows 
wild  in  the  coarse  sand  on  the  sea  coast; 
and  which,  in  some  parts  of  the  country, 
the  labouring  poor  assist  to  bleach,  by  hoe- 
ing up  the  sand  round  the  plants,  and  cut- 
ting them,  when  thus  improved,  for  sale. 
The  sea  kale  is  tied  up  in  bundles  like 
asparagus,  and  commonly  dressed  in  the 
same  manner  ; being  served  up  placed  on  a 
toast  at  the  bottom  of  the  dish,  with  a little 
melted  butter  or  rich  gravy  poured  over. 
Sea  kale  being  a fashionable  vegetable,  has 
become  an  object  of  inland  horticulture, 
though  it  seems  to  require  both  sea  air  and 
sea  soil. 

Potarga,  or  Buttarga. 

POTARGA,  or  potargo,  as  it  is  commonly 
called  in  England,  is  the  buttarga  of  the 
Italians,  Greeks,  Armenians,  and  other  in- 


habitants of  the  coasts  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean, Archipelago,  &c.  being  nothing 
more  than  the  hard  roes  of  fish  slightly 
salted,  and  dried  hard;  in  which  state, 
they  will  keep  for  years.  Buttarga  is, 
among  the  Italians,  a favourite  compana- 
tico,  as  they  term  all  food  eaten  only  with 
bread,  for  which  we  have  no  correspondent 
expression;  and  furnishes  them,  particular- 
ly during  Lent,  with  a maigre  substitute 
for  dried  beef,  sausage,  tongue,  and  ham, 
but  is  sold  at  a much  higher  price  than 
either  of  these  articles.  The  principal  fish- 
ery by  which  these  roes  are  supplied,  is 
that  of  the  grey  mullet ; which,  though  not 
otherwise  by  any  means  a bad  fish,  is  most- 
ly valued  for  the  buttarga  that  it  produces. 
There  can  be  no  sort  of  doubt,  that  the 
British  fisheries  might  make  this  article  a 
source  of  considerable  profit.  Vast  quan- 
tities of  fish  opened  at  sea,  have  the  roes 
thrown  away  as  useless;  which,  if  imme- 
diately salted  and  dried  hard,  would  not 
only  amply  recompence  the  labour,  by 
affording  them  a delicacy  of  which  few, 
perhaps,  have  any  adequate  idea,  but  also 
furnish  an  agreeable  present  for  friends 
where  the  quantity  might  be  small,  or  find 
a ready  sale  at  home  the  moment  it’s  ex- 
cellence became  generally  known.  Though 
we  cannot  boast  a sturgeon  fishery,  which 
enables  Russia  to  supply  Europe  with 
caviar;  we  have,  among  others,  the  cod,, 
which  would  alone  produce  an  almost 
inexhaustible  store  of  a very  respectable 
substitute  either  for  caviar  or  buttarga. 
Indeed,  the  hard  roes  of  nearly  all  sea  fish 
not  of  so  large  a grain  as  those  of  the  sal- 
mon, may  be  converted  into  buttarga  by 
the  same  simple  process;  which  we  shall, 
therefore,  more  particularly  describe — The 
fresh  roes  being  instantly  sprinkled  with  salt, 


220 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


arc  carefully  hung  up  to  dry,  with  all  pos- 
sible precaution  against  breaking  the  skins 
or  membranes  in  which  they  are  inclosed; 
as  that  accident,  however,  sometimes  im-  ! 
avoidably  occurs,  the  roe  must,  on  the 
skin’s  bursting,  be  entirely  freed  from  all 
the  skin  and  strings,  by  means  of  a wooden 
fork,  without  breaking  the  pea  or  grains 
of  spawn,  and  put  into  skins  or  bladders,  ; 
a little  salted,  flattened  in  form,  and  thus  I 
hungup  to  dry.  So  curious  are  the  Greeks, 
as  well  as  the  Italians,  in  preparing  their 
best  buttarga,  that  they  often  cut  out  a 
piece  of  the  fish’s  belly,  in  a long  triangular 
shape,  from  that  thin  part  to  which  the 
double  roe  naturally  adheres;  when  this 
piece  of  the  fish,  with  the  scales  on,  and 
the  point  of  the  angle  upward,  being  folded 
over,  sticks  to  that  end  of  the  roe,  as  a sort 
of  stay  or  cap.  Where  this  is  not  done,  they 
frequently  dip  the  roes  in  melted  virgin 
wax,  two  or  three  inches  deep  from  their  ! 
pointed  top;  which  equally  well  preserves 
them,  when  dried,  for  exportation  to  dis- 
tant countries.  The  buttarga  is  usually  j 
cut  in  thin  slices,  and  eaten  with  oil  and 
lemon  juice;  or  it  may  be  grated,  and 
eaten  on  slices  of  bread  and  butter. 

Curious  but  simple  Mode  of  Bleaching  and 
Preparing  fine  Drijing  Oils,  for  Artists,  &;c. 

These  important  objects  are  acomplish- 
ed  by  the  following  very  simple  process — • 
Take  any  oil  intended  for  making  up  fine 
colours;  and,  having  supersaturated  with 
common  salt  about  the  same  quantity  of 
water,  mix  the  whole  well  together,  in  a 
glass  or  stone  bottle.  Place  it  in  the  sun, 
shaking  it  frequently;  and,  in  a few  days, 
it  will  become  a delicate  white  and  excel- 
lent drying  oil.  The  Russians  use  also 
quick  lime,  or  charcoal  dust  of  Lobwiz. 


Lemon  Cream. 

Put  a quart  of  cream,  with  the  yellow 
rind  of  a lemon,  in  a saucepan,  over  a mo- 
derate fire,  and  keep  it  well  stirred  till  it 
gets  new  milk  warm.  Then,  having  well 
sweetened  the  pulp  and  juice  of  three  le- 
mons, so  as  to  overpower  their  acid  and 
prevent  it’s  turning  the  cream,  add  half  a 
gill  of  orange-flower  water,  and  six  whites 
with  two  yolks  of  beaten  eggs : put  them  to 
the  warm  cream ; and  stir  the  whole  as  much 
as  possible,  till  it  begins  to  thicken;  when, 
taking  it  instantly  off  the  fire,  strain  it  in- 
to a dish  or  glasses,  and  let  it  stand  to  be 
served  up  cold. 

Oil  of  Venus , a celebrated  French  Liqueur. 

INFUSE,  for  a month,  in  nine  quarts  of  - 
the  finest  brandy,  three  ounces  each  of 
skirret  seeds,  and  carraway  seeds,  four 
ounces  of  daucus  creticus  seeds,  four  drams 
of  mace,  and  an  ounce  of  cinnamon,  all 
finely  pulverized.  Distil  the  whole  in  a 
water  bath;  and,  having  drawn  off  six 
quarts,  return  it  into  the  alembic,  and 
cohobate.  On  obtaining,  by  this  second 
distillation,  about  five  quarts  of  spirit,  suf- 
fer the  fire  to  go  out,  and  then  compose  a 
syrup  in  the  following  manner — Pour  a 
strong  decoction  of  saffron  in  water,  boiled 
to  the  thickness  of  oil,  and  as  hot  as  pos- 
sible, on  seven  or  eight  pounds  of  sugar. 
When  it  is  quite  melted,  and  become  cold, 
pour  the  spirit  on  the  syrup.  This  mix- 
ture, being  too  thick  for  Alteration  with 
blotting  paper,  must  be  run  through  a cot- 
ton bag.  When  properly  made,  it  is  a 
most  charming  cordial;  such  as,  indeed, 
the  distinguished  name  might  lead  us  to 
expect  from  a people  so  very  gallant — our 
readers  may  pronounce  this  word  which 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


22J 


way  they  please — as  the  French  are  ever 
ambitious  of  being  esteemed. 

White  Onion  Soup. 

Boil,  or  rather  stew,  over  a gentle  fire, 
in  two  quarts  of  strong  broth,  four  or  five 
large  onions,  peeled  and  chopped  small. 
Then  slice  a French  roll,  and  putting  about 
half  of  it  in  the  broth,  and  the  rest  at  the 
bottom  of  the  soup  dish,  beat  up  the  yolks 
of  four  eggs  with  half  a pint  of  cream,  and 
stir  them  well  in  to  prevent  the  soup  from 
curdling.  When  the  eggs  are  well  incor- 
porated, and  sufficiently  done,  pour  the 
whole  over  the  slices  of  French  roll  in  the 
soup  dish,  and  serve  it  up  garnished  with 
small  boiled  onions.  This  is  a very  agree- 
able and  salutary  soup;  particularly  ex- 
cellent for  all  valetudinarians  afflicted  with 
the  stone  or  gravel,  gout,  rheumatism,  or 
asthma. 

Art  of  making  an  elegant  Hen's  Nest. 

Pour  over  an  ounce  of  finely  shred  isin- 
glass, boiling  water  barely  enough  to  cover 
it;  and,  in  five  minutes,  pouring  off  the 
water,  boil  the  isinglass  in  a gill  each  of 
cream  and  new  milk,  with  a couple  of 
spoonfuls  of  rose  water  and  as  much  sifted 
sugar.  Strain  it  through  a sieve,  and  keep 
stirring  it  till  it  stiffens.  When  it  gets 
nearly  cold,  take  off  the  top,  and  leave  the 
sediment,  which  will  fill  seven  or  eight  egg- 
shells. In  the  mean  time,  having  blown 
out  the  contents  of  so  many  eggs,  by  the 
smallest  holes  possible,  and  washed  the 
shells  perfectly  clean,  fill  them  up  with 
this  blamange,  and  set  them  first  in  salt 
to  stiffen,  and  afterward  in  cold  water,  till 
they  are  hard  enough  to  peel.  Then  lay  them 
in  a bason,  with  a quantity  of  lemon  peel 
cut  so  as  to  resemble  straw;  pour  next 


day  some  clear  jelly  almost  cold  over  the 
blamange  eggs;  and,  on  the  jelly’s  becom- 
ing quite  stiff,  turn  the  whole  out  into  a 
dish,  and  serve  up  the  hen’s  nest  compleat. 

Capital  Method  of  Dressing  a Calf’s  Head 
like  a Turtle. 

Get  a calf’s  head  with  the  skin  on,  from 
which  the  hair  must  be  scalded  off  like  that 
of  the  feet;  and,  after  cleansing  it,  and  let- 
ting it  soak  for  some  time  in  cold  water, 
boil  it  in  a cloth  till  quite  tender.  Then, 
either  take  a gallon  of  good  veal  stock; 
or,  make  a strong  broth  with  the  liquor  in 
which  the  head  was  boiled  and  some  veal, 
a fowl,  crust  of  bread,  onions,  sweet  herbs, 
seasoning,  and  a little  mace,  all  well  boiled 
and  strained.  Cut  the  head  up  into  pieces 
about  two  inches  square;  and,  having  boil- 
ed some  veal  cut  into  large  dice  forms, 
well  seasoned,  till  nearly  done,  in  stock 
or  the  scalp  liquor,  put  the  pieces  of  head 
and  of  the  veal  in  a large  stewpan,  with 
three  pints  of  the  broth,  a pint  of  Madeira 
or  white  wine,  and  a couple  of  anchovies. 
This  being  boiled  up,  scummed  clean,  and 
taken  off  the  fire,  make  a rich  forcemeat, 
roll  it  up  in  balls,  boil  them  in  water  about 
a minute,  and  put  them  in  the  stewpan  to 
the  meat.  Then  make  the  yolks  of  six 
boiled  eggs  and  two  raw  ones,  into  turtle 
egg  balls,  with  a little  mint,  sweet  herbs, 
Cayenne  pepper,  and  a tea-spoonful  of 
Hour;  give  them,  also,  a boil  up  in  water, 
and  add  them  to  the  rest.  In  the  mean 
time,  for  imitating  the  entrails  of  a turtle, 
get  some  calf’s  chitterlings  boiled  tender, 
cut  them  in  pieces  two  inches  long,  and 
put  them  to  the  meat.  Then  take  part 
of  a calf’s  liver,  cut  it  in  pieces,  fry  it  slow- 
ly with  butter,  and  put  it  into  the  stewpan; 
together  with  the  brains  fried  separately, 
3 K 


522 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


after  being  coloured  green  with  spinach  j 
juice.  Lastly,  squeeze  in  a Seville  orange 
and  three  lemons;  and,  adding  half  a i 
pound  of  fresh  butter,  with  some  mint, 
thyme,  parsley,  green  onions,  lemon  or 
orange  peel,  he.  let  it  simmer  a quar- 
ter of  an  hour,  season  it  to  palate,  scum 
the  whole  carefully,  and  serve  it  up  in  a 
soup  dish,  garnished  with  fried  forcemeat 
balls,  sippets,  and  slices  of  lemon.  If 
the  head  be  not  large,  some  pieces  of  a 
calf’s  feet  may  be  boiled  very  tender,  and 
put  to  the  rest,  in  order  to  render  it  more 
richly  gelatinous.  The  fried  forcemeat  balls 
may  be  made  excellent  with  the  sweetbread 
of  the  veal  or  some  lamb  minced  with  twice 
as  much  suet  or  beef  marrow,  some  crumbs 
of  bread,  two  eggs,  a little  mace,  lemon 
peel,  and  a boiled  onion,  all  beaten  toge- 
ther for  some  time  with  salt  and  pepper; 
and  then  having  the  hard  yolks  of  three 
eggs  cut  small  mixed  up  with  it,  and  made 
into  balls  for  frying.  This  will  be  found  a 
charming  substitute  for  a real  turtle. 

Boiled  Mackarel. 

The  best  w7ay  of  boiling  mackarel,  as 
well  as  most  other  fish,  is  by  simply  put- 
ting them  into  cold  water,  with  a little  salt 
and  a bunch  of  suitable  herbs,  and  letting 
them  rather  simmer  than  boil  till  they  are 
enough;  which,  in  mackarel,  may  be  known 
by  their  beginning  to  split  at  the  tail. 
For  mackarel,  faggots  of  fennel  and  par- 
sley are  alone  sufficient;  but  there  should 
be  a considerable  quantity  of  each  of  these 
herbs,  as  they  are  to  be  chopped  when 
boiled,  and  mixed  plentifully  with  melted 
butter  for  sauce.  It  may,  however,  be 
thinner  of  the  herbs,  when  gooseberry 
sauce  is  also  served  up  in  a separate  ba- 
son, boat,  or  sauce  tureen. 


Soused  Mackarel. 

After  boiling  mackarel  as  above  direct— 
ed,  take  them  out  of  the  liquor,  and  boil- 
in  it  a few  pepper-corns,  with  some  bay 
leaves,  salt,  and  vinegar.  When  the  fish 
are  cold,  pour  over  enough  of  this  sous- 
ing liquid  compleatly  to  cover  them;  and 
they  will  not  only  be  very  good,,  but  con- 
tinue so  a considerable  time. 

Broiled  Mackarel. 

AFTER  cleaning  and  wiping  dry  the 
mackarel,  split  them  down  the  back,  flour 
them  well,  sprinkle  them  with  pepper  and 
salt,  and  broil  them  gently  over  a clear 
fire.  The  sauce  may  be  plain  butter,  with 
soy  or  ketchup.  Some,  after  the  season- 
ing, lay  in  each  a sprig  of  fennel;  and', 
when  done,  take  it  out,  and  make  a mix- 
ture of  chopped  parsley,  green  onions,  and 
fennel,  with  pepper,  salt,  and  lemon  juice, 
to  supply  it’s  place.  Others,  cutting  off 
the  heads,  take  out  the  roe  at  the  neck  end 
and  boil  it  in  a little  water;  then,  bruis- 
ing it  with  a spoon,  they  beat  up  the 
yolk  of  an  egg,  with  a little  nutmeg,  shred 
lemon  peel,  thyme,  and  boiled  parsley 
chopped  fine,  salt,  pepper,  and  a few  bread 
crumbs,  which  they  mix  well  together, 
fill  with  it  the  mackarel,  flour  them,  and 
broil  them  unsplit.  This  is  called  broiling 
mackarel  whole;  and  the  sauce  is  plain 
butter,  with  soy,  &c. 

Collared  Mackarel. 

Bone  the  mackarel,  take  away  the  roes, 
and  rub  over  the  inside  witii  a mixture  of 
allspice,  a blade  of  mace,  a clove  or  two, 
some  salt  and  pepper,  all  finely  pounded ; 
and  some  nicely  chopped  parsley,  thyme, 
sage,  marjoram,  and  savory.  After  roll- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


jng  them  dp,  and  tightly  binding  them 
with  tape,  bod  them  in  salt  and  water  till 
enough  done;  then,  taking  out  the  collars, 
put  into  the  liquor  at  least  an  equal  quan- 
tity of  vinegar,  boil  it  up,  pour  it  over  the 
cold  collars,  and  keep  them  well  covered 
in  the  pickle.  It  may  be  eaten  in  slices, 
like  collared  eels,  &c. 

Baked  Mackarel. 

Lay  the  mackarel  in  a proper  baking 
pan;  season  them  well  with  salt,  pepper, 
and  spice;  add  a few  bay  leaves,  and  a 
little  butter;  tie  strong  paper  over  the 
pan;  and  let  them  be  baked  in  a soaking 
oven.  They  may  be  eaten  with  plain  but- 
ter, and  soy  or  ketchup. 

Potted  Mackarel. 

In  order  to  pot  mackarel,  prepare  them 
by  baking,  as  directed  in  the  preceding  ar- 
ticle; and,  when  cold,  bone  them,  place 
them  in  a potting  pot,  and  cover  them  with 
clarified  butter. 

Caveach,  or  Pickled  Mackarel. 

Cut  every  mackarel  into  five  or  six 
round  pieces,  without  splitting  the  fish; 
and,  having  finely  pounded  and  well  mixed 
together  some  long  pepper,  a good  deal 
of  nutmeg,  a little  mace,  and  some  salt, 
make  two  or  three  small  holes  in  each 
piece  of  fish,  fill  it  with  the  seasoning,  rub 
the  whole  well  over  with  the  same,  and 
fry  them  of  a good  brown  colour  in  fine 
oil.  When  they  have  stood  till  they  are 
become  cold,  put  them  in  a stone  jar,  with 
vinegar  to  cover  them,  and  pour  over  the 
top  a compleat  surface  of  oil'.  In  this  state, 
they  are  very  delicious;  and,  if  kept  well 
covered,  will  continue  so  a long.  time.  As 
mackarel  are,  even  in  London,  sometimes 


£23 

extremely  plentiful  and  cheap,  it  has  been 
thought  proper  to  give  a variety  of  modes 
for  dressing  this  excellent  fish,  and  thus 
render  it  more  extensively  useful;  parti- 
cularly, as  it  so  soon  spoils,  if  not  eaten  or 
preserved  immediately  on  it’s  first  arrival. 
By  the  change,  too,  in  the  modes  of  dress- 
ing, when  judiciously  varied,  it  may  be  pre- 
vented from  ever  cloying  by  sameness 
during  the  few  months  it  remains  in  sea- 
son. This  is  an  object  of  no  slight  impor- 
tance. 

Gooseberry  Sauce , for  Mackarel. 

The  best  method  of  making  gooseberry 
sauce,  is  by  simply  boiling  the  gooseber- 
ries tied  up  in  a piece  of  muslin;  and, 
W'hen  quite  tender,  mashing  them  in  a 
bason  with  a little  butter  and  a large  pro- 
portion of  sugar.  Many  persons  are  so 
fond  of  this  sauce,  that  they  can  scarcely 
ever  relish  boiled  mackarel  without  it. 

Delicate  Muffin  Pudding. 

BOIL,  in  a pint  of  milk,  a bit  of  lemon, 
peel,  and  a leaf  of  laurel  or  a little  cinna- 
mon, with  sugar  also  to  palate,  about  eights 
or  ten  minutes.  Having  put  three  of  the 
best  muffins  in  a large  bason,  strain  over 
them  the  hot  milk ; and,  when  quite  cold, 
mash  them  well  with  a wooden  spoon. 
Then  pounding  about  an  ounce  of  blanch- 
ed almonds,  mix  them  well  in  with  about 
a quarter  of  a pound  of  any  dry  preserved 
fruit,  such  as  apricots,  cherries,  or  plums, 
a little  grated  nutmeg,  three  beaten  eggs; 
and  a couple  of  table-spoonfuls  each  of 
brandy  and  orange-flower  water;  and 
bake  it  with  puff  paste  round  the  dish,  or 
boil  it  tied  up  in  a bason.  In  either  way, 
it  will  prove  delicious.  It  may  be  made 
plainer,  and  very  good,  by  obvious  ©mis- 


224 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


sions,  and  substituting  nicely  picked  cur- 
rants for  dry  sweetmeats.  Muffins,  indeed, 
make  a very  agreeable  and  delicate  pud- 
ding, without  any  fruit  at  all. 

Admirable  Essence  of  Anchovy. 

PtTT  as  much  water  into  a stewpan,  on 
half  a pound  of  the  finest  anchovies,  as  will 
make,  with  their  liquor,  the  quantity  of 
nearly  three  pints;  with  a little  scraped 
horse-radish,  a small  sprig  of  thyme,  three 
or  four  chopped  shallots,  a blade  of  mace, 
about  a dozen  pepper-corns,  a few  bits  of 
lemon  peel,  a gill  of  good  beer  with  a lit- 
tle sugar,  or  half  a gill  of  red  port,  and  half 
a gill  of  either  the  best  ketchup  or  soy. 
After  the  whole  has  boiled  together  for 
at  least  a quarter  of  an  hour,  rub  it  with 
a wooden  spoon  through  a fine  sieve;  and, 
when  quite  cold,  put  the  essence  up  in 
bottles,  and  keep  it  closely  corked  for 
use.  This  excellent  essence  will  remain 
good  for  a long  time. 

Genuine  Bristol  Cakes. 

The  following,  we  are  assured,  is  the 
true  method  of  making  the  celebrated  Bris- 
tol cakes — Mix  half  a pound  of  the  finest 
sifted  wheat  flour  with  a quarter  of  a pound 
each  of  pounded  and  sifted  loaf  sugar  and 
fresh  butter,  and  four  yolks  with  two  whites 
of  eggs.  Having  w'ell  united  the  whole 
together  in  a bowl  or  pan — which  is  usually 
done,  at  Bristol,  with  the  hand  only — add 
half  a pound  of  nicely  picked  currants,  and 
stir  them  well  also  into  the  mixture.  Hav- 
ing, in  the  mean  time,  rubbed  over  a large 
plate  of  tin  with  butter,  drop  on  it  the 
mixture  for  forming  each  cake,  from  a 
table-spoon,  and  set  it  in  a brisk  oven, 
taking  great  care  that  they  do  not  remain 
long  enough  to  burn. 


Green  Peas  Soup. 

THERE  are  many  methods  of  making 
soup  with  green  peas  ; but  most  of  them 
are  combinations  of  so  many  articles,  and 
have  so  little  of  the  pea  flavour,  that  they 
seem  scarcely  entitled  to  this  distinguish- 
ing name.  Those  who  approve  the  richer 
and  more  complex  modes,  may  stew  peas 
in  their  favourite  soup  of  any  kind,  and 
thus  readily  obtain  their  wish.  The  fol- 
lowing, however,  will  be  found  an  excel- 
lent, plain,  and  unexpensive,  family  me- 
thod— Having  shelled  half  a peck  of  fine 
green  peas,  boil  the  w-ell  washed  shells,  till 
very  soft,  in  three  quarts  of  water,  with  an 
onion,  some  pepper  and  allspice, abunch  of 
mint  and  other  herbs,  and  another  of  par- 
sley, and  strain  olf  the  liquor.  Then  boil 
the  peas  in  a quart  of  water,  with  a little 
sugar;  and,  heating  the  strained  liquor, 
add  that  also.  In  the  mean  time,  having 
chopped  all  the  parsley  and  green  herbs 
small,  and  fried  them  with  a quarter  of  a 
pound  of  butter  and  a little  flour  and  salt, 
add  them  to  the  soup,  with  another  quar- 
ter of  a pound  of  butter  rolled  in  flour; 
let  them  boil  three  quarters  of  an  hour, 
season  to  palate,  and  serve  it  up  in  a tureen, 
with  thin  slices  or  sippets  of  bread,  dried 
before  the  fire,  but  not  toasted  or  browmed, 
placed  on  a plate.  French  roll  is  still  better 
than  bread.  If  a fine  colour  be  desired, 
add  half  a pint  of  spinach  juice  just  before 
taking  up  the  soup;  but  it  must  not  be 
afterward  suffered  to  boil. 

Russian  Method  of  Painting  on  Lime  Walls , 
with  Oil  Colours. 

The  method  used  by  the  Russians,  in 
preparing  lime  or  plaistered  wralls  for  paint- 
ing with  water  colours,  is  as  follows — 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


225 


Paint,  or  brush  over,  the  wall  intended  for 
any  oil  colour,  with  the  white  of  eggs  mix- 
ed in  size,  both  of  a consistence  thin  enough 
to  sink  in;  and,  when  dry,  paint  the  whole 
over  with  a coat  of  pure  yolk  of  eggs  only. 
This  will  effectually  prevent  oil  colours 
from  being  injured  by  the  lime,  though  it 
is  not  proper  for  vegetable  watery  colours. 
Yolk  of  eggs,  thus  used,  will  be  found  far 
better,  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  oil 
colours,  than  glue  or  any  known  substance. 

Art  of  Manufacturing  the  fine  Red  and  Yel- 
low Morocco  Leather , as  practised  in  Crim 

Tartary, 

The  celebrated  Tour  of  Mrs.  Guthrie,  in 
Taurida,  or  the  Crimea,  commonly  called 
Crim  Tartary,  which  was  made  by  that 
lady  in  1795,  and  1796,  furnishes  the  par- 
ticulars of  this  interesting  article.  In  the 
city  of  Karasubazar,  Mrs.  Guthrie  informs 
us,  there  is  an  ancient  manufactory  of  Mo- 
rocco leather,  where  great  quantities  are 
prepared  with  the  skins  of  the  numerous 
flocks  of  Tauric  goats.  The  process  is 
thus  described — After  steeping  the  raw 
hides  in  cold  water  for  twenty-four  hours, 
to  free  them  from  the  blood  and  other  im- 
purities, the  fleshy  parts  are  scraped  off 
with  proper  instruments;  when  they  are 
macerated  for  ten  days  in  cold  lime  water, 
to  loosen  the  hair,  which  is  likewise  scrap- 
ed off  as  clean  as  possible.  Being  then 
soaked  in  cold  common  water,  for  fifteen 
days,  they  are  trod  or  worked  under  foot, 
in  a succession  of  fresh  waters;  till,  at 
length,  an  admixture  of  dog’s  dung  being 
added,  they  receive  a second  scraping,  and 
are  drained  of  their  humidity.  They  next 
proceed  to  what  they  denominate  feeding 
the  skins,  by  steeping  them  four  days  in  a 
cold  infusion  of  wheat  bran ; and  then  in  a 


decoction  of  twenty-eight  pounds  of  honey 
to  five  pails  of  water,  cooled  to  the  tem- 
perature of  milk  from  the  cow.  After  re- 
maining thus  steeped  the  same  period,  they 
are  put  into  a vessel  with  holes  at  the  bot- 
tom, and  pressed  till  all  the  liquid  has  es- 
caped. Lastly,  they  are  steeped,  for  ano- 
ther four  days,  in  a slight  solution  of  salt 
and  water,  one  pound  only  to  five  pails, 
when  the  leather  is  quite  ready  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  dye.  A strong  decoction  of 
Artemisa  annua,  or  southernwood,  in  the 
proportion  of  four  pounds  to  ten  pails  of 
w’ater,  seems  to  be  the  basis  of  all  the  dif- 
ferent colours  which  they  give  to  the  Mo- 
rocco in  the  Taurida,  Astracan,  and  the 
other  cities  formerly  belonging  to  the 
Turkish  empire,  where  the  secret  has  till 
now  remained.  When  a red  colour  is  re- 
quired, one  pound  of  powdered  cochineal 
is  gradually  stirred  into  ten  pails  of  the 
fine  yellow  decoction  of  Artemisa,  with 
five  or  six  drams  of  alum  spread  on  the 
leather,  in  a proper  vessel.  They  are  next 
worked  under  foot,  in  an  infusion  of  oak 
leaves  in  warm  water,  till  they  become 
supple  and  soft ; w hen  they  are  finished, 
by  being  rinsed  in  cold  water,  rubbed  over 
with  olive  oil,  and  calendered  with  w ooden 
rollers.  Yellow  Morocco  leather  is  dyed 
with  a stronger  decoction  of  Artemisa, 
twenty  pounds  to  fifteen  pails  of  water; 
nothing  being  added,  but  tw-o  pounds  of 
powdered  alum,  which  is  gradually  intro- 
duced, by  half  a table-spoonful  at  a time. 
Each  skin  is  twdce  stained,  previously  to 
the  final  operations  of  oiling  arid  calender- 
ing. It  is  also  necessary  to  remark,  that 
the  skins  are  prepared  in  a somewhat  dif- 
ferent mode  for  the  yellow  Morocco  lea- 
ther, than  for  the  red.  Neither  honey  nor 
salt  is  used ; but,  instead  of  the  decoction 
3 E 


Q26 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


of  honey,  immediately  after  the  skins  are 
taken  out  cf  the  wheat  bran  infusion,  they 
are  steeped  two  days  in  an  infusion  of  oak 
leaves:  after  which,  they  are  next  rinsed 
in  cold  water,  and  thus  made  ready  for 
staining  yellow.  Mrs.  Guthrie  candidly 
acknowledges,  that  the  above  is  all  the  cer- 
tain information  which  she  had  been  able 
to  obtain  on  this  curious  subject;  as  she 
could  by  no  means  depend  on  the  vague 
reports  which  she  had  heard  relative  to  the 
colouring  matter  added  for  staining  the 
green  and  blue  kinds.  It  may,  however, 
be  presumed,  that  the  light  which  this  lady 
lias  thrown  on  the  process  of  dyeing  Mo- 
rocco leather  in  general,  will  sufficiently 
guide  our  manufacturers  to  a judicious 
search  after  those  particular  but  inferior 
objects  which  yet  remain  undiscovered. 

Famous  Tablettes  de  Guimauvc,  or  French  Lo- 
zenges of  Marshmallows , being  their  grand 

Remedies  for  all  Sorts  of  Coughs. 

These  lozenges,  which  are  of  two  sorts, 
simple  and  compound,  are  considered, 
throughout  France,  as  among  the  very  best 
remedies  for  coughs  of  almost  every  de- 
scription. They  are,  undoubtedly,  excel- 
lent; and  the  article  long  sold  in  England, 
under  the  name  of  lozenges  of  Blois,  is 
supposed  to  be  little  or  nothing  else  than 
the  common  French  marshmallow  paste 
formed  into  lozenges,  which  are  thus  made, 
being  the  first  or  simple  sort — Cleanse 
and  scrape  roots  of  marshmallows  freshly 
taken  out  of  the  earth;  and,  boiling  them 
in  pure  water  till  they  become  quite  soft, 
take  them  out  of  their  decoction,  beat  them 
in  a marble  mortar  to  the  consistency  of  a 
fine  smooth  paste,  and  place  it  on  the  top 
of  an  inverted  sieve  to  obtain  all  the  pulp 
which  can  be  forced  through  the  sieve  with 


the  assistance  of  a wooden  spoon.  Then 
boil  a pound  and  a half  of  loaf  sugar  in  six 
or  seven  ounces  of  rose  water,  to  a good 
solid  consistence;  and  whisk  it  up,  off  the 
j fire,  with  a quarter  of  a pound  of  themarsh- 
mailow  pulp:  after  which,  place  it  over  a 
gentle  heat,  to  dry  up  the  humidity,  stir- 
ring it  all  the  time;  and,  when  a good 
j paste  is  formed,  empty  it  on  paper  brushed 
over  with  oil  of  sweet  almonds,  roll  it  out 
with  a straight  rolling  pin,  and  cut  it  into 
lozenges  with  a proper  tin  lozenge  cutter. 
These  lozenges  are  adapted  to  sheathe  and 
soften  the  acrimony  by  which  the  cough 
is  excited,  to  thicken  the  serosities  which 


toration.  For  these  purposes,  a small  lo- 
zenge must  frequently  be  suffered  to  melt 
gradually  in  the  mouth.  Marshmallow 
lozenges  are  also  often  made,  without 
i heat,  by  beating  the  root3  to  a pulp,  pound- 
ing them  with  pulverized  sugar  to  a paste, 
rolling  it  and  cutting  it  out,  and  drying 
them  in  the  shade.  The  compound  lozen- 
ges of  marshmallows,  celebrated  as  famous 
for  curing  the  most  inveterate  coughs,  the 
asthma,  and  even  consumption  of  the. lungs, 
on  taking  in  like  manner  about  a dram  at 
a time,  are  thus  made — Take  two  ounces 
ofthepulpof  boiled  marshmallow  roots; 
three  drams  each  of  white  poppy  seeds-, 
Florentine  iris,  liquorice,  and  powdered 
gum  tragacanth.  Pound  together  the  white 
poppy  seeds,  iris,  and  liquorice,  and  then 
add  the  powdered  tragacanth.  In  the 
mean  time,  having  boiled  a pound  of  loaf 
sugar  dissolved  in  rose  water  to  a syrup  of 
good  consistence,  mix  into  it,  off  the  lire, 
first  the  pulp,  and  then  the  powders,  to 
compose  the  paste ; which  is  to  be  rolled 
out  on  oiled  paper,  and  cut  into  lozenges, 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  former.  This, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


527 


too,  is  sometimes  made  without  fire,  by 
mingling  the  beaten  root,  powders,  and 
sugar,  in  a marble  mortar,  til)  the  whole 
becomes  a fit  paste  for  the  purpose.  These 
lozenges  are  occasionally  rendered  more 
detersive,  by  adding  a scruple  of  the  flow- 
ers of  benzoin.  If  the  directions  here  given 
be  strictly  followed,  the  efficacy  of  these 
pleasant  and  powerful  lozenges  may  in 
general  be  well  relied  on. 

Turkish  Rouge;  or , Secret  of  the  Seraglio  for 
making  an  admirable  Carmine. 

Infuse,  for  three  or  four  days,  in  a 
bottle  of  the  finest  white  wine  vinegar,  half 
a pound  of  Fernambourg  Brasil  wood,  of  a 
golden  red  colour,  well  pounded  in  a mor- 
tar. Boil  them  together  half  an  hour,  strain 
them  through  linen,  and  place  the  liquid 
•again  over  the  fire.  In  the  mean  time, 
having  dissolved  a quarter  of  a pound  of 
alum  in  a pint  of  white  wine  vinegar,  mix 
the  two  liquids,  and  stir  them  well  toge- 
ther with  a spatula.  The  scum  which  now 
arises,  on  being  carefully  taken  off  and 
gradually  dried,  will  prove  a most  beautiful, 
delicate,  and  perfectly  inoffensive,  rouge 
or  carmine. 

Method  of  Preparing  Soy , commonly  called 
India  Soy,  as  practised  in  Japan  and  China. 

The  inhabitants  of  these  oriental  coun- 
tries cultivate,  as  food,  instead  of  the  Euro- 
pean kidney  beans,  a similar  sort  of  le- 
guminous pulse,  called  by  botanists  doli- 
chos,  and  comprehending  several  species; 
among  which,  is  the  dolichos  soja,  or  soya, 
of  Linnaeus.  This  plant,  which  is  entirely 
rough,  rises  tc  about  six  feet  in  height ; it’s 
flowers  are  small,  scarcely  appearing  above 
the  calyx,  and  nearly  of  a violet  blue  co- 
lour. 1 he  rough  pods  contain,  in  general. 


only  two  seeds,  or  beans:  which,  in  shape, 
size,  and  taste,  differ  little  from  our  gar- 
den pea;  except,  indeed,  that  they  are 
slightly  flatted,  and  somewhat  inclined  to 
an  oval  form,  having  a black  speck  on  the 
part  where  they  begin  to  germinate.  From 
these  beans,  the  soy  is  chiefly  prepared ^ 
and,  in  Japan,  after  the  following  manner 
— Being  first  boiled  till  tender,  they  are 
well  bruised,  or  mashed;  and  mixed  with 
a like  quantity  of  wheat  or  barley  meal, 
coarsely  ground.  This  mixture  is  closely 
covered,  and  placed  in  a warm  situation 
for  twenty-four  hours,  that  it  may  ferment  ; 
after  which,  the  same  quantity  of  salt  as  there 
was  of  the  beans,  with  water  about  equal 
in  measure  to  the  whole,  is  added,  and 
stirred  well  together.  It  is  then  left,  close- 
ly covered,  for  two  or  three  months;  being 
daily  stirred  or  milled  in  the  manner  of 
chocolate,  and  again  immediately  covered. 
At  the  end  of  about  that  time,  it  is  strained 
or  expressed  through  linen  or  cotton  cloth; 
and  the  liquor,  which  is  preserved  in  wood- 
en vessels,  becomes  clearer  and  better  the 
longer  it  is  kept.  The  remaining  mass, 
in  the  mean  while,  has  fresh  water  added; 
and,  being  well  agitated,  two  or  three  times 
a day,  is  soon  ready  for  straining,  though 
generally  of  an  inferior  kind.  This  is  the 
process  used  by  the  Japanese,  who  are  said 
to  have  been  the  original  inventors  of  soy, 
and  have  still  the  reputation  of  producing 
the  best;  which,  however,  is  not  altoge- 
ther so  certain,  as  that  it  is  sold  at  the 
highest  price.  The  Chinese  prepare  it 
admirably,  as  well  as  in  large  quantities,  in 
the  following  manner — Thirty-five  pounds 
of  the  beans,  being  first  washed,  are  boiled 
with  a moderate  portion  of  water,  in  a co- 
vered vessel,  till  they  can  be  readily  pressed 
between  the  fingers,  which  is  seldom  Ion- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


52S 

ger  than  a few  minutes.  Being  then  turn- 
ed into  a sieve,  when  the  water  has  run 
off,  but  while  they  still  remain  moist,  they 
are  stirred  round  in  meal  made  with  other 
beans  of  the  same  species,  till  it  entirely 
covers  them.  They  are  next  put  into  sieves 
or  laid  on  smooth  mats,  to  the  height  or 
depth  of  about  an  inch  and  a half;  which 
being  deposited  in  a basket  covered  with 
mats,  are  suffered  thus  to  remain  three  or 
four  days,  till  the  composition  begins  to 
wear  a mouldy  appearance.  After  a slight 
exposure  to  the  air,  they  are  now  dried  by 
the  powerful  warmth  of  the  sun,  or  even  a 
still  stronger  heat,  till  they  can  sustain  the 
stroke  of  a hammer;  when  they  are  freed 
from  the  meal  and  mouldiness  with  which 
they  were  covered,  by  rubbing  them  well 
between  the  hands,  and  put  into  earthen 
pans.  In  the  mean  time,  a pickle  com- 
posed of  twenty  pounds  of  salt  and  a hun- 
dred pounds  of  spring  water,  having  been 
purposely  prepared,  is  immediately  poured 
over  the  beans,  in  the  respective  pans; 
which,  during  the  day,  are  openly  exposed 
to  the  sun,  but  closely  covered  every  night, 
or  else  kept  constantly  in  an  equal  degree 
of  heat,  for  the  space  of  six  weeks,  till  their 
substance  be  entirely  extracted.  On  the 
liquid’s  being  observed  to  have  become 
thick,  and  of  a dark  brown  colour,  it  is 
poured  off,  and  repeatedly  boiled,  to  ren- 
der it  of  a still  thicker  consistence.  Dur- 
ing these  boilings,  a little  sugar,  with  gin- 
ger and  other  spices,  are  added;  and,  after 
it  has  stood  a few  days,  it  is  finally  strained, 
and  put  up  in  glass  flasks  for  sale.  The 
Japanese  export  their  soy  in  small  wooden 
vessels;  but  the  Chinese,  in  flasks  packed 
in  wooden  boxes.  Both  have,  for  a long 
time,  been  in  general  use  throughout  In- 
dia; where  soy  is  placed  on  the  table,  at 


each  meal,  as  common  as  salt  with  us,  for 
the  purpose  of  dipping  in  it  not  only  fish, 
but  flesh,  and  various  other  articles  of  food. 
Having,  in  Europe,  originally  received  soy 
from  the  East  Indies,  it  has  generally  been 
here  called  Indian  soy;  though  it  does  not 
appear  to  be  even  yet  commonly  made  in 
any  part  of  India.  Professor  Beckmann, 
from  whose  ingenious  observations  on  this 
subject  the  present  article  is  in  a great 
measure  translated,  remarks  that,  in  his 
opinion,  the  preparation  of  soy,  even  in 
Europe,  would  not  be  attended  with  the 
smallest  difficulty,  were  it  possible  to  cul- 
tivate the  beans.  Bergius,  however,  he 
confesses, gives  his  countrymen, the  Swedes, 
little  hope  that  this  can  ever  be  effected  by 
them  ; chiefly,  because  the  plant  blows  so 
late  in  green-houses,  that  their  summer  i* 
gone  before  the  seed  ripens.  This,  how- 
ever, is  not  unfrequently  the  case  with 
other  exotics  reared  by  our  gardeners  in 
hot-houses:  which,  only  beginningto  blow 
when  their  nourishment  decreases  and  oc- 
casions a stoppage  of  their  growth,  may 
happen  too  late  in  a too  fertile  soil,  or 
when  they  have  a superfluity  of  nourish- 
ment; while,  on  the  other  hand,  when  tran- 
sported into  a somewhat  poorer  soil,  and  an 
open  situation,  where  they  have  of  course 
less  shelter,  though  they  neither  grow  so 
quick  nor  so  long,  they  blow  earlier. 
Hence  it  arises,  that  many  exotics,  when 
planted  in  the  open  air,  produce  ripe  seeds, 
which  could  never  be  obtained  from  them 
while  they  were  preserved  in  green  houses 
as  curiosities  and  favourites  of  the  florists 
and  gardeners.  For  these  reasons,  Pro- 
fessor Beckmann  advises,  as  an  experiment 
worth  trial,  the  planting  of  these  beans  in 
open  fields:  being  inclined  to  believe  that, 
in  many  summers,  they  would  certainly 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


produce  ripe  seeds;  more  particularly,  as 
Jacquin  expressly  declares,  that  they  grew 
well,  in  the  open  air,  at  Vienna.  Even 
should  his  conjecture  fail  to  be  realized, 
this  would  not,  at  any  rate,  interfere  with 
the  idea  of  Bergius  ; who  is  fully  of  opinion 
that,  by  the  same  or  a similar  process,  soy 
might  be  prepared  from  our  peas  and  beans. 
It  would,  however,  he  admits,  have  the 
grand  fault  of  being  too  cheap,  and  of  thus 
soon  becoming  common. 

Chaptcil’s  Grand  Principle  in  the  Art  of 
Dyeing. 

It  is  well  known,  by  all  who  are  acquaint- 
ed with  the  art  of  dyeing,  that  every  thing 
in  a great  degree  depends  on  the  proper 
use  of  mordants,  or  mordicants;  being 
those  substances  which  are  employed  for  the 
purpose  of  macerating  the  stuffs,  and  ren- 
dering them  capable  of  imbibing  the  pe- 
culiar dye.  A thorough  practical  know- 
ledge of  all  the  different  mordants  adapted 
to  certain  colours,  or  to  particular  stuffs, 
can  only  be  minutely  ascertained  by  ex- 
perience; but,  as  the  fine  Turkey  red  co- 
lour communicated  to  cotton  by  means  of 
madder,  depends  chiefly  on  the  mordants 
employed  in  that  process,  by  translating 
the  famous  Chemical  Reflections  of  Mon- 
sieur Chaptal,  on  the  Elfect  produced  by 
Mordants  in  Dyeing  Cotton  Red,  as  lately 
published  in  the  French  Annals  of  Che- 
mistry, a compleat  view  will  be  afforded 
of  th is  grand  general  principle  in  the  art — 
“ i he  case,”  says  Monsieur  Chaptal,  “ with 
regard  to  the  beautiful  red  colour  given 
to  cotton  by  means  of  madder,  is  the  same 
as  that  of  certain  medicinal  preparations, 
the  ridiculous  receipts  for  producing  which 
have  been  long  respected,  through  weak 
apprehensions  of  altering  the  effect  by 


229 

attempting  the  smallest  change  in  the  pro- 
cess. The  labour  of  a month  would  scarce- 
ly suffice,  to  terminate  all  the  various 
operations  formerly  judged  indispensably 
necessary  for  obtaining  that  beautiful  co- 
lour called  the  Turkey  or  Adrianople  red. 
Soda,  oil,  gall  nuts,  sumach,  sulphate  of 
alumine,  blood,  the  gastric  liquor,  madder, 
soap,  and  the  nitro-muriate  of  tin,  are  each, 
with  this  view,  successively  employed.  The 
true  means  of  simplifying  this  process  is 
not  by  labouring  at  hazard,  and  making 
trial  of  the  ditferent  methods  said  to  be 
practised,  without  an  experimental  guide 
or  scientific  principles.  Such  a mode  of 
proceeding  rarely,  and  by  very  slow  steps, 
leads  to  any  successful  result.  I know 
only  one  method  of  making  effectual  pro- 
gress in  the  arts  ; that  of  bringing  back,  and 
reducing  to  simple  principles,  all  opera- 
tions whatever:  thus  obtaining  fixed  points 
of  departure,  to  which  may  be  referred 
every  result,  and  each  stage  of  our  labours. 
The  art  of  chemistry  is  now  sufficiently 
advanced  to  supply  us  with  these  funda- 
mental principles;  we  have,  therefore,  only 
to  establish  them.  They  will  thus,  in  the 
hands  of  the  artist,  become  what  formulae 
are  in  the  head  of  the  mathematician.  I 
shall,  accordingly,  attempt  to  afford  an  ex- 
ample, by  subjecting  to  chemical  princi- 
ples the  three  chief  mordants  in  dyeing  cot- 
ton ; viz.  oil,  gall  nuts,  and  alum.  Cotton,  it 
is  vvell  known,  does  not  receive  the  red  of 
madder,  in  a fixed  manner,  till  it  has  been 
properly  impregnated  with  oil:  the  red 
impressed  by  printing,  is  far  from  posses- 
sing an  equal  degree  of  fixation ; since  it 
will,  when  washed  with  soda,  be  found 
to  give  way.  This  preliminary  prepara- 
tion of  cotton  for  dyeing,  is  effected  by 
forming  a cold  saponaceous  liquor  with 
3 M 


230 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


oil  and  a weak  solution  of  soda  in  water. 
The  use  of  this  alkaline  ley  has  no  other 
advantage  than  that  of  diluting  and  divid- 
ing the  oil,  and  enabling  the  dyer  to  con- 
vey it  to  every  part  of  the  cotton  with  ease 
and  equality.  Pot-ash,  I have  found,  pro- 
duces the  same  effect  as  soda:  and  this, 
v in  my  opinion,  deserves  some  considera- 
tion; as  soda,  which  is  both  scarce  and 
dear  in  the  north,  may  be  supplied  by 
pot-ash,  which  is  there  very  common.  It 
follows,  from  this  principle,  that  neither 
soda,  nor  oil,  of  all  sorts,  can  be  indis- 
criminately employed.  That  the  soda  may 
possess  the  proper  qualities,  it  must  be 
caustic,  and  contain  little  muriate.  It 
must  not  be  made  caustic  by  lime,  as  that 
renders  the  colour  brown.  It’s  causticity 
must  be  acquired  by  it’s  calcinement.  Car- 
bonate of  soda,  and  soda  containing  much 
muriate,  mix  very  imperfectly  with  oil.  Such 
soda,  therefore,  as  has  long  been  prepared, 
or  is  in  a state  of  impurity,  cannot  be  ap- 
plied to  the  purpose  of  dyeing  in  this  way. 
The  choice  of  the  oil  is  full  as  essential  as 
that  of  the  soda.  To  be  good,  it  must  both 
perfectly  unite  with  the  ley  of  soda,  and 
remain  in  an  absolute  and  permanent  state 
of  combination.  The  finest  oil  is  not  the  fit- 
test for  this  dye;  but  that  is  to  be  prefer- 
red, which  contains  a large  portion  of  the 
extractive  power.  Fine  oil  does  not  pre- 
serve it’s  state  of  combination  with  the 
soda,  while  it  requires  such  a strength 
in  the  ley  as  must  prove  injurious  to  the 
subsequent  operations.  The  latter  oil  forms 
a thicker  and  more  durable  combination, 
and  requires  only  a weak  ley  of  one  or 
two  degrees.  It  follows,  from  the  prin 
ciple  that  the  ley  of  soda  is  employed 
merely  to  divide,  ddute,  and  convey  the 
oil,  in  an  equal  and  easy  manner,  to  all 


parts  of  the  cotton;  that,  if  the  oil  be  not 
well  mixed, the  cotton  which  passes  through 
this  mordant  will  take  the  oil  unequally, 
and  the  colour  be,  in  consequence,  badly 
united.  The  dyer,  therefore,  places  the 
entire  secret  of  a well  united  and  strong 
colour,  in  the  choice  of  suitable  oil  and 
soda.  It  results,  from  these  principles, 
that  the  oil  should  be  in  excess,  and  not 
in  a state  of  absolute  saturation;  since  it 
would,  in  that  case,  abandon  the  stuff 
on  being  washed,  and  leave  the  co- 
lour dry.  After  the  cotton  has  been  pro- 
perly impregnated  with  oil,  it  next  under- 
goes the  operation  of  being  galled.  Several 
advantages  are  attendant  on  the  use  of  the 
gall  nuts — First,  the  acid  which  the  gall 
nuts  contain  decomposes  the  saponaceous 
liquor  imbibed  by  the  cotton,  and  fixes 
the  oil;  secondly,  their  character  of  ani- 
malisation  has  the  effect  of  predisposing 
the  cotton  for  the  reception  of  the  dye; 
thirdly,  their  astringent  principle,  by  unit- 
ing with  the  oil,  forms  a compound  that 
blackens  as  it  dries,  is  not  very  soluble  in 
water,  and  has  the  greatest  affinity  with 
the  colouring  principle  of  the  madder. 
By  mixing  a decoction  of  gall  nuts  with  a 
solution  of  soap,  the  dyer  may  readily  ac- 
quire a perfect  knowledge  of  tins  last  com- 
bination, and  well  study  it’s  properties. 
The  results,  from  these  principles,  are — 
First,  that  no  other  astringent,  whatever 
quantity  may  be  employed,  can  supply 
the  phree  of  the  gall-nuts ; secondly,  that 
they  ought,  for  the  purpose  of  rendering 
their  decomposition  both  speedy  and  per- 
fect, to  be  strained  as  hot  as  possible; 
thirdly,  that  the  cotton,  after  being  galled, 
in  order  to  prevent  it’s  assuming  a black 
colour,  which  would  injure  the  brightness 
of  the  intended  red,  must  be  expeditiously 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


231 


dried;  fourthly,  that  as,  in  damp  weather, 
the  astringent  principle  communicates  a 
black  colour  to  the  cotton,  and  it  dries 
slowly,  the  best  drying  weather  should  be 
chosen  for  using  the  galling  process  ; fifth- 
ly, that  the  cotton,  for  making  an  equal 
distribution  of  the  decomposition  on  every 
part  of  the  surface,  should  be  pressed  to- 
gether with  the  utmost  care;  and,  sixthly, 
that  a due  proportion,  between  the  gall 
nuts  and  the  soap,  is  necessary  to  be  esta- 
blished. If  the  former  predominate,  the 
colour  proves  black;  if  the  latter  be  in 
excess,  that  portion  of  oil  which  fails  of 
being  combined  with  the  astringent  prin- 
ciple escapes  in  the  washings,  and  the 
colour  is  consequently  left  poor.  The 
third  and  last  mordant  employed  for  dye- 
ing cotton  red,  is  sulphate  of  alumine, 
commonly  called  alum.  This  substance 
not  only  possesses  in  itself  the  property 
of  heightening  the  red  of  madder,  but  as- 
sists in  giving  a solidity  to  the  colour  by 
it’s  decomposition  and  the  fixation  of  it’s 
alumine.  By  mixing  a decoction  of  gall 
nuts  with  a solution  of  alum,  the  dyer  will 
sufficiently  discover  the  effects  of  alum  in 
dyeing  cotton.  The  mixture  immediate  ly 
becomes  turbid;  and,  a greyish  precipitate 
being  formed,  it  is,  when  dried,  insoluble 
with  water  and  alkalies.  All  that  takes 
place  in  this  chemical  experiment,  may  be 
observed  during  the  process  of  aluming  by 
the  dyer.  When  cotton  is  galled,  and 
plunged  in  a solution  of  the  sulphate  or 
acetite  of  alumine,  it  immediately  changes 
it’s  colour,  by  becoming  grey;  while  the 
bath  obtains  no  precipitate,  because  the 
operation  takes  place  in  the  fabric  or  tissue 
ot  the  cloth  itself,  where  the  matter  remains 

, l 

fixed.  Ii,  however,  the  galled  cotton  be 
passed  through  a too  warm  solution  of 


alum,  a portion  of  the  galls  escapes ; and 
the  decomposition  of  the  alum,  which  then 
appears  in  the  bath,  diminishes  the  pro- 
portion of  the  mordant,  and  impoverishes 
the  colour.  Here,  therefore,  is  a combina- 
tion of  three  principles — the  oleaginous, 
the  astringent,  and  the  alumine — consti- 
tuting a mordant  for  the  red  dye  of  mad- 
der; each,  when  separately  employed,  fail- 
ing to  produce  either  the  same  quality  of 
fixation  or  the  same  lustre  of  colour.  In- 
disputably, this  is  the  most  complex  mor- 
dant known  in  the  art  of  dyeing;  and  pre- 
sents chemistry  with  a sort  of  combination 
which  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to 
study.  From  precision  in  this  combina- 
tion, and  the  judgement  employed  by  the 
artist  to  produce  it,  a beautiful  colour  may 
be  expected;  but  though,  on  merely  tak- 
ing the  clue  of  experiment  as  his  guide, 
he  may  possibly  conduct  himself  through 
the  labyrinth  of  these  numerous  operations, 
it  will  be  very  difficult  for  him  either  to 
simplify  his  progress  in  the  business  or 
bring  it  to  any  great  degree  of  perfection.  It 
is,  however,  only  by  reasoning  on  his  ope- 
rations, and  calculating  both  the  result  and 
the  principle  of  each,  that  he  can  hope  to 
become  a master  of  his  processes,  so  as  to 
correct  accurately  their  faults,  and  obtain 
invariable  effects.  The  practice  of  the 
most  experienced  dyer  will,  without  this, 
afford  nothing  but  the  discouraging  alter- 
natives of  success  and  disappointment.  I 
wished,  therefore,”  concludes  Monsieur 
Chaptal,  “ in  this  short  analysis  of  the 
process  for  dyeing  cotton  red,  which  is 
the  most  complicated  of.  any,  to  afford  a 
strong  instance  of  what  chemistry  can  ef- 
fect in  the  aits,  wiica  it’s  principles  are 
judiciously  applied;  and  I hiay  venture1 
to  assert,  tuat  the  most  unnilormed  work? 


232 


FAMILY  RFXEIPT-BOOK. 


man  employed  in  dyeing,  will  here  find 
both  the  principle  of  his  art  and  the  rule 
of  his  conduct. 

Oriental  Ottar  of  Roses. 

Tins  most  costly  perfume,  the  true  ot- 
tar of  roses,  is  sold  in  the  East  Indies  at 
the  exorbitant  price  of  twenty  guineas  an 
ounce.  It  is,  unquestionably,  the  most 
elegant  and  delicate  perfume  in  vegetable 
nature;  even  a single  drop  of  this  ottar 
or  essence  of  roses  not  only  diffuses  it’s 
fragrance  throughout  the  most  spacious 
apartments,  but  subdues  or  overpowers 
the  strongest  less  agreeable  odours.  The 
process  by  which  it  is  obtained  from  the 
odoriferous  oriental  roses  in  t lie  East  In- 
dies, and  by  which  it  may  be  successfully 
imitated  with  our  own,  is  as  follows — Put 
into  a still  any  quantity  of  freshly  gathered 
roses,  with  their  flower  cups  entire,  and 
add  a third  part  of  the  weight  in  pure  wa- 
ter. Mix  the  mass  with  the  hand,  and 
kindle  a gentle  fire  beneath  the  still.  As 
the  water  becomes  hot,  the  interstices  must 
be  all  well  luted,  and  cold  water  be  placed 
on  the  refrigeratory  at  the  top.  When  the 
water  begins  to  come  over,  the  heat  must 
gradually  be  diminished,  till  a sufficient 
quantity  of  the  first  runnings  are  drawn 
off.  An  equal  weight  of  water  with  that 
of  the  flowers,  or  thrice  the  former  quan- 
tity, is  then  to  be  added;  the  fire  rekindled; 
and  the  same  process  repeated,  till  a due 
portion  of  the  second  runnings  be  in  like 
manner  drawn  off.  This  being  done,  the 
distilled  water  is  to  be  poured  into  shallow 
earthen  or  tin  vessels,  and  exposed  to  the 
air  till  next  morning;  when  the  ottar,  or  es- 
sence, will  appear  in  a state  of  congela- 
tion on  the  surface.  Being  now  carefully 
skimmed  off,  and  poured  into  phials,  the 


water,  after  straining  it  from  the  lees,  is 
to  be  employed  for  fresh  distillation.  The 
dregs,  however,  which  contain  a compara- 
tively equal  degreeof  fragrance,  ought  care- 
fully to  be  preserved.  Ottar  of  roses  is 
frequently  adulterated,  even  in  the  East 
Indies,  by  distilling  with  the  flowers  the 
raspings  of  red  sandal  wood.  The  fraud, 
however,  is  easy  to  be  detected;  not  only 
j by  the  weakness  of  the  odour,  but  by  the 
fluidity,  of  the  sandal  oil,  which  exposure 
to  the  air  fails  not  of  congealing.  If  a 
perfume  entirely  equal  to  the  oriental  ot- 
tar of  roses,  cannot  be  expected  from  our 
less  fragrant  flowers,  the  above  process  will 
at  least  produce  a most  delightful  essence 
of  roses. 

German  Horse-Radish  Sauce. 

This  famous  sauce,  so  relishing  to  eat 
with  roast  or  boiled  beef,  he.  hot  as  well 
as  cold,  is  thus  made — Take  a large  stick 
of  horse-radish,  quite  fresh  out  of  the 
ground;  and,  after  washing  and  scraping 
it  clean,  and  cutting  away  the  ends  with 
all  impurities,  grate  it  fine  and  smooth, 
on  a trencher,  by  means  of  a large  and 
sharp  round  grater  : then,  putting  it  into 
a sauce  boat  or  tureen  with  a cover,  add 
two  lumps  of  sugar,  three  table-spoonfuls 
of  boiling  broth,  or  even  water,  two  spoon- 
fuls of  the  best  vinegar,  and  a little  salt. 
Mix  them  well  together,  till  the  sugar  be 
entirely  dissolved  and  compleatly  incor- 
porated. This  sauce,  though  immediately 
fit  to  eat,  will  remain  good  two  or  three 
weeks,  provided  it  be  kept  closely  covered. 

Purified  Syrup  of  Molasses. 

In  many  parts  of  the  continent  of  Eu- 
rope, a method  has  for  some  years  been 
successfully  practised,  on  a large  scale, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


of  divesting  molasses,  or  melasses,  vulgarly 
called  treacle,  of  it’s  peculiar  mawkish  and 
unpleasant  taste,  so  as  to  render  it,  for 
many  purposes,  little  less  useful  and  plea- 
sant than  sugar.  Indeed,  unless  it  be  for 
cordials  mixed  with  spices,  or  in  domestic 
dishes  where  milk  is  an  ingredient,  it  may 
very  generally  be  substituted  for  sugar. 
The  process  for  thus  preparing  it  is  suf- 
ficiently simple,  and  by  no  means  expen- 
sive— Boil  twelve  pounds  of  molasses,  with 
three  pounds  of  coarsely  pounded  char- 
coal, in  six  quarts  of  water,  over  a slow 
fire.  After  the  mixture  has  been  stirred 
together,  and  simmered  for  at  least  half 
an  hour,  decant  it  into  a deep  vessel;  and, 
when  the  charcoal  has  subsided,  pour  off 
the  liquid,  and  again  place  it  over  the  fire, 
that  the  superfluous  water  may  evaporate, 
and  restore  the  syrup  to  about  it’s  original 
consistence.  Thus  refined,  it  will  produce 
twelve  pounds  of  a mild  and  good  syrup, 
proper  for  use  in  many  articles  of  food,  &c. 

Lombardy  Eels , <Sfc.  Soused  or  Marinaded. 

The  lakes  of  Lombardy  supply  such 
innumerable  quantities  of  eels,  that  they 
are  as  commonly  sold  soused  or  marinaded 
for  keeping,  in  many  parts  of  Italy,  as 
salt  herrings,  pickled  salmon,  &c.  are  in 
England.  The  method  of  thus  preparing 
them  is  as  follows — Having  well  scoured 
with  sand  and  thoroughly  cleansed  the  eels, 
but  without  skinning  them,  wash  them  in 
several  waters,  cut  them  into  pieces  of 
four  or  five  inches  long,  and  fry  them  in 
oil  or  good  lard.  When  this  is  done,  make 
a good  souse  or  marinade,  by  boiling  equal 
quantities  of  vinegar  and  water,  with  salt, 
bay  leaves,  rosemary,  ginger,  capsicum, 
and  any  other  spices,  to  palate ; correct- 
ing, with  a little  boiling  water,  any  excess 


231 

of  the  'saline  or  acid  taste  of  the  liquor. 
It  should  not  be  very  strong,  unless  where 
it  be  intended  for  keeping  all  the  year,  or 
for  sea  voyages.  Enough  of  this  liquor 
just  to  cover  the  eels  being  poured  over 

them,  they  are  in  a few  days  fit  to  eat. 
The  Italians  generally  eat  them  cold,  as 
we  do  salmon,  with  a little  of  their  own 
liquor  and  olive  oil,  garnishing  the  dish 
with  sprigs  of  parsley.  They  are,  how- 
ever, sometimes  warmed  in  a stewpan  with 
their  own  liquor,  and  a bit  of  butter  rolled 
in  flour;  having  lemon  juice  squeezed  over, 
on  serving  them  up.  This  marinading  pro- 
cess is,  in  Italy,  not  confined  to  eels  only ; 
as  any  fresh  or  salt  water  fry  may  be  thus 
preserved  and  eaten.  Fish  bones  are  less 
troublesome  this  way  than  any  other,  be- 
ing partly  destroyed  by  the  acid.  For  bar- 
bel, in  particular,  of  a tolerable  size,  when 
fresh  killed,  cleansed,  cut  in  steaks  of  a 
little  more  than  half  an  inch  thick,  dried, 
and  fried,  this  will  be  found  an  excellent 
method.  The  small  fish,  of  all  sorts,  after 
being  properly  cleansed,  may  be  fried  and 
marinaded  whole. 

Excellent  Italian  Peas  Soup. 

This  rich,  unexpensive,  and  truly  ex- 
cellent peas  soup,  is  thus  easily  made — 
Cut  in  quarters  six  cucumbers,  and  the 
hearts  of  six  cabbage  lettuces;  and  put  them, 
with  a quarter  of  a pound  of  butter,  a pint 
of  young  green  peas,  and  a large  onion, 
into  a stewpan,  over  a slow  fire.  Cover  it 
down  close,  and  let  it  stew  two  hours.  In 
the  mean  time,  boil  a pint  of  split  peas  in 
three  pints  of  water,  for  about  an  hour; 

then,  pulping  them  through  a sieve  into 
their  own  liquor,  and  adding  both  to  the 
first  mixture  in  the  stewpan,  boil  the  whole 
together,  seasoned  with  a little  pepper  and 

3 N 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


234 

salt,  for  about  a quarter  of  an  hour.  If  it  ; 
should  not  prove  of  a sufficient  consistence,  j 
which  will  seldom  happen,  add  a little 
thickening  of  flour  and  butter,  but  it  is  to 
be  served  up  without  any  straining.. 

Bird- Lime. 

The  best  British  bird-lime  is  prepared 
from  the  bark  of  our  common  prickly  holly; 
called,  by  botanists,  the  lautona,  or  way- 
faring shrub.  This  resinous  substance, 
from  it’s  possessing  uncommon  adhesive- 
ness to  feathers,  and  other  dry  or  porous 
bodies,  by  which  means  the  winged  race 
are  entangled  and  caught,  has  obtained  the 
appellation  of  bird-lime.  Dr.  Darwin  ob- 
serves, that  it  much  resembles  the  caout- 
chouc, or  elastic  resin,  called  India  rub- 
ber, imported  from  South  America;  and  is 
also  similar  to  a fossil  elastic  bitumen  found 
near  Matlock  in  Derbyshire,  both  in  it’s 
elasticity  and  inflammability.  This  cele- 
brated physician,  philosopher,  and  poet, 
recommends  the  cultivation  of  holly,  as 
well  for  the  quantity  of  this  elastic  matter 
which  it  contains,  as  for  it’s  wood,  to  the 
attention  of  rural  oeeonomists;  and  assures 
us  that,  about  thirty  years  ago,  a person 
who  had  purchased  a wood  in  Yorkshire, 
which  abounded  with  holiy  trees,  sold  the 
bird-lime  prepared  from  their  bark,  to  a 
Dutch  merchant,  for  nearly  as  much  mo- 
ney as  the  estate  cost  him.  The  method 
of  making  bird-lime,  in  England,  is  as  fol- 
.lows — Having  peeled  as  much  of  the  bark 
of  the  holly  as  will  loosely  fill  the  vessel  in 
which  it  is  intended  to  be  boiled,  and  added 
as  much  river  water  as  it  would  after- 
ward contain,  let  it  simmer  over  a mode- 
rate fire  till  the  grey  and  white  bark  rise 
from  the  green,  which  commonly  takes 
from  twelve  to  sixteen  hours  boiling.  Then, 


draining  away  all  the  water,  separate  th-e 
rinds;  lav  the  whole  of  the  green  bark  on 
the  earth,  in  some  cool  vault,  cellar,  or  other 
close  place;  and  cover  it  well  over,  to  a 
considerable  height,  with  any  green  and 
rank  plants  or  weeds,  such  as  dock,  thistles, 
hemlock,  &c.  When  it  has  thus  remained 
about  a fortnight,  it  will  be  found  to  have 
rotted,  and  become  a foul,  slimy,  and  thick 
mucilage;  which  must  be  beaten  in  a large 
stone  mortar,  till  it  is  rendered  a uniform 
tough  and  stiff  paste,  without  any  discern- 
able  pieces  of  the  bark  or  other  substance. 
It  is  now  to  be  taken  out  of  the  mortar;  and 
was  Ire  d in  a running  stream,  till  it  be  en- 
tirely cleansed  from  all  apparent  foulness. 
It  is  next  deposited  in  a very  close  earth- 
en pot,  and  left  to  ferment  for  four  or  five 
days;  being  scummed,  in  the  mean  time, 
as  often  as  any  remaining  foulness  arises. 
When  this  ceases  to  appear,  it  is  to  be  put  up 
into  a clean  earthen  vessel,  and  kept  co- 
vered for  use.  It  has  been  suggested,  that 
our  bird-lime,  if  it  could  be  sufficiently 
hardened,  might  probably  be  substituted 
for  the  caoutchouc  gum  resin,  or  Indian 
rubber.  There  are  several  other  ways  of 
preparing  bird-lime  from  various  viscous 
substances;  particularly,  the  berries  of 
misletoe,  which  are  chiefly  used  in  Italy. 
Great  quantities  of  bird-lime  are  also  made 
at  Damascus;  supposed  to  be  a composition 
from  sebastens,  the  kernels  of  which  are 
sometimes  found  among  it.  Spanish  bird- 
lime, though  it  resists  water,  is  of  an  ill 
scent:  we  are  not  at  all  acquainted  with 
it’s  composition;  but,  probably,  it’s  pre- 
paration is  somewhat  similar  to  that  of 
Germany.  The  milky  juice  which  issues 
from  the  trunk  of  the  celebrated  bread- 
fruit tree,  boiled  with  cacao  nut  oil,  is  also 
said  to  make  a very  strong  bird-lime. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


23d 


General  Methods  of  using  Bird-Lime. 

Put  as  much  bird-lime  as  may  be  wanted 
into  a pipkin,  adding  a third  part  of  as 
much  finely  clarified  goose  or  capon’s 
grease,  or  nut  oil,  and  place  it  on  a gentle 
fire.  Stir  the  whole,  as  it  melts  together, 
till  thoroughly  incorporated.  Then  take 
it  from  the  fire,  and  stir  it  till  quite  cold. 
This  is  the  practice,  when  intended  for 
liming  a number  of  twigs  or  rods,  which 
are  to  be  warmed  a little  over  the  fire, 
and  have  the  cold  bird-lime  first  wound 
around  the  whole  of  their  tops;  then,  be- 
ing drawn  asunder,  one  from  the  other,  and 
again  closed,  they  are  continually  to  be 
plied  and  worked  together,  till  by  smear- 
ing one  on  another  a sufficient  portion  of 
the  bird-lime  is  spread  over  each.  Strings 
are  to  be  prepared  while  the  bird  lime  is 
very  hot,  and  in  it’s  thinnest  state;  be- 
smearing them  entirely,  by  folding  them 
together  in  the  bird-lime,  and  ..gain  un- 
folding them,  till  they  are  quite  covered. 
Straws  must  likewise  be  prepared  when  ' 
the  bird-lime  is  very  hot  and  thin,  as  many 
as  can  well  be  at  once  grasped  in  the  hand 
being  done  together.  These,  after  dipping 
them,  are  to  be  tossed  and  worked  before 
the  fire,  till  each  straw  is  besmeared  with 
it’s  due  proportion  for  the  purpose;  when 
they  are  to  be  put  up  in  leather  cases,  for 
occasional  use.  In  winder,  to  prevent  the 
bird-lime’s  freezing,  either ontwigs,  bushes, 
strings,  or  straws,  add  in  melting  a quarter 
as  much  petroleum  oil  as  capon’s  grease; 
this  wall  preserve  it  from  congelation  by 
cold,  however  severe  the  weather,  and  keep 
it  constantly  supple  and  fit  for  use.  These 
different  articles  being  properly  smeared, 
and  judiciously  placed  in  the  haunts  of 
small  birds,  or  spots  whither  they  may 


be  attracted,  will  not  fail  to  entangle  them. 
The  arts  of  attracting  them  by  a bird-call 
imitating  their  respective  notes,  bv  the 
display  of  food,  or  by  what  is  denomi- 
nated a stale  or  decoy  bird,  &c.  are  ex- 
tremely various,  and  must  always  depend 
much  for  their  success  on  the  superior  dex- 
terity, ingenuity,  and  address,  of  those  by 
whom  they  are  contrived  or  practised. 
Some  particular  methods,  as  practised  in 
different  parts  of  the  world,  will  be  here- 
after detailed. 

Water  Bird-Lime. 

The  manner  of  preparing  water  bird- 
lime is  as  follows — Wash  half  a pound  of 
good  bird-lime  in  spring  or  river  water, 
till  it  become  perfectly  soft;  beat  it  well, 
to  take  out  the  water;  and,  after  drying 
it,  put  it  into  an  earthen  pipkin,  with  as 
much  goose  or  capon’s  grease  as  will  ren- 
der it  fluid.  When  it  becomes  in  this 
state,  add  a table-spoonful  of  strong  vine- 
gar, half  as  much  oil,  and  a very  small 
quantity  of  Venice  turpentine.  Then, 
stirring  it  well  over  a good  fire,  let  it  boil 
together  for  a few  minutes,  which  corn- 
pleats  the  process.  This  bird-lime,  which 
should  always  be  warmed  previously  to 
using  it,  must  be  spread  over  the  twigs,  &c. 
in  every  direction.  It  is  excellent  for 
catching  snipes,  and  such  other  birds  as- 
frequent  marshy  places.  The  Italians  heat 
their  misletoe  bird-lime  after  the  same  man- 
ner, melting  it,  however,  with  an  ounce  of 
nut  oil  to  a pound  of  bird-lnne,  and  mixing, 
half  an  ounce  of  turpentine  off  the  fire, 
which  also  well  qualifies  it  for  the  water. 
The  Damascus  bird-lime  will  not  bear  the 
wet,  is  soon  injured  by  frost,  and'  seldom- 
keeps  longer  than  a year  or  two  at  most.. 
The  Spanish  is  well  adapted  for  this  pui> 


236 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


pose;  but  there  is  none  better  than  our 
own,  when  prepared  as  above  directed. 
Bird-lime  is  far  more  used  on  the  con- 
tinent, and  various  other  parts  of  the  world, 
than  in  England.  It  might,  however,  be 
advantageously  employed  in  destroying 
many  noxious  insects,  and  even  the  smaller 
•quadruped  vermin,  &c.  as  well  as  in  en- 
snaring the  feathered  race.  We  have, 
here,  purposely  omitted  saying  any  thing 
about  German  bird-lime,  which  will  be  ; 
the  subject  of  a separate  future  article.  The  j 
Test  time  of  the  year  for  making  bird-dime 
in  England  is  about  Midsummer.  j 

Somersetshire  Bacon . 

This  greatly  esteemed  bacon  is  cured  j 
in  the  following  manner,  during  either  of  ! 
the  last  three  months  in  the  year — On  kil-  j 
liner  a 1ioq\  the  sides  or  flitches  are  first  ! 

O O' 

placed  in  large  wooden  troughs,  and  sprink- 
led all  over  with  bay  salt.  Being  left  in 
this  state,  to  drain  away  the  blood  and 
superfluous  juices,  for  twenty-four  hours; 
they  are  next  taken  out,  and  wiped  very 
dry.  Some  fresh  bay  salt  is  now  well  heated 
in  a large  frying  pan;  and,  the  troughs 
having  in  the  mean  time  been  well  cleansed  j 
from  the  first  drainings,  and  the  flitches  ! 
replaced,  the  hot  bay  salt  is  rubbed  over 
the  meat,  till  it  has  absorbed  a sufficient 
quantity.  During  four  successive  days, 
this  friction  is  every  morning  repeated; 
the  sides  being  turned  only  twice,  or  every 
other  day.  If  the  flitches  are  large,  as  is 
generally  the  case,  they  should  be  kept 
three  weeks  in  brine;  being  turned  ten 
times  during  that  period,  and  afterward 
thoroughly  dried  in  the  usual  manner, 
without  smoke.  Unless  the  bacon  be  strict- 
ly managed  according  to  these  directions, 
it  will  never  possess  a flavour  equal  to  So- 


mersetshire bacon  properly  cured,  nor  even 
continue  long  in  a sweet  state. 

Art  of  Rectifying  Raw  Malt  Spirit  by  Agita- 
tion, for  making  it  up  into  Gin,  Brandy,  or 

Rum,  without  the  Use  of  a Still. 

This  is  a valuable  secret  in  the  art  of 
rectification,  and  very  easily  practised. 
The  process  is,  in  substance,  thus  described 
by  Dr.  Shannon— For  apiece  of  raw  spirit, 
as  received  from  the  malt  distiller,  at  one 
to  ten  over  proof,  mix  into  thick  batter  a 
pound  of  finely  powdered  and  previously 
killed  plaster  of  Paris;  add  three  pounds 
of  previously  slacked  fullers-earth,  blended 
with  water  to  the  same  consistence;  and 
then  stir  in  two  pounds  of  finely  pulverized 
charcoal.  Beduce  them  with  three  or  four 
gallons  more  of  pure  water:  and  then, 
while  pouring  the  mixture  into  the  spirits, 
let  some  person  be  well  stirring  up  the 
ingredients;  and  another  keep  stirring  the 
spirits,  not  only  during  this  addition  of  the 
mixture,  but  for  at  least  half  an  hour 
longer.  This  stirring,  or  rousing,  as  it  is 
usual! v denominated,  should  be  hourly  re- 
peated three  or  four  times;  and,  if  the  mix- 
ture be  made  in  a moveable  or  unfixed  cask, 
which  is  the  best  method,  it  should  be  each 
time  rolled  for  a few  minutes,  and  placed 
bung  downward  till  the  next  rousing.  Af- 
ter the  last  time,  however,  it  should  beset 
up  on  one  end;  and  have  a cock  placed 
near  the  bottom,  with  another  a few  inches 
below  the  part  to  which  the  liquor  rises, 
for  the  purpose  of  drawing  off  daily 
samples,  a few  days,  to  compare  with  each 
other,  as  well  as  with  samples  of  the  same 
raw  spirit,  so  as  to  mark  the  progress  and 
effect  of  this  species  of  rectification.  On 
it’s  being  found  quite  free,  in  smell  and 
taste,  from  the  flavour  of  the  malt  or  grain. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


it  may  be  drawn  off  for  immediate  use.  If 
intended  for  gin,  to  be  prepared  b)  agita- 
tion, make  it  up  with  lime  water  in  the  pro- 
portion of  one  gallon  to  six;  if  for  British 
brandy,  with  clear  filtered  water,  one  to 
five  ; and  if  for  rum,  with  rice  water,  one 
to  six.  The  rice  water,  for  this  purpose, 
is  made  with  what  is  called  conjee  ; that 
is,  rice  reduced  to  a jelly,  by  boiling  it 
in  a close  vessel.  A pound  of  rice  reduced 
thus  into  conjee,  will  be  sufficient  to  make 
a hogshead  of  this  rice  water. 

Cherry  Beer,  or  Red  Barley  Wine. 

This  article  has,  like  many  others,  a 
name  to  which  it  is,  as  now  commonly 
prepared,  by  no  means  justly  entitled. 
Whatever  may  have  been  it’s  origin j when 
cherries  probably  formed  a part  of  the  com- 
position, it  is  now  made  entirely  without 
them,  in  the  following  manner — To  a bar- 
rel of  new  table  beer,  or  small  ale,  add 
about  three  pounds  of  molasses,  with  half 
a pound  or  more  of  ground  logwood, 
and  two  ounces  of  almond  cake.  The 
almond  cake  may  be  procured  at  any 
respectable  druggist’s  shop.  Stir  them 
well  into  the  beer  with  a long  stick  put  in 
at  the  bung-hole,  and  agitate  the  cask; 
after  this  has  been  two  or  three  days  re- 
peated, let  it  stand  to  settle,  and  then  draw 
or  bottle  it  off  for  use.  It  is  commonly 
drank  hot;  and,  if  not  at  first  made  suf- 
ficiently sweet,  with  sugar  as  well  as  spices. 

White  Cherry  Beer,  or  Barley  Wine. 

To  the  wort  produced  by  a bushel  of  the 
palest  malt,  as  soon  as  the  fermentation 
a little  declines,  add  an  ounce  of  yellow  sun- 
ders in  powder,  and  half  an  ounce  of  al- 
mond cake.  Only  a quarter  part  of  the 
usual  quantity  of  hops  must  be  used ; as 
the  bitterish  aromatic  and  agreeably  pun- 


23? 

gent  taste  of  this  elegant  wood,  as  well  as 
it’s  pleasant  scent,  very  far  superior  to  either 
the  white  or  the  red  sanders,  will  be  com- 
municated to  the  liquor,  and  sufficiently 
assist  in  preserving  it.  Those  persons,  it  lias 
been  ingeniously  remarked,  who  may  mar- 
vel at  this  process  for  making  cherry  beer, 
both  red  and  white,  without  a cherry  of 
any  sort  in  either,  can  easily,  if  they 
please,  flavour  small  ale  or  worts,  one  with 
black  and  the  other  with  white  heart  cher- 
ries, and  they  may  then  soon  be  convinced 
that  neither  will  be  more  wholesome,  nor 
nearly  so  agreeable,  as  those  which  are 
here  recommended  : and,  what  is  still  more 
wonderful,  the  liquors  actually  made  with 
the  fruit  itself  will  be  found  to  possess 
much  less  of  the  true  cherry  flavour.  In  a 
similar  way,  the  red  being  assisted  with 
logwood,  may  be  made  currant  beer,  goose- 
berry beer,  raspberry  beer,  elder  berry 
beer,  &c.  of  the  different  colours,  which 
all  these  fruits  possess.  The  white,  how- 
ever, should  be  sweetened  with  loaf  sugar. 
These  fruit  beers,  or  barley  wines,  are  by 
no  means  ill  adapted  to  our  climate;  and 
might,  if  well  prepared,  and  sold  at  mode- 
rate prices,  lessen  in  some  degree  the  alarm- 
ing and  most  immoderate  use  of  spirituous 
liquors. 

Patent  Oil  of  Flints. 

For  this  singular  preparation,  affirmed 
to  be  peculiarly  efficacious  in  the  cure  of 
obstinate  rheumatisms,  a patent  was  ob- 
tained, by  Messrs  Betton  and  Wellington 
of  Shrewsbury,  in  the  year  1742;  and, 
according  to  their  specification,  it  is  thus 
made — Calcine  a quarter  of  a pound  of 
flints;  and,  when  finely  pulverized,  mix 
the  powder  with  three  quarters  of  a pound 

of  salt  of  tartar.  Melt  these  ingredients 
3 O 


238 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


together,  in  a crucible,  with  a powerful 
heat;  and  the  whole  will  run  into  an  open 
glass,  strongly  attractive  of  moisture  from 
the  air,  and  compleatly  soluble  in  water, 
with  the  exception  of  a very  small  portion 
of  earthy  matter.  On  pulverizing  this 
glass,  and  setting  it  in  a cool  cellar,  it  will 
spontaneously  liquify  into  this  patent  oil  of 
flints,  which  is  to  be  used  as  an  embroca- 
tion for  the  relief  of  rheumatic  pains,  &c. 

Curious  Mode  of  growing  Fruits  and  Flowers 
during  Winter. 

In  order  to  produce  this  effect,  the  trees 
or  shrubs  being  taken  up  in  the  spring, 
at  the  time  when  they  are  about  to  bud, 
with  some  of  their  own  soil  carefully  pre- 
served among  the  roots,  must  be  placed 
upright  in  a cellar  till  Michaelmas;  when, 
with  the  addition  of  fresh  earth,  they  are 
to  be  put  into  proper  tubs  or  vessels,  and 
placed  in  a stove  or  hot-house,  where  they 
must  every  morning  be  moistened  or  re- 
freshed with  a solution  of  half  an  ounce 
of  sal  ammoniac  in  a pint  of  rain  water. 
Thus,  in  the  month  of  February,  fruits  or 
roses  will  appear;  and,  with  respect  to 
flowers  in  general,  if  they  are  sown  in  pots 
at  or  before  Michaelmas,  and  watered  in  a 
similar  manner,  they  will  blow  at  Christmas. 

Best  General  Method  of  making  Cyder,  as  prac- 
tised in  Herefordshire,  and  other  Cyder 

Counties  of  England  and  Wales. 

CYDER,  strictly  speaking,  is  a vinous  be- 
verage, prepared  by  the  expression  and 
fermentation  of  the  juice  of  apples;  when, 
however,  this  juice  is  mixed  with  that  of 
pears,  crabs,  &c.  it  still  retains  the  general 
appellation  of  cyder.  From  the  very  great 
variety  in  apples,  and  the  different  degrees 
ot  flavour  in  fruit  of  the  same  species,  ac- 


cording to  local  circumstances,  the  state 
of  maturity,  &c.  as  W'ell  as  the  many  me- 
thods of  making,  there  is  in  cyders,  all  of 
them  the  juice  of  the  apple,  a diversity 
nearly  equal  to  that  of  the  numerous  foreign 
wines,  w hich  are,  in  like  manner,  all  of  them 
the  juice  of  the  grape.  This  being  pre- 
mised, it  wrill  not  be  expected  that  all  the 
excellence  of  the  art  can  be  developed  and 
concentrated  in  any  single  description. 
By  detailing,  however,  the  best  general 
practice  of  the  chief  cyder  counties,  a very 
good  idea  will  not  fail  to  be  afforded  those 
who  may  possess  little  practical  skill  or 
experience  in  preparing  this  useful  and 
agreeable  beverage.  It  is  observed,  by 
T.  A.  Knight,  Esq.  in  his  excellent  Trea- 
tise on  the  Culture  of  the  Apple  and 
Pear,  and  the  Manufacture  of  Cyder  and 
Perry,  with  a reference  to  the  Herefordshire 
practice,  that  the  goodness  of  cyder  will  al- 
ways greatly  depend  on  the  proper  mixture, 
or  rather  on  the  proper  separation,  of  the  se- 
veral fruits.  Those  which  have  their  rind  and 
pulp  tinged  with  green,  or  are  red  without 
a mixture  of  yellow,  which  last  colour  dis- 
appears in  the  first  stages  of  fermentation, 
must  be  carefully  kept  apart  from  such  as 
are  yellow,  or  yellow  intermixed  with  red. 
These  latter  kinds,  which  should  be  ripe 
enough  to  fall  from  the  tree  without  it’s 
being  much  shaken,  are  alone  capable  of 
making  fine  cyder;  and  each  kind  should 
be  separately  collected,  and  kept  till  it 
becomes  perfectly  mellow.  It  is  for  this 
purpose  that,  in  the  common  practice  of 
Herefordshire  and  the  adjacent  cyder  coun- 
ties, the  fruit  is  placed  in  heaps  of  about  a 
loot  thick,  and  exposed  to  the  sun,  air, 
and  wet;  being  never  covered,  except 
during  severe  frosts.  The  strength  and 
flavour  of  the  liquor,  however,  Mr.  Knight 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


239 


remarks,  are  increased  by  keeping  the  fruit  1 
under  cover  for  some  time  previously  to  , 
it’s  being  ground  ; though,  if  it  cannot 
have  a situation  where  it  may  be  exposed 
to  a free  current  of  air,  and  be  aiso  spread 
very  thin,  it  is  apt  to  contract  an  unplea- 
sant smell;  the  disagreeable  effect  of  which 
will  certainly  be  communicated  to  the 
cyder.  This,  therefore,  is  seldom  done, 
by  those  who  prepare  large  quantities  for 
sale;  as  it  would,  generally,  require  very 
expensive  buddings  to  be  erected,  and  is 
by  no  means  of  absolute  importance.  The 
proper  point  of  matyrity  in  the  fruit  is  not 
accurately  ascertained  by  any  positive  cri- 
terion; but,  as  long  as  it  continues  to  ac- 
quire a deeper  shade  of  yellow,  there  seems 
good  reason  to  suppose  that  it  improves. 
Prior  to  it’s  being  ground, every  heap  should 
be  examined,  and  all  decayed  or  green 
fruit  carefully  taken  away;  a trifling  la- 
bour, which  the  excellence  of  the  liquor, 
and  the  ease  with  which  too  great  a degree 
of  fermentation  may  thus  be  prevented, 
will  amply  repay.  Each  kind  of  fruit 
should  be  separately  ground;  or,  at  least 
be  mixed  with  such  only  as  becomes  ripe 
precisely  at  the  same  time;  it  is  the  former 
practice  which  produces  fine  cyders,  of 
different  flavours  and  degrees  of  strength, 
from  the  same  orchard.  The  fruit  should 
be  ground  as  nearly  as  possible,  to  a uni- 
form mass,  in  which  the  rind  and  kernels 
are  scarce  distinguishable;  and  the  Here- 
fordshire mill,  with  a large  millstone  sup- 
ported on  it’s  edge  and  drawn  round  a cir- 
cular trough  containing  the  apples,  ap- 
pears best  calculated  to  effect  this  purpose. 
Iron,  being  soluble  in  the  acid  of  apples, 
imparts  to  it  a brown  colour,  and  an  un- 
pleasant taste;  and,  as  the  calx  of  lead 
communicates  to  it  an  extremely  poisonous 


quality,  that  metal  should  still  more  par- 
ticularly be  kept  from  ever  coming  in  con- 
tact with  either  the  fruit  or  liquor.  When 
the  apples  are  thoroughly  ground,  the  pulp 
must  remain  twenty-four  hours  before  it 
be  taken  to  the  press.  If  they  were  pro- 
perly mellow,  a large  quantity  of  pulp 
will  pass  through  the  h fir  cloth  in  which 
it  is  expressed;  and,  as  this  will  be  thrown 
off  in  the  first  stages  of  fermentation,  the 
casks  should  be  each  filled  about  a gallon 
short.  Open  vessels  for  fermenting,  have 
some  advantages;  but  they  can  only  be 
used  under  cover,  and  of  course  where  a 
small  quantity  of  cyder  is  required  to  be 
made.  What  time  will  elapse  before  the 
vinous  fermentation  takes  place  in  the 
juice  of  the  apple,  is  very  uncertain:  if  the 
fruit  be  immature*,  and  the  weather  warm, 
it  will  generally  commence  in  less  than 
twenty-four  hours;  but,  where  the  fruit  is 
ripe,  and  the  weather  cold,  it  will  remain 
a week,  a fortnight,  or  even  longer,  with- 
out suffering  the  smallest  visible  change. 
This  is  peculiarly  the  case  with  the  juice 
of  those  fruits  which  produce  the  strongest 
cyders.  On  the  commencement  of  fer- 
mentation, the  dimensions  of  the  liquor 
enlarges,  an  intestine  motion  is  visible  in 
the  cask,  and  bubbles  of  fixed  air  rise  to  the 
surface,  where  they  break.  In  a vault,  or 
any  other  situation  with  but  little  change 
of  temperature,  the  fermentation  will  usu- 
ally continue  till  the  whole  of  it’s  saccha- 
rine part  be  decomposed;  w hen  the  liquor 
will  be  found  rough,  and  by  no  means 
palatable  to  persons  who  are  not  in  the 
habit  of  drinking  it  in  this  state.  Cyder, 
however,  which  possesses  a considerable 
degree  of  sweetness  being  most  valuable, 
an  excess  of  fermentation  is  endeavoured 
to  be  prevented  by  placing  the  casks  in  the 


240 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


open  air.  There  are  other  methods,  such 
as  racking  off,  &c.  but  this  is  much  the  most 
effectual  ; the  liquor  being  thus  kept  cool, 
and  it’s  decomposition  consequently  re- 
tarded. If  the  weather  be  cool  and  settled, 
the  fermentation  generally  becomes,  in  a 
few  days,  entirely  suspended,  when  the 
liquor  will  separate  from  it’s  impurities; 
whatever  is  specifically  lighter  rising  to  the 
surface,  while  the  heavier  lees  descend  to 
the  bottom,  leaving  perfectly  clear  and 
bright  the  intermediate  liquid.  This  is  the 
critical  period  for  drawing  it  off ; for  it  must 
not,  on  any  account,  be  permitted  again 
to  mingle  with  it’s  lees,  which  possess  pro- 
perties much  the  same  as  those  of  yeast, 
and  would  therefore  inevitably  bring  on  a 
second  fermentation.  The  brightness  of 
the  liquor  forms  the  truest  criterion  of  the 
proper  moment  for  racking  it  off.  This, 
indeed,  is  constantly  attended  with  exter- 
nal tokens  which  serve  as  the  cyder  maker’s 
guides:  the  discharge  of  fixed  air,  for  ex- 
ample, which  always  attends  the  progress 
of  fermentation  from  it’s  very  commence-  j 
ment,  has  as  certainly  ceased  at  it’s  close,  , 

and  a thick  incrustation,  formed  of  frag-  j 

° I 

inents  of  the  reduced  pulp,  raised  by  the 
buoyant  air  it  contains,  is  collected  on  the 
surface.  The  clear  liquor  being  now  drawn 
off  into  another  cask,  the  lees  are  put  into 
small  bags  similar  to  those  used  for  jellies: 
whence  the  liquid  they  contain  gradually 
filterates,  becomes  bright,  and  is  finally 
added  to  the  rest;  having,  in  some  measure, 
the  effect  of  assisting  to  prevent  a second 
fermentation.  In  the  process  of  filtration, 
it  appears  to  have  experienced  a consider- 
able change:  the  colour  is  remarkably 
deep ; the  taste  harsh  and  flat,  and  it  mani- 
fests a stiong  tendency  to  becoming  ace- 
tous, which  is  probably  occasioned  by  it’s 


having  given  out  fixed  air  and  absorbed 
vital.  Should  it  actually  become  acetous, 
as  frequently  happens  in  forty-eight  hours, 
it  must  not  by  any  means  be  put  into  the 
cask.  If,  after  the  cyder  has  been  racked 
off,  it  continues  bright  and  quiet,  nothing 
more  is  necessary  till  the  following  spring . 
but,  should  a scum  collect  on  the  surface,  it 
must  immediately  be  racked  off  into  another 
cask;  as  this  scum,  if  permitted  to  sink, 
would  produce  bad  effects.  If  a disposition 
again  to  ferment  with  violence  appears,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  rack  off  from  one  cask 
to  another  as  often  as  a hissing  noise  salutes 
the  ear.  This  repeated  racking  off,  tends 
much  to  weaken  the  cyder;  but  that  effect 
merely  arising  from  a larger  portion  of  the 
saccharine  quality’s  remaining  unchanged, 
adds  to  the  sweetness  at  the  expence  of  the 
strength.  The  juice  of  fruits  which  pro- 
duce very  strong  cyder  often  continue 
muddy  the  whole  winter;  and  attention 
must  frequently  be  paid,  to  prevent  their 
excess  of  fermentation.  For  this  purpose, 
the  smoke  of  sulphur  is  sometimes  used; 
and,  to  render  it  bright,  bullock’s  blood  : 
but  the  latter,  in  particular,  is  a very  dis- 
gusting process;  and,  when  the  liquor  has 
been  made  from  good  fruits  properly  rip- 
ened, both  are  unnecessary.  Whenever 
the  liquor  is  racked  off,  the  cask  which  re- 
ceives it  must  always  have  been  previously 
scalded  and  dried;  and,  that  a larger  sur- 
face may  be  exposed  to  the  air,  it  should, 
on  such  occasions,  want  several  gallons  of 
being  full.  If  the  winter  should  prove  un- 
commonly cold,  it  will  be  proper  to  use  a 
covering  of  straw.  About  the  end  of 
March,  or  beginning  of  Aprd,  the  cy  der 
is  generally  fit  for  taking  from  the  hands 
of  the  maker,  and  it  is  then  put  into  the 
casks  intended  for  it’s  final  reception. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


241 


These  casks  must  be  compleatly  filled; 
and,  when  all  danger  of  future  fermenta- 
tion is  over,  closely  stopped.  This  is 
judged  to  the  case,  whenever  a bine  film 
begins  to  collect  on  the  surface  of  the 
cyder:  it  will,  however,  be  expedient  to 
put  in  the  bungs  somewhat  earlier,  for 
the  purpose  of  keeping  out  the  external 
air;  though  they  must  not  bedriven  close, 
lest  the  recommencement  of  fermentation 
should  endanger  the  cask,  till  the  blue  film 
appears.  At  this  period,  a small  quantity 
of  spirit  is  sometimes  added;  and,  where 
scarcely  any  fermentation  has  taken  place, 
and  the  cyder  consequently  retains  nearly 
the  taste  of  the  unfermented  juice,  it  may, 
perhaps,  be  advantageously  used:  but, 
when  it  has  properly  fermented,  it  can 
never  be  necessary;  and  it  has  frequently 
proved  fatal,  by  producing  a renewed  and 
violent  fermentation  of  the  liquor.  If 
cyders  have  been  properly  made,  and  from 
good  fruits,  they  will  retain,  even  in  the 
cask,  to  the  end  of  three  or  four  years,  a 
considerable  portion  of  sweetness  : but  the 
saccharine  part,  on  which  their  sweetness 
wholly  depends,  is  always  gradually  lost; 
most  probably,  by  an  imperceptible  decom- 
position and  discharge  of  fixed  air,  similar 
to  what  is  seen  to  take  place  in  the  earlier 
stages  of  their  fermentation.  At  two  years 
eld,  cyder  is  commonly  in  the  best  state  for 
bottling:  it,  then,  soon  becomes  brisk  and 
sparkling;  and,  if  it  possess  much  richness, 
will  so  remain,  with  scarcely  any  sensible 
change,  for  twenty  or  thirty  years,  or  as 
long  as  the  cork  continues  duly  to  perform 
it’s  office.  Few  of  the  foregoing  rules  are, 
or  ought  to  be,  much  regarded,  in  making 
cyder  for  the  common  use  of  the  farm- 
house : with  the  farmer,  flavour  is  now  a 
secondary  consideration ; his  first,  is  that 


of  obtaining  a large  quantity  at  the  smal" 
lest  expence.  To  answer  this  purpose,  the 
common  practice  of  the  country  is  suffici- 
ently well  calulated — As  soon  as  the  apples 
become  moderately  ripe,  they  are  ground; 
and  the  juice  is  either  racked  off  once  on 
it’s  becoming  bright,  or  more  frequently 
carried  directly  from  the  press  to  the  cel- 
lar, where  a violent  fermentation  soon 
commences,  and  continues  till  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  saccharine  part  is  decomposed. 
Early  in  the  ensuing  spring,  the  casks  are 
filled  up,  and  stopped;  and  no  farther  at- 
tention is  either  paid  or  required.  The 
cyder  thus  prepared  may  be  kept  from  turn 
to  six  years  in  the  cask,  according  to  it’s 
respective  strength.  It  is,  indeed,  usually 
harsh  and  rough,  though  rarely  acetous; 
and,  in  this  state,  it  is  commonly  thought 
to  be  preferred  by  the  farmers  and  peasan- 
try in  general.  This  opinion,  however, 
Mr.  Knight  assures  us,  is  by  no  means  well 
founded:  for  they  like  it  best,  when  it  pos- 
sesses much  strength  with  moderate  rich- 
ness, and  when  it  is  without  any  thing 
austere  or  sour  in  it’s  flavour;  but  they 
will  drink  it,  and  to  a most  extraordinary 
excess,  when  it  is  really  acetous.  When, 
however,  they  offer  this  kind  to  strangers, 
which  they  are  at  all  times  ready  to  do  with 
great  liberality,  they  acknowledge  the  ope- 
ration of  swallowing  it  to  be  rather  a severe 
task;  but  console  them  with  the  most  hearty 
assurances,  that  it  will  do  them  good — if 
thev  can  but  get  it  down  ! Indeed,  adds 
Mr.  Knight,  to  whose  admirable  work 
we  are  indebted  for  this  excellent  article, 
if  we  may  judge  from  the  wonderful  quan- 
tities they  drink  without  any  apparent  in- 
jury, we  may  venture  to  pronounce  it  at 
least  as  wholesome  as  any  among  the  va- 
rious kinds  of  malt  liquors.  It  must,  how- 
* 3 P 


242 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ever,  be  admitted,  that  the  sweet  flatulent 
liquor  which  is  generally  sold  out  ol'  the 
cyder  counties,  is  far  otherwise;  for  much 
of  this,  having  become  harsh,  and  even 
acetous,  has  been  afterward  sweetened  in 
the  cellar  of  the  merchant.  We  greatly  | 
fear  that,  in  this  sweetening  process,  which  i 
Mr.  Knight  so  tenderly  touches,  a practice  I 
is  too  often  introduced  that  no  language 
can  sufficiently  reprobate,  and  of  which  we 
have  already  expressed  our  just  indignation, 
in  speaking  of  adulterated  British  as  well 
as  foreign  wines.  On  this  odious  subject, 
we  are  of  opinion,  too  much  delicacy  is 
observed  by  respectable  writers.  Mr.  Mar- 
shall, in  his  admirable  account  of  the  or- 
chards and  fruit  liquors  of  Herefordshire, 
uses  these  remarkable  words,  respecting 
the  correcting  or  doctoring  of  cyder — 

“ The  want  of  richness  is  supplied  by  what 
are  generally  termed  sweets — prepared  in 
a manner  which  I have  not  enquired  after, 
nor  has  it  fallen  incidentally  under  my 
notice.”  With  a more  laudable  freedom, 
however,  in  censuring  one  of  the  modes  of 
giving  brightness  to  cyder,  that  of  com- 
bining isinglass  with  the  blood  of  cattle  or 
sheep,  he  adds,  that  “ wine  merchants,  as 
well  as  the  dealers  in  cyder,  have  of  late 
years,  it  seems,  made  a free  use  of  the 
blood.” 

Cyderkin,  Perkin,  Purre,  or  Water  Cyder. 

These  various  names  are,  in  different 
parts  of  the  country,  given  to  an  inferior 
kind  of  liquor,  made  by  macerating  the 
murk,  marc,  or  reduced  pulp,  of  the  apples, 
absurdly  called  cheese  pumice,  from  which 
the  cyder  has  been  expressed,  in  a small 
quantity  of  water  and  regrinding  it.  The 
residue  of  three  hogsheads  of  cyder  com- 
monly yields  about  one  of  this  liquor,  which 


may  be  kept  till  the  next  autumn.  It  is, 
however,  almost  immediately  fit  to  drink, 
and  usually  supplies  the  place  of  cyder  in 
farm-houses ; except,  indeed,  duringharvest 
when  the  labourers  are  always  indulged 
with  the  stronger  liquor.  Though  no  sort 
of  attention  is  ever  paid  to  the  perkin,  as 
it  is  most  universally  called,  during  it’s 
fermentation,  it  frequently  continues  more 
palatable  than  the  cyder  of  the  same  fruit, 
till  nearly  the  end  of  the  following  summer. 
It  should  seem,  that  the  name  perkin  ought, 
in  strictness,  to  be  confined  to  the  smaller 
sort  of  perry,  and  cyderkin  to  that  of  cyder; 
though  we  do  not  recollect  ever  to  have 
seen  them  thus  classically  distinguished. 
Nor  is  there  any  known  definition  of  the 
word  purre ; which  is  far  less  generally  used, 
and  may  have  been  originally  a mere  local 
corruption  of  the  word  perry,  at  first 
intended  to  denote  a weak  liquor  from  the 
murk  of  the  combined  fruits.  The  name 
of  water  cyder  is  sufficiently  obvious.  In 
many  parts,  these  weak  liquors  supply  the 
place  of  small  beer;  and,  when  boiled, 
after  pressure,  with  a proper  quantity  of 
hops,  suffered  to  stand  till  cold,  and  tunned 
next  day,  may  be  kept  any  length  of  time. 

Best  General  Method  of  making  Perry, 

This  incomparable  British  beverage,, 
which  far  surpasses,  in  it’s  approaches  to 
genuine  wine,  all  our  other  liquors,  seems 
very  much  neglected,  and  apparently  un- 
dervalued in  the  general  estimation.  Some 
of  it,  however,  is  sufficiently  excellent  to 
be  often  sold  at  taverns,  inns,  &c.  as  the 
best  Champaign;  where,  indeed,  it  is  thus 
even  overvalued.  More  perry,  there  seems 
much  reason  to  believe,  is  sold  in  England 
under  the  name  of  different  wines,  than  it’s 
own ; such  is  our  national  weakness,  with 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK 


24$ 


regard  to  favourite  liquors,  &lc.  and  this 
remark  may,  in  a great  degree,  be  extended 
also  to  cyder.  Early  in  the  last  century 
Dr.  Hally  observed,  that  the  London 
market  alone  took  off  annually  twenty 
thousand  hogsheads  of  Devonshire  cyder; 
which,  he  suggested,  was  by  no  means  all 
finally  sold  or  consumed  as  cyder.  How 
far  the  demand  of  the  metropolis  may  have 
increased,  with  it’s  augmented  population 
and  more  widely  extended  commerce, 
from  all  the  great  cyder  counties,  is  diffi- 
cult to  ascertain;  but  it  must,  unquestion- 
ably, be  now  prodigious.  With  regard  to 
perry,  it  is  frequently,  even  in  France, 
Flanders,  Germany,  &c.  as  well  as  in 
England,  passed  on  ordinary  judges  for 
Champaign.  It  is  remarkable  that,  though 
every  variety  of  the  apple  which  posseses 
colour  and  richness  is  capable  of  making 
fine  cyder,  a good  perry  pear  requires  an 
assemblage  of  qualities  rarely  found  in  the 
same  fruit.  It  must,  Mr.  Knight  ingenious- 
ly observes,  contain  a large  portion  of 
sugar,  or  it’s  juice  can  never  possess  suffi- 
cient strength;  and,  unless  it  be,  at  the 
same  time,  extremely  astringent,  the  li- 
quor produced  will  be  acetous  whenever 
it  ceases  to  be  saccharine.  In  the  latter 
state,  it  will  agree  with  few  constitutions; 
in  the  former,  with  none.  The  juice  of 
the  best  perry  pears  is  so  harsh  and  rough, 
that  even  hungry  swine  are  said  to  reject 
them:  yet,  though  the  juice  of  these  pears, 
when  the  fruit  is  attempted  to  be  eaten, 
occasions  a long-continued  heat  and  irrita- 
tion in  the  throat,  by  being  simply  pressed 
from  the  pulp,  it  becomes  rich  and  sweet, 
without  more  roughness  than  is  found 
agreeable  to  almost  every  palate.  Pears, 
when  full  ripe,  known  by  their  beginning 
to  fall,  are  ground  and  pressed  for  making 


perry,  exactly  in  the  same  manner  as  ap- 
ples for  cyder;  but  the  reduced  pulp  is 
not  usually  suffered  to  remain,  like  that 
of  apples,  any  time  unpressed.  It  is,  there- 
fore, immediately  put  in  the  press,  between 
several  layers  of  hair  cloths ; the  liquor  be- 
ing received  into  a vat,  from  whence  it  is  re- 
moved into  casks,  which  stand  in  any  cool 
place,  or  even  in  the  open  air,  with  their 
bung-holes  open.  The  management  of 
the  liquor,  during  it’s  fermentation,  is  si- 
milar to  that  of  cyder;  but  perry  does  not 
furnish  the  same  criterions  for  knowing  the 
proper  moment  to  rack  off.  The  thick 
scum  which  collects  on  the  surface  of  cyder 
seldom  appears  on  the  juice  of  the  pear; 
and  the  excessive  brightness  of  the  former 
liquor,  during  the  suspensions  of  it’s  fer- 
mentation, is  not  often  found  in  the  latter. 
Where,  however,  the  pears  have  been  re- 
gularly ripe,  their  produce  will  commonly 
become  moderately  clear  and  quiet  in  a few 
days,  and  it  must  be  then  drawn  off  from 
it’s  grosser  lees.  Excessive  fermentation 
is  best  prevented  in  the  same  manner  as 
cyder;  and  the  liquor  is  rendered  bright 
by  isinglass,  which  cyder  but  seldom  re- 
quires, though  perry  is  scarcely  ever  made 
thoroughly  clear  or  fit  for  the  bottle  with- 
out it.  The  power  of  isinglass  in  fining 
liquors,  seems  merely  a mechanical  process; 
this  substance  being  composed  of  innume- 
rable fibres,  which  spread  or  disperse  over 
the  surface  of  the  liquid,  attach  themselves, 
through  their  glutinous  quality,  to  all  it’s 
impurities,  and  carry  them  down  to  the  bot- 
tom by  force  of  the  augmented  gravity. 
Properly  to  effect  this  purpose,  the  isin- 
glass should  be  first  pounded  small  in  a 
mortar,  and  afterward  steeped  at  least 
twelve  hours  in  a quantity  of  liquor  suffi- 
cient to  produce  it’s  greatest  degree  of  ex 


244 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


pansioiv:  then,  mixing  this  jelly  with  afew 
gallons  of  the  liquor,  which  must  be  con- 
tinually stirred  till  the  whole  is  compleatly 
diffused  and  suspended,  pour  it  into  the 
cask,  and  incorporate  it,  by  two  hours 
continued  agitation,  with  a split  stall  put 
through  the  bung-hole  ; and,  after  leaving 
it  a couple  of  days  to  settle  line,  draw  it  off 

1 - # j 

from  it’s  precipitated  lees.  T liis  entire 
process  of  lining  and  racking  oil  must  be 
repeated,  exactly  in  the  same  manner,  till  i 
the  required  degree  of  brightness  be  ob-  j 
tained.  Isinglass  is  most  readily  diffused  I 
in  liquors  by  boiling;  but,  being  thus  dis-  , 
solved,  and  converted  into  glue,  it’s  or- 
ganization, on  which  it’s  powers  of  lining 
alone  depend,  becomes  totally  destroyed. 
The  quantity  of  isinglass  generally  put 
at  once  into  a cask  of  a hundred  and  ten 
gallons,  is  seldom  more  than  an  ounce  and 
a half,  or  two  ounces  at  most;  but,  con- 
sidering it’s  mode  of  action,  there  seems  no 
good  objection  to  tbe  use  of  a larger  quantity. 
The  brightness  of  the  perry  being  now  se- 
cured, it’s  after  management  may  be  like 
that  of  cyder:  though  it  does  not  well  bear 
situations  exposed  to  much  change  of  tem- 
perature; nor  can  it’s  future  merit,  like 
that  of  cyder,  be  judged  of  by  it’s  present 
state.  In  the  bottle,  however,  it  almost 
always  retains  it’s  good  qualities;  and  in 
that  situation  it  is  recommended  to  be  con- 
stantly put  at  the  conclusion  of  the  first 
succeeding  summer,  provided  it  then  re- 
main sound  and  perfect.  The  pear  tree, 
though  both  it’s  fruit  and  the  liquor  it  pro- 
duces are  less  popular  than  that  of  the 
apple,  possesses  many  advantages  for  gene- 
ral culture.  It  not  only  flourishes  in  a 
greater  variety  of  soil,  but  is  far  more  or- 
namental, as  well  as  productive;  every 
tree,  when  nearly  full  grown,  in  moderately 


good  ground,  affording  an  annual  average 
produce  of  above  twenty  gallons  of  liquor. 
I hirty,  at  least,  of  such  trees  are  capable 
! of  being  contained  on  a single  acre;  and, 
if  they  are  of  new  varieties  of  fruit,  as  is 
j most  desirable,  and  not  very  difficult  to 
| accomplish,  they  will  continue  productive 
i for  more  than  two  centuries.  Surely,  then, 
there  is  sufficient  encouragement  for  the 
more  general  culture  of  the  pear  tree,  and 
the  consequent  increase  of  the  delicious 
beverage  which  it’s  fruit  so  abundantly 
produces.  Were  we  more  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  this  excellent  liquor,  we 
should,  perhaps,  less  frequently  be  induced 
to  purchase  as  wine  what  we  are  at  present 
i inclined  to  neglect  as  perry. 

Art  of  preparing  a fine  Red  Lake  from  Dutch 
Madder. 

The  use  of  madder,  in  dyeing  a fine  red 
colour,  and  also  as  a first  tint  for  several 
other  shades,  has  long  rendered  it  famous 
amongdyers;  and,  by  the  following  process, 
it  will  afford  a permanent  lake  of  a fine  red, 
applicable  to  every  purpose  of  painting — 
Dissolve  two  ounces  of  the  purest  alum  in 
three  quarts  of  distilled  water  previously 
boiled  in  a clean  glazed  vessel  and  again 
set  over  the  fire.  Withdraw  the  solution 
as  soon  as  it  begins  to  simmer,  and  add 
to  it  two  ounces  of  the  best  Dutch  madder; 
then,  boiling  it  up  once  or  twice,  remove 
it  from  the  fire,  and  filter  it  through  clean 
white  paper.  Let  the  liquor  thus  filtered 
stand  all  night  to  subside;  and,  next  day, 
pour  the  clear  fluid  into  the  glazed  vessel, 
heat  it  over  the  lire,  and  gradually  add  a 
strained  solution  of  salt  of  tartar,  till  the 
madder  be  wholly  precipitated.  The  mix- 
ture must  now  be  again  filtered,  and  boil- 
ing distilled  water  be  poured  on  the  red 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


245 


powder  till  the  fluid  no  longer  obtains  a 
saline  taste.  Nothing  more  is  now  ne- 
cessary, but  to  dry  the  lake,  which  will  be 
of  a deep  red  colour.  If  two  parts  of  mad- 
der be  used  to  one  of  alum,  the  shade  will 
be  still  deeper ; and,  if  one  part  of  the 
latter  article  be  added  to  four  parts  of  the 
former,  a beautiful  rose  colour  will  be  pro- 
duced. 

Method  of  making  Magnesia. 

This  absorbent  earth,  generally  deno- 
minated the  magnesian  but  sometimes  the 
muriatic  earth,  is  of  modern  discovery 
It  first  began  to  be  known  at  Rome,  in  the 
commencement  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
under  the  name  of  Count  Palma’s  powder; 
end  was  there  offered,  by  a regular  canon, 
ns  a remedy  -for  all  disorders.  It’s  resem- 
blance, in  many  respects,  to  chalk  or  cal 
careous  earth,  led  many  persons,  at  first, 
to  suppose  it  little  else;  but  Hoffman  de- 
monstrated it’s,  essential  difference.  It  is, 
when  pure,  an  extremely  white,  loose, 
and  light,  impalpable  powder;  so  infusi- 
ble as  to  resist  the  most  powerful  focus  of 
the  burning  glass,  without  either  contract- 
ing it’s  dimensions  or  undergoing  any 
other  change.  It  easily,  however,  melts 
or  flows  with  borax  or  the  microcosmic 
salt:  and,  melted  with  equal  parts  of  pul- 
verized flint  and  borax,  it  assumes  the  form 
of  a beautiful  coloured  glass  resembling 
the  topaz;  or,  with  equal  parts  of  flints 
and  fluor  spar,  a similar  resemblance  to  the 
chrysolite.  Magnesia  is  divested  of  it’s 
fixed  air  by  calcination;  and  though,  in 
that  state,  it  is  harsher  to  the  touch,  it 
neither  becomes  caustic  nor  soluble  in 
water  like  lime,  does  not  effervesce  with 
acids,  and  may  safely  be  internally  taken. 
Though  magnesia  exists  in  a natural  state. 


not  being  found  in  sufficient  quantities, 
or  at  all  sufficiently  pure,  for  general  use, 
it  is  prepared  by  a very  simple  chemical 
process.  It  may,  indeed,  be  made  in  vari- 
ous ways;  but  the  following  is,  at  present, 
considered  as  the  best  and  readiest  method 
— Dissolve,  separately,  equal  quantities  of 
Epsom  salt  and  pearl  ashes,  each  of  them 
in  double  their  weight  of  warm  soft  water. 
Then,  straining  the  respective  liquids, mix 
them,  add  eight  times  their  quantity  of 
warm  water,  and  boil  them  a little  while 
together;  carefully  stirring  the  mixture, 
with  a wooden  spatula,  to  prevent  any  ad- 
herence of  the  powder  at  the  bottom  of  the 
vessel.  Strain  it,  when  the  heat  is  some- 
what diminished,  through  linen,  stretched 
so  as  to  fit  it  for  collecting  the  magnesia, 
where  it  will  now  be  found  to  remain  ; and 
wash  away,  by  repeated  affusions  of  pure 
water,  the  saline  particles,  till  the  whole 
be  compleatly  edulcorated.  It  is  of  impor- 
tance, that  the  water  be  soft;  hard  water 
being  peculiarly  inadmissible  for  this  pro- 
cess, as  the  principle  which  gives  to  waters 
the  property  denominated  their  hardness, 
is  generally  a salt  of  lime,  and  might  oc- 
casion impurity.  In  modern  medical  prac- 
tice, there  are  three  preparations  of  mag- 
nesia : this,  the  common  magnesia,  for- 
merly called  white  magnesia,  but  now  car- 
bonate of  magnesia;  magnesia  usta,  for- 
merly calcined  magnesia;  and  a new  pre- 
paration, consisting  of  equal  parts  of  Ep- 
som salt — now  called  sulphate  of  magnesia, 
vitriolated  magnesia,  or  bitter  cathartic 
salt — and  prepared  kali,  or  purified  potash 
or  pearl  ashes.  This  new  preparation  is 
merely  a refined  process,  very  similar  to 
that  already  described,  which  it  has  thus 
stripped  of  it’s  name;  being  now  called 
magnesia  alba,  or  the  white  magnesia. 
3 Q 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


24ff 

This  refined  magnesia  is  chiefly  to  be  pre- 
ferred where  there  is  much  acid  in  the  sto- 
mach; in  nausea  and  vomiting,  particu- 
larly, the  former  is  most  efficacious.  Mag- 
nesia, where  no  symptoms  of  acidity  are 
discoverable,  should  be  very  sparingly 
given  to  infants  of  a tender  age,  unaccom-  j 
panied  by  a fifth  part  rhubarb;  that  is,  for  ! 
such  as  are  above  a year  old,  from  one  to  J 
two  grains  of  rhubarb  with  from  five  to  ten 
of  magnesia.  For  youth  and  grown  per- 
sons, where  the  use  of  this  combination 
is  indicated,  from  one  to  two  scruples  of 
magnesia,  with  from  five  to  ten  grains  of 
rhubarb,  will  be  found  a very  moderate 
dose.  Though  magnesia  may  be  safely 
taken  alone  in  large  quantities,  by  persons 
of  a robust  constitution,  with  children  and 
weaklv  habits  disposed  to  flatulency,  it 
sometimes  lodges  in  the  bowels,  and  pro 
duces  obstinate  costiveness;  being,  in  it- 
self, an  inactive  earth,  unless  combined 
with  acids.  On  the  whole,  it  forms  an  ex- 
tensively useful  article  of  the  materia  me- 
dica;  and,  with  the  above  exception,  can 
scarcely  ever  be  injuriously  taken. 

Soap  in  General. 

Soap  is  a composition  of  oil  or  grease 
with  lime  and  alkaline  salt.  It  is  made 
with  and  without  heat,  into  various  dif- 
ferent substances,  dry  and  hard,  soft  and 
liquid;  and  of  several  plain  as  well  as 
mottled  and  marbled  colours.  The  uses 
of  soap,  in  domestic  oeconomy,  are  too 
many  either  to  be  enumerated,  or  to  re- 
quire any  particular  mention.  It  is  the 
general  cleanser  of  our  persons,  our  ap- 
parel, our  houses,  and  our  furniture.  In 
medicine,  also,  both  as  an  external  and 
internal  remedy  for  many  painful  and  dan- 
gerous maladies,  it  is  a safe  and  extensively 


| efficacious  article.  For  the  numerous  pur- 
poses, some  difference  in  preparation  is,  of 
course,  occasionally  requisite;  but  com- 
mon hard  soap,  usually  made  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner,  may  be  considered  as  the 
universal  basis  of  all  the  various  soaps  or 
saponaceous  preparations — Heat,  where 
large  quantities  of  soap  are  manufactured, 
becomes  indispensably  requisite;  and  a 
ley  being  made,  by  dissolving  in  water 
four  parts  of  soda  and  one  of  quick  lime, 
till  the  solution  is  strong  enough  to  sustain 
an  egg,  equal  parts  of  this  ley,  and  of  tal- 
low, are  to  be  poured  into  a copper  with 
a fire  kindled  beneath,  and  continually 
stirred  till  they  begin  to  unite:  the  re- 
mainder of  the  ley  is  then  to  be  added,  and 
the  stirring  continued,  till  the  ingredients 
become  compleatly  incorporated.  The 
mixture  is  now  cast  into  proper  vessels,  each 
having  a little  powdered  chalk  spread  over 
the  inside,  to  prevent  any  adhesion  of  the 
soap;  which,  in  a few  days,  acquires  a suf- 
ficient degree  of  consistence  to  be  easily 
taken  out,  and  formed  into  those  oblong 
squares,  called  cakes  of  soap.  Bv  the  sub- 
stitution of  different  oils,  &c.  for  tallow, 
various  other  sorts  of  soap  are  prepared: 
black  soap,  with  train  oil;  Venice,  Alicant, 
or  Spanish  soap,  with  olive  oil ; and  green 
soap,with  oils  of  rape,  hemp,  orlinseed.  The 
chief  of  these,  and  such  other  processes 
as  are  peculiarly  entitled  to  attention,  will 
be  found  more  particularly  described  in 
different  parts  of  this  work. 

East/  Method  of  Detecting  the  Fraudulently 
increased  Weight  of  Soap. 

It  is  an  ever  to  be  lamented  fact,  that 
nearly  all  the  chief  articles  of  general  con- 
sumption are  more  or  less  adulterated  by 
nefarious  practices,  either  in  the  original 


24? 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


preparation,  or  by  subsequent  dealers,  be- 
fore they  come  to  the  hands  of  the  con- 
sumer. Not  only  in  the  making,  but  more 
particularly  in  the  retailing  of  soap,  in- 
gredients are  added  which  augment  it’s 
weight  while  they  diminish  it’s  goodness. 
The  liquor  chiefly  employed  by  the  latter, 
for  this  dishonest  purpose,  is  a strong  brine 
made  with  common  salt  and  water;  which 
is  easily  added  to  soap  made  with  tallow, 
the  ingredient  mostly  used  in  our  British 
manufactures,  without  rendering  it  much 
softer  or  less  consistent.  To  prove  the 
existence  of  this  adulteration,  whenever  it 
be  suspected,  first  weigh  a piece  of  the 
soap,  and  then  expose  it  to  the  air  for 
several  days;  when,  the  water  having  en- 
tirely evaporated,  the  quantity  thus  frau- 
dulently introduced  may  be  accurately  as- 
certained by  re-w’eighing,  and  will  often  be 
found  far  more  than  could  possibly  have 
been  imagined  by  those  who  had  never 
tried  the  experiment. 

Excellent  Soap  for  Medicinal  Purposes. 

For  medicinal  purposes  in  general,  soap 
may  be  prepared  in  the  following  manner 
— The  ley  being  made  as  for  common  soap, 
is  to  be  first  filtered,  and  then  concentrated 
by  evaporation,  to  such  a degree,  that  a 
phial  capable  of  containing  only  two  ounces 
of  water  will  hold  nearly  three  ounces  of 
this  lixivium;  one  part  of  which,  is  then 
to  be  mixed  with  two  parts  of  fine  olive 
oil,  or  oil  of  sweet  almonds,  in  a stone  ves- 
sel. These  ingredients  being  occasionally 
well  stirred,  a firm  white  soap  will  be  ob- 
tained, without  heat,  in  the  course  of  a 
week.  This  may  be  used,  on  almost  every 
occasion,  where  soap  of  any  sort  is  medici- 
nally prescribed,  and  the  particular  soap 
mentioned  may  not  easily  be  obtainable. 


It  is  very  efficacious  m dissolving  those 
strong  concretions  which  form  in  several 
parts  of  the  body ; particularly,  in  the  kid- 
neys and  bladder:  Macquer  even  says, 
that  it  is  not  only  the  basis  of  the  compo- 
sition known  by  the  name  of  Mrs.  Ste- 
phens’s remedy,  but  that  it’s  entire  virtue 
resides  in  this  one  ingredient.  This,  how- 
ever, is  not  remarkably  ingenuous;  and, 
in  fact,  does  not  entirely  correspond  with 
what  himself  soon  afterward  remarks.  “ It 
plainly  appears,”  says  this  celebrated  che- 
mist, “ to  be  of  the  last  consequence,  in 
administering  soap,  that  the  patient’s  con- 
stitution be  considered,  and  a proper  re- 
gimen observed.  Acids  of  all  sorts  should 
be  forbidden;  as  they  prevent  the  soap 
from  dissolving,  and  decompose  it.  If  there 
be  any  acidities  in  the  first  passages,  ar- 
ticles should  be  prescribed  by  which  they 
may  be  neutralized;  as  prepared  crabs 
eyes,  and  other  absorbents  well  known  in 
medicine;  in  such  cases,”  concludes  this 
distinguished  chemist,  “ those  with  which 
the  soap  is  compounded,  in  Mrs.  Ste- 
phens’s remedy,  may  be  of  use.”  Boer- 
haave  always  prescribed  soap  with  resin- 
ous pills,  on  account  of  it’s  contributing 
to  decompose  them  in  the  stomach.  Soap 
is,  however,  like  many  other  good  medi- 
cines, fallen  into  considerable  disrepute, 
and  very  little  employed  in  modern  prac- 
tice; though  it  has  lately  been  ascertained, 
that  soap  water  was  given,  by  M.  Bellot, 
with  the  happiest  effects,  even  to  persons 
bitten  by  mad  animals.  In  the  jaundice, 
epilepsy,  &c.  soap  is  often  very  success- 
fully administered. 

Genuine  Method  of  making  Cheshire  Cheese. 

The  excellence  of  fine  old  Cheshire 
cheese  is  too  well  known  to  require  any 


248 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


particular  commendation:  it  is,  certainly, 
the  most  relishing  cheese  we  have;  and, 
perhaps,  the  very  best  digester.  It’s  chief 
faults  are,  being  peculiarly  subject  to  rot- 
tenness, and  the  depredations  of  mites  or 
worms;  and  extremely  liable,  when  once 
cut,  to  grow  soon  dry  and  hard.  In  it’s 
rotten  state,  however,  it  is  by  many  per- 
sons most  esteemed:  who,  therefore,  when 
it  is  perfectly  sound,  sometimes  render  it 
otherwise  by  art;  particularly,  with  re- 
peated moistenings  of  red  port  wine.  There 
are,  indeed,  few  lovers  of  cheese  who  dis-  j 
relish  it’s  natural  blue  mould,  and  even  | 
slight  inclination  to  rottenness,  which  are 
generally  regarded  as  proofs  of  it’s  richly 
mellow  state.  The  following  account  of 
the  manner  in  which  Cheshire  cheese  is 
made,  has  been  extracted  from  the  cele- 
brated Annals  of  Agriculture,  as  written  j 
by  Mr.  Chamberlaine  of  Chester,  who  thus  ! 
admirably  describes  the  entire  process — 
On  a farm  capable  of  containing  twenty- 
five  cows,  a cheese  of  about  sixty  pounds 
weight  may  be  daily  made,  in  the  months 
of  May,  June,  and  July.  The  evening’s 
milk  is  kept  untouched  till  next  morning; 
when  the  cream  is  taken  off,  and  put  to 
warm  in  a brass  pan  heated  with  boiling  j 
water:  then,  one  third  part  of  that  milk  is 
heated  in  the  same  manner,  so  as  to  bring 
it  to  the  heat  of  new  milk  from  the  cow. 
This  part  of  the  business  is  done  by  a per- 
son who  does  not  assist  in  milking  the  cows  | 
during  that  time.  The  cows  being  milked  j 
early  in  the  morning,  the  morning’s  new 
milk,  and  the  night’s  milk  thus  prepared,  j 
are  put  into  a large  tub  together  with  the  i 
cream.  Then  a portion  of  rennet,  which 
has  been  soaked  in  water  milk  warm  the 
evening  before,  and  sufficient  to  coagulate 
the  milk,  is  put  into  the  tub ; and,  at  the 


same  time,  if  annotta  be  used  to  colour  the 
cheese,  a small  quantity,  as  requisite  for 
colouring,  is  rubbed  very  fine,  and  mixed 


Where  annotta  is  not  used,  a marigold  or 
i carrot  infusion  is  in  like  manner  mixed 


agulated  ; at  which  time  it  is  first  turned 
over  with  a bowl  to  separate  the  whey  from 
the  curds,  and  broken  soon  after  with  the 
hand  and  bowl  into  very  small  particles; 
the  whey,  being  separated  by  standing 
some  time,  is  taken  from  the  curd,  which 
sinks  to  the  bottom.  The  curd  is  then 
collected  into  a part  of  the  tub  which  has 
a slip  or  loose  board  across  the  diameter 
of  the  bottom  of  it,  for  the  sole  use  of  se- 
parating them  ; and  a board  is  placed  there- 
on, with  weights  from  sixty  to  a hundred 
and  twenty  pounds,  to  press  out  the  whey. 
When  it  is  getting  into  a more  solid  con- 
sistence, it  is  cut  and  turned  over  in  slices 
several  times,  to  extract  all  the  whey,  and 
then  weighted  as  before.  These  opera- 


It  is  then  taken  from  the  tub,  as  near  the 
side  as  possible;  broken  very  small  by 
hand;  salted;  and  put  into  a cheese  vat, 
enlarged  in  depth  by  a tin  hoop  to  hold 
the  quantity,  it  being  more  than  the  bulk 
when  finally  put  to  the  press.  The  side 
is  pressed  well  by  hand,  and  with  a board 
well  weighted  placed  at  the  top.  Wooden 
skewers  are  stuck  round  the  cheese  to  the 
centre;  which  being  frequently  drawn  out, 
the  cheese  is  thus  drained  of  it’s  whey.  It 
is  then  shifted  out  of  the  vat,  having  a cloth 
first  spread  on  the  top  of  it,  and  reversed 
on  the  cloth  into  another  vat,  or  even  the 
same;  which,  however,  must  be  always  fresh 
scalded,  and  thus  made  warm,  before  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


cheese  is  returned  into  it.  The  top  part 
is  now  broken  down  to  the  middle,  has 
salt  mixed  with  it,  and  is  skewered  as  be- 
fore; then  pressed  by  hand,  weighted,  and 
has  the  remaining  whey  extracted.  This 
done,  the  cheese  is  again  reversed  into  ano- 
ther scalded  warm  vat,  with  a cloth  beneath 
the  cheese.  A tin  hoop,  or  binder,  is  also 
put  round  the  upper  edge  of  the  cheese, 
and  within  the  sides  of  the  vat;  the  cheese 
being  first  inclosed  in  a cloth,  and  the  edges 
of  it  put  within  the  vat.  The  cheese  cloth 
is  of  fine  hemp,  one  yard  and  a half  long, 
and  a yard  wide.  It  is  so  laid,  that  on  one 
side  of  the  vat  it  is  level  with  the  side  of 
it,  and  on  the  other  will  lap  over  the  whole 
of  the  cheese;  the  edges  being  put  within 
the  vat,  and  the  tin  fillet  going  over  the 
whole.  All  the  above  operations  will  take 
from  seven  in  the  morning  till  one  in  the 
afternoon.  Finally,  it  is  put  into  a press  of 
fifteen  to  twenty  hundred  weight,  and  stuck 
round  the  vat  into  the  cheese  with  thin 
w ire  skewers,  which  are  occasionally  shift- 
ed. In  four  hours  more,  it  is  shifted  and  ; 
turned ; and,  after  another  four  hours,  again  : 
treated  in  the  same  manner,  the  skewering  i 
being  continued.  Next  morning,  it  is  ' 
turned  by  the  woman  who  attends  the  milk, 
and  put  under  another  or  the  same  press; 
and  so,  likewise,  turned  at  night,  as  well 
as  on  the  following  morning.  At  noon,  i 
it  is  finally  taken  out,  and  carried  to  the  j 
salting  room;  where  it  has  it’s  outside  salt- 
ed, and  a cloth  binder  placed  round.  The 
cheese,  after  such  salting,  is  turned  twice  a 
day,  for  six  or  seven  days;  left  two  or  three 
weeks  to  dry,  being  daily  turned  and  clean- 
ed ; and  taken  to  the  common  cheese  room,  i 
It  is  there  laid  on  straw  over  the  boards  or 
floor,  and  turned  every  day  till  it  grows  hard. 
This  room  should  be  moderately  warm ; and 


249 

no  wind  or  draught  of  air  must  be  permit- 
ted to  enter,  which  would  generally  crack 
the  cheese.  Some  makers  rub  the  outside 
with  butter  or  oil,  to  give  them  a coat. 
The  spring  made  cheese  is  often  shipped 
for  the  London  market  in  the  following 
autumn,  and  supposed  to  be  much  melio- 
rated by  heating  on  board  the  vessel. 

Curious  Mode  of  making  Earthen  Barn  Floors 

Many  of  the  barns  in  the  Cotswold  I lills, 
or  Wolds  of  Glocestershire,  have  a species 
of  earthen  floor  which  is  generally  thought 
to  surpass  floors  of  stone,  or  any  other  ma- 
terial except  sound  oak  plank.  Their  su- 
perior excellence  is  partly  owing  to  the 
materials  of  w hich  they  are  composed,  and 
partly  to  the  method  of  using  them  for 
this  purpose.  The  materials  are  equal  parts 
of  a kind  of  ordinary  gravel,  the  calcareous 
earth  of  the  subsoil,  as  found  in  different 
parts  of  these  hills  • and  the  clippings  of 
free-stone,  or  calcareous  granite,  from  the 
free-stone  quarries.  The  principle  of  mak- 
ing these  barn  floors  is,  perhaps,  at  least 
in  Great  Britain,  peculiar  to  these  hills. 
In  other  parts  of  the  united  kingdom,  ear- 
then barn  floors  are  always  made  with  wet 
materials;  a kind  of  mortar,  which  is  liable 
to  crack  as  it  dries,  and  which  requires  dry- 
ing for  some  months  after  being  made,  be- 
fore it  grows  hard  enough  for  use.  Here, 
on  the  contrary,  the  materials  are  worked 
dry;  of  course,  they  do  not  crack,  and  are 
ready  for  use  immediately  on  their  being 
finished.  The  process  commences  by  mix- 
ing the  above  materials  together  in  equal 
quantities,  and  twice  sifting  them : the  first 
time,  through  a wide  sieve,  to  catch  the 
stones  and  larger  gravel,  which  are  thrown 
to  the  bottom  of  the  floor;  the  next, 
through  a finer  sieve,  to  separate  the  more 
3 R 


250 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


earthy  parts  from  t Fie  finer  gravel,  which  | 
is  spread  on  the  stones.  Above  that  are  [ 
then  regularly  distributed  the  more  earthy  ! 
parts;  trimming  down,  closely  and  firmly  j 
on  each  other,  the  different  layers,  and  ■ 
making  the  whole  about  a foot  in  thick- 
ness. The  surface  being  levelled,  is  next 
beaten  with  a flat  wooden  beetle,  made 
like  a gardener’s  turf  beater,  till  the  floor 
becomes  as  hard  as  stone,  and  rings  at  every 
stroke  like  metal.  These  floors  are  ex- 
tremely lasting;  beingequally  proof  against 

the  beesom  and  the  flail.  The  materials 

• 

it  is  true,  cannot  be  procured  in  many  dis- 
tricts; but,  the  principle  of  making  barn- 
floors  with  dry  materials  being  kept  in  view, 
other  substances  may,  on  a fair  trial,  be 
found  to  answer  the  same  purpose.  This 
practice  of  hardening  earthen  floors,  &c. 
by  excessive  beating,  is  practised  in  seve- 
ral parts  of  the  world ; and,  in  the  kingdom 
of  Naples,  as  well  as  in  the  Island  of  Mal- 
ta, where  the  tops  of  the  houses  are  con- 
stantly flat,  the  cement  of  which  they  are 
composed,  though  sprinkled  with  water, 
in  that  warm  climate,  is  rendered  so  hard 
and  dry,  as  well  as  so  compact,  smooth, 
and  even,  by  continued  beating,  that  the 
rain  is  carried  off  from  them  with  the  same 
freedom  as  from  any  flat  leaden  or  copper 
roof,  without  being  at  all  subject  to  any 
sort  of  corrosion.  These  are  facts  well  wor- 
thy of  particular  attention. 

White  Currant  Wine,  called  English 
Champaign. 

AMONG  the  various  ways  of  imitating 
Champaign,  the  following  is  much  extolled 
— Boil,  in  six  gallons  of  water,  eighteen 
pounds  of  either  Lisbon  or  loaf  sugar,  for 
half  an  hour,  carefully  taking  off  the  scum 
as  it  rises;  and  pour  it,  boiling  hot,  over  two 


gallons  of  fine  large  white  currants,  picked 
from  the  stalks,  but  not  bruised.  On  the 
liquor’s  becoming  near  the  temperature  of 
new  milk,  ferment  it  with  some  good  ale 
yeast;  and,  after  suffering  it  to  work  two 
days,  strain  it  through  a flannel  bag  into 
a barrel  which  it  compleatly  tills,  with  half 
an  ounce  of  well  bruised  isinglass.  Quit’s 
ceasing  to  ferment,  immediately  bottle  it 
off;  and  put  in  each  bottle  a lump  of 
double  refined  sugar. 

Excellent  JMcthod  of  Dressing  a Hog’s  Head. 

I 

Get  the  head  of  a fine,  large,  fat  and 
young  hog;  then,  splitting  it,  taking  out 
the  tongue  and  brains,  and  cutting  off  the 
ears,  lay  it  in  spring  water  for  a day. 
Boil  it  till  all  the  bones  will  separate  easily 
from  the  meat;  take  off  the  skin  of  each, 
cheek  as  entire  as  possible;  and  chop  the 
whole  of  the  meat  small,  while  it  is  hot,  with 
the  utmost  expedition.  Season  it  well  with 
pepper  and  salt;  adding  a little  mace,  nut- 
meg, or  pounded  allspice.  Put  the  skin 
of  one  cheek  flat  at  the  bottom  of  a deep 
pan,  place  over  it  the  pieces  of  meat  and 
seasoning,  press  it  down  very  close,  and 
cover  the  whole  with  the  skin  of  the  other 
cheek.  When  this  meat  is  quite  cold,  it 
will  turn  out  very  compact,  and  may  be 
cut  in  slices  like  cheese  or  brawn.  It  may 
be  kept  in  a pickle  composed  of  the  liquor 
in  which  it  was  boiled,  with  the  addition 
of  salt  and  vinegar.  It  is  eaten  with  vine- 
gar and  mustard;  and,  if  the  head  be  fat 
and  tender,  will  by  most  people  be  con- 
sidered as  little  if  at  all  inferior  to  the  finest 
brawn. 

Newcastle  Potted  Salmon. 

The  following  is  the  true  method  of 
potting  salmon  at  Newcastle — Scale  and 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  251 


well  wipe  a side  of  salmon,  but  do  not 
wash  it.  Salt  it  well,  and  let  it  la y till 
the  salt  has  melted  and  drained  from  it; 
then  add  whole  pepper,  with  beaten  cloves 
and  mace,  and  three  or  four  bay  leaves, 
and  cover  it  all  over  with  butter.  After 
well  baking  it,  take  it  out,  and  let  it  drain 
from  the  gravy;  next  put  it  into  the  pot- 
ting pot  where  it  is  to  be  kept ; and,  when 
cold,  cover  it  with  clarified  butter.  Potted 
carp,  tench,  trout,  or  any  firm  fish,  may 
be  treated  in  the  same  manner,  and  will 
be  found  very  good. 

Stewecl  Cucumbers. 

Pare  six  large  cucumbers,  cut  them  in 
thick  slices,  and  put  them  into  a saucepan 
with  salt  and  a whole  onion.  When  they 
have  stewed  a little  in  their  own  liquor, 
drain  it  all  away  as  dry  as  possible;  and, 
taking  out  the  onion,  add  an  anchovy,  with 
two  or  three  blades  of  mace,  a spoonful  of 
gravy,  and  about  a quarter  of  a pint  of  red 
wine,  or  beer  or  ale  with  a little  sugar. 
As  soon  as  the  anchovy  is  dissolved,  thicken 
the  liquor  by  shaking  in  a bit  of  burnt  but- 
ter. This  forms  a savoury  sauce  for  veni- 
son or  mutton,  and  is  very  generally  re- 
lished by  almost  every  palate. 

Clarified  Goose  Grease. . 

Goose  greaseis  a valuable  but  neglected 
article  in  most  families;  and,  when  pro- 
perly clarified,  forms  a most  delicate  basis 
for  many  culinary  purposes.  This  is  easily 
effected,  by  the  following  simple  process — 
On  drawing  a goose,  separate  all  the  in- 
ternal fat,  and  put  it  by  in  a bason.  When 
the  goose  is  roasted,  carefully  preserve  the 
dripping  separated  from  the  gravy.  See. 
which  is  most  effectually  done  on  it’s  get- 
ting quite  cold.  The  sooner  this  is  put  in  a 


saucepan,  with  the  raw  fat,  accompanied 
by  a small  onion  having  three  cloves  stuck 
into  it,  the  better.  Being  gently  simmered, 
press  it  with  a wooden  spoon  till  the  whole 
be  melted;  then,  having  well  scummed  it, 
pass  it  through  a sieve,  into  ajar  capable 
of  containing  whatever  quantity  is  likely 
to  be  thus  added  during  the  season.  A 
moderate  use  of  this  article  will  render 
many  dishes  inconceivably  savoury;  par- 
ticularly rice,  thick  soups,  force  meats  &c. 
ft  should  be  served  out  with  a wooden 
spoon  ; and,  if  kept  in  a cool  place,  pro- 
perly covered,  will  continue  sweet  and 
good  the  year  round. 

Green  Peas  Tart. 

Boil  some  young  green  peas  a very  short 
time;  then  put  to  them  a little  salt,  with 
some  grated  loaf  sugar,  fresh  butter,  and 
saffron.  Inclose  them  with  a fine  puff 
paste,  bake  it  gently,  and  serve  it  up  with 
sugar  scraped  over. 

Composition  for  Restoring  Scorched  Linen. 

T FIE  following  composition  will  be  found 
compleatly  to  restore  linen  which  has  been 
scorched  in  ironing,  or  by  hanging  too 
near  the  fire,  he.  accidents  that  too  fre- 
quently occur;  amf,  hitherto,  without  any 
effectual  remedy — Boil  to  a good  consis- 
tency, in  halfa  pint  of  vinegar,  two  ounces 
of  fullers  earth,  an  ounce  of  hen’s  dung, 
half  an  ounce  of  cake  soap,  and  the  juice 
of  two  onions.  Spread  this  composition 
over  the  whole  of  the  damaged  part;  and, 
if  the  scorching  were  not  quite  through, 
and  the  threads  actually  consumed,  after 
suffering  it  to  dry  on,  and  letting  it  receive 
a subsequent  good  washing  or  two,  the 
place  will  appear  full  as  white  and  perfect 
as  any  other  part  of  the  linen. 


552 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Spanish  Syllabub. 

IN  two  quarts  of  new  milk,  put  a quarter 
of  a pound  of  blanched  and  finely  beaten 
almonds,  a gill  of  lemon  juice,  half  a gill 
of  rose  water,  half  a pint  each  of  thejuices 
of  strawberries  and  raspberries,  a pint  of  | 
Canary  or  fine  old  mountain  wine,  and  a ! 
pound  of  powdered  loaf  sugar;  mix  the  I 
wdiole  well  together,  and  whisk  it  up  till 
it  froths  and  becomes  of  a pleasing  colour,  j 
W'hen  it  will  be  found  very  delicious. 

Honey  of  Mulberries. 

Boil  a pint  of  the  juice  of  mulberries  in 
a pound  and  a half  of  clarified  honey,  till  a 
third  part  be  consumed,  carefully  taking 
off  the  scum  as  it  rises;  and,  when  cold, 
put  it  up  in  pots  covered  with  paper  for  | 
use.  In  a similar  easy  way,  may  be  made 
honey  of  other  fruits. 

Cherry  Paste. 

Boil,  red  or  black  cherries  in  a little  wa- 
ter, till  they  become  quite  soft;  then  pulp  ; 
them  through  a fine  sieve,  adding  a pound 
of  powdered  loaf  sugar  to  every  pint  of  | 
juice.  Stiffen  it  with  the  pulp  of  apples,  I 
and  boil  the  whole  up  to  a height;  then  j 
spread  it  on  plates,  and  dry  it  in  a stove  or 
other  moderate  heat. 

Syrup  of  Cowslips. 

POUR  over  a gallon  of  cowslip  flowers, 
having  their  white  cut  off,  a quart  of  boil- 
ing water  which  has  been  reduced  from 
three  pints,  and  set  the  vessel  which  con- 
tains them  on  hot  embers,  to  be  kept  sim- 
mering for  six  hours.  Having  taken  it  off, 
and  left  it  covered,  to  cool  and  infuse  till 
the  following  day,  put  it  again  over  the 
fire,  and  let  it  nearly  boil ; then,  squeezing 


out  the  flowers  as  hard  as  possible,  add  the 
same  quantity  of  fresh  as  at  first,  set  the 
whole  again  on  hot  embers,  as  before,  and 
let  it  stand  till  next  morning.  Being  now 
again  heated,  but  not  boiled,  squeeze  out 
the  flowers  while  hot;  and,  to  every  pint 
of  the  expressed  liquor,  put  two  pounds  of 
powdered  loaf  sugar.  Lastly,  set  the  w hole 
on  the  fire,  and  keep  stirring  it  till  the  scum 
rises:  then  take  it  off,  skim  it  clear,  again 
set  it  on,  and  stir  it  and  scum  it  as  before; 
thus  continuing  to  proceed,  till  no  more 
will  arise.  It  will  now  be  compleatly 
made;  but  must  not  on  any  account  be 
permitted  to  boil,  as  it  would  in  that  case 
afterward  candy.  Let  it  stand  twenty-four 
hours  to  cool;  and,  if  then  quite  cold,  but 
not  otherwise,  bottle  it  close  for  use.  This 
is  a very  agreeable  and  cheap  syrup. 

Best  Method  of  Bottling  Gooseberries,  and 
other  Fruits  for  Keeping 

The  gooseberries,  when  a little  more 
than  half  grown,  must  be  gathered  on  a 
fine  dry  day ; and,  being  headed  and  tailed, 
without  hav  ing  their  skins  injured,  or  re- 
ceiving any  bruises,  are  to  be  put  into  the 
proper  wide-mouthed  glass  bottles,  shak- 
ing them  gently  down  till  each  bottle  is 
compleatly  full.  Having  gently  corked 
the  bottles  with  new  and  sound  corks,  set 
them  in  a moderate  oven,  let  them  remain 
till  they  are  well  heated  through,  beat  the 
corks  in  tight,  cut  off  the  tops,  rosin  them 
up  close,  and  keep  them  in  a dry  and  cool 
place.  Damsons,  plums,  cherries,  cur- 
rants, be.  may  be  preserved  in  the  same 
manner,  without  sugar;  but  neither  of 
them  must  be  gathered  in  damp  weather, 
or  have  their  skins  at  all  broken,  as  they 
would  in  such  cases  soon  become  mouldy. 
Some  bury  the  bottles  in  the  earth;  but  in 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK  25T 


any  cool  and  dry  place,  they  will  keep 
good  the  whole  year. 

Fine  Wet  and  Dry  Sweetmeat  in  the  Form  of 
Hops. 

After  cutting  or  splitting  in  quarters 
some  of  the  finest  green  gooseberries,  but 
without  entirely  dividing  them,  and  having 
carefully  taken  out  all  their  seeds,  run  a 
needleful  of  Avhite  thread,  knotted  at  the 
end,  through  the  end  of  one  of  the  split 
gooseberries:  then  string  another  goose- 
berry in  the  same  manner,  letting  part  of 
it  enter  the  first;  and  so  proceed  with 
others,  till  there  are  enough  to  compose 
the  form  of  fine  green  hops,  which  usually 
takes  about  seven  or  eight  gooseberries, 
according  to  their  size.  A sufficient  num- 
ber being  thus  made,  and  the  thread  of 
each  well  fastened  at  the  end,  they  are  to 
be  put  into  cold  water,  scalded,  and  left 
about  three  days  in  their  own  liquor,  till 
they  begin  to  ferment;  when  they  must  be 
put  into  fresh  water,  with  a little  sugar, 
and  again  heated,  but  by  no  means  boiled. 
Being  thus  greened,  drain  from  them  all 
the  liquor,  and  place  them  regularly  in  an 
earthen  pan;  then,  boiling  up  some  thin 
syrup,  or  making  it  with  the  last  liquor 
and  a proper  quantity  of  loaf  sugar,  pour 
it  over  the  gooseberry  hops.  Boil  up  the 
syrup  daily  in  this  manner,  and  continue 
to  pour  it  hot  over  them,  for  a week;  and 
then,  putting  them  up  in  an  earthen  pan 
covered,  keep  them  for  use.  They  may  be 
eaten  wet  from  the  syrup ; but  have  a more 
pleasing  appearance  when  they  are  pre- 
pared dry  as  follows — Drain  all  the  syrup 
from  them,  place  them  on  the  bottom  of  a 
wire  sieve,  dust  some  sifted  sugar  over 
them  through  a bag  or  cloth,. and  put  the 
sieve  into  a stove.  Let  them  remain  till 


they  are  quite  dry,  which  will  be  in  three 
or  four  days;  turning  them,  in  the  mean 
time,  and  changing  the  sieve,  once  every 
day.  Then,  lining  a box  neatly  with  pa- 
per, put  them  in  ; placing  a bit  of  writing 
paper  over  every  layer  of  the  fruit. 

Green  or  Red  Gooseberries  preserved  Wet. 

Scald,  but  do  not  boil,  the  finest  and 
largest  picked  gooseberries  ; then  put  them 
into  a pan,  and  let  them  remain  three 
days  in  their  own  liquor.  Having  now 
drained  the  liquor  from  them,  put  them 
into  another  pan  with  a little  sugar,  as  de- 
scribed in  the  foregoing  article,  and  pro- 
ceed exactly  in  the  same  manner  through- 
out the  remaining  process  for  wet  preserv- 
ing gooseberry  hops.  They  may,  also,  be 
dried  in  a similar  way;  but  this  is  seldom 
or  never  done.  Put  them  up  in  pots  care- 
fully covered,  and  keep  them  free  from 
damp.  If  red  gooseberries  be  used,  the 
colour  may  require  heightening  with  co- 
chineal; or,  if  amber,  with  saffron. 

Red  or  White  Currants  preserved  Whole,  in 
Bunches,  Wet  and  Dry. 

Pick,  with  a pi%  all  the  stones  or  seeds 
out  of  some  of  the  finest  and  largest  cur- 
rants in  bunches,  with  as  little  laceration 
of  the  skin  as  possible.  Bind  half  a dozen 
of  these  bunches,  with  thread,  to  a bit  of 
stick  about  two  inches  long,  and  lay  them 
on  an  inverted  sieve.  In  the  mean  time, 
having  a good  syrup  over  the  fire,  when 
it  has  boiled  a quarter  of  an  hour  put  in  a 
few  bunches,  not  more  than  sufficient  to 
cover  the  bottom  of  the  preserving  pan, 
let  them  have  half  a dozen  boils,  and  take 
off  the  scum  with  stiff  paper.  Then  put 
them  into  pots,  which  mustpreviousiybe  well 
dried;  and,  where  quite  convenient,  pour 
over  the  fruit  some  apple  or  other  jelly.  If 
3 s 


254 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


wanted  to  be  afterward  dried,  take  »out 
some  of  the  bunches,  and  place  them  in  a 
stewpan,  or  preserving  pan,  over  the  fire 
to  warm;  then,  draining  from  them  all  the 
syrup,  lay  them  on  a wire  sieve,  dust  some 
sifted  sugar  over  them  through  a cloth,  and 
place  the  sieve  in  a stove.  The  sieve  must 
be  changed,  and  the  bunches  turned,  every 
day;  and,  when  they  have  stood  three  or 
four  days,  and  are  become  quite  dry,  they 
are  to  be  put  into  papered  boxes  like  other 
dried  sweetmeats. 

Pr • escrved  Strawberries . 

Get  the  largest  and  finest  strawberries, 
fresh  gathered  in  very  dry  weather,  and 
when  there  has  been  no  rain  for  at  least 
two  preceding  days;  leave  their  stalks 
on,  and  lay  them  separately  on  an  earthen 
or  china  dish.  Having  sifted  twice  their 
weight  of  double  refined  sugar  over  them, 
bruise  a few  of  the  over  ripe  berries,  and 
put  them  in  a bason,  with  their  weight  of 
sifted  sugar.  Cover  the  bason,  and  set  it 
in  a stewpan  of  boiling  water,  till  the  juice 
comes  out  and  thickens;  then  strain  it 
through  muslin  into  a preserving  pan,  boil 
it  up,  skim  it  carefully,  and  let  it  stand  to 
cool.  Put  the  whole  strawberries  into  the 
syrup,  and  set  them  over  the  stove  till 
they  get  a little  warm ; then  take  them  off 
to  cool,  and  again  heat  them  a little  more. 
This  must  be  repeated  several  times,  till 
they  become  quite  clear;  the  hottest  de- 
gree, however,  must  not  amount  to  a boil. 
If  at  all  likely  to  break,  they  must  instantly 
be  taken  from  the  fire.  When  quite  cold, 
put  them  into  pots,  or  glasses;  and,  if  in- 
tended for  long  keeping,  pour  a little  apple 
jelly  over  them.  They  eat  deliciously, 
served  with  thin  cream  in  glasses,  either 
iced  or  plain.  Strawberries  may  likewise 


| be  excellently  preserved,  so  as  to  retain 
their  full  flavour,  by  putting  them,  when 
fresh  gathered,  into  a gooseberry  bottle, 
strewed  with  sifted  loaf  sugar;  and  filled 
up  with  Madeira,  sherry,  or  fiue  old  moun- 
tain wine. 

Frugal  and  Wholesome  Way  of  preparing 
Fruit  for  Children. 

Put  plums,  currants,  goosberries,  sliced 
apples  or  pears,  or  any  other  fruits,  into 
a stone  jar,  and  add  enough  Lisbon  or  com- 
mon moist  sugar;  then  place  the  jar  either 
in  a cool  oven,  over  hot  embers,  or  in  a 
saucepan  of  boiling  water,  and  let  it  remain 
till  the  fruit  be  done.  It  may  be  eaten  with 
slices  of  bread,  or  with  boiled  rice;  or  bread 
or  boiled  rice  may  be  dressed  with  the  fruit. 

Apple  Jelly  for  preserving  Sweetmeats. 

This  useful  article,  for  covering  rich 
sweetmeats,  and  other  purposes,  is  very 
easily  made:  in  summer,  with  codlins  ; in 
autumn,  with  rennets  or  winter  pippins — 
Pare,  quarter,  and  core,  apples  of  either 
description,  or  almost  any  other,  and  put 
them  into  a stewpan  with  water  barely  suf- 
ficient to  cover  them.  When  the  fruit  is 
boiled  to  a pap,  add  a quart  of  water,  boil 
it  half  an  hour  longer,  run  it  hot  through 
a flannel  bag,  put  it  up  in  ajar,  and  keep  it 
covered  for  use.  A little  lemon  peel  boiled 
with  the  apples,  and  a pound  of  powdered 
loaf  sugar  added  to  each  pint  of  the  pulp, 
and  boiled  up,  will  make  a very  good  apple 
jelly  for  the  table,  or  to  eat  with  cream. 

Curious  Prussian  Method  of  Drying  Vege- 
tables, and  it’s  wonderful  Effect. 

In  the  year  1772,  Mr.  Eisen,a  Livonian 
clergyman,  after  numberless  experiments, 
made  with  a view  to  ascertain  the  relative 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


255 


moisture  contained  in  different,  plants, clear- 
ly convinced  the  world,  by  publishing  ac- 
tual proofs  laid  before  Frederic  the  Great, 
King  of  Prussia,  that  vegetables  may  be 
preserved  in  their  natural  state,  so  as  to 
retain  their  juices,  their  colour,  taste,  and 
alimentary  properties,  for  a series  of  years, 
by  a proper  method  of  drying  and  pack- 
ing them;  in  which  it  appeared,  that  eight 
tons,  or  thirty-two  thousand  pounds,  of  fresh 
herbs  and  roots,  were  thus  concentrated  into 
the  compass  of  sixteen  hundred  weight,  or 
the  twentieth  part  of  their  bulk,  so  that  a 
single  horse  could  remove,  with  ease,  what 
otherwise  must  have  required  the  united 
efforts  of  twenty  horses.  This  new  and 
excellent  manner  of  preserving  vegetables 
of  almost  all  descriptions,  cucumbers  and 
radishes  chiefly  excepted,  simply  consists 
in  drying  them  on  a plastered  floor,  mode- 
rately heated  by  a fire  made  beneath  the 
structure,  so  as  to  avoid  singeing  or  burn- 
ing the  leaves,  stalks,  &c.  The  whole  pro- 
cess is  conducted  in  the  manner  about 
to  be  described;  and  requires  no  farther 
care  in  regulating  the  degrees  of  heat,  than 
is  necessary  for  the  baking  of  thin  biscuits; 
the  vegetables  being  exposed,  on  their  sur- 
face, to  the  influence  of  the  open  air,  for  dis- 
sipating the  moisture,  while  the  biscuits  are 
confined  in  an  oven.  Compleatly  to  suc- 
ceed in  this  useful  operation,  the  herbs 
and  roots,  as  well  as  every  species  of  fruit, 
must  first  be  cleansed,  by  wiping,  wash- 
ing, &c.  as  for  culinary  purposes.  The  wa- 
ter is  to  be  entirely  drained,  by  placing 
the  difierent  articles  on  sieves  or  frames 
with  stretched  canvas,  perforated  boards,  or 
some  similar  contrivances.  The*  leaves, 
stalks,  or  fruits,  being  there  repeatedly 
turned,  so  that  each  side  may  become  dry, 
they  must  be  spread  over  a floor  construct- 


ed on  the  principle  already  mentioned,  till 
all  their  moisture  be  compleatly  evaporated ; 
for,  should  the  smallest  degree  of  humidity 
remain  within  the  substance  of  such  vege- 
tables, they  will  infallibly  become  mouldy 
and  corrupted.  The  best  criterion  for  as- 
certaining the  due  degree  of  exsiccation, 
is  that  of  the  stalks  readily  breaking,  and 
the  leaves  being  easily  rubbed  to  powder 
between  the  finger  and  thumb.  As,  how- 
ever, in  this  shrivelled  state,  they  could  nei- 
ther be  conveniently  packed  nor  conveyed, 
it  is  requisite  that  they  should  previously 
be  removed  to  a cellar,  or  other  damp  place, 
till  they  have,  by  the  absorption  of  mois- 
ture, become  sufficiently  pliable  to  bear 
being  compressed  without  crumbling  to 
pieces.  Experience  has  demonstrated,  that 
this  degree  of  newly  acquired  humidity 
is  by  no  means  detrimental  to  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  plants;  and  is,  in  fact,  extreme- 
ly different  in  it’s  effects  from  that  retained 
by  their  interior  parts.  The  vegetables 
thus  prepared  are  next  to  be  packed,  either 
in  strong  paper  formed  after  the  manner 
adopted  with  regard  to  tobacco  leaves,  or 
in  wooden  boxes  or  casks  which  have  been 
compleatly  dried  so  as  not  to  communicate 
any  peculiar  flavour  of  the  wood.  These 
directions  being  strictly  observed,  vege- 
tables will  not  only  be  preserved  for  a long 
time  without  losing  any  of  their  essential 
properties,  but  may  also  be  reduced  from 
the  sixteenth  to  even  the  twenty-fourth  part 
of  their  natural  bulk.  Half  an  ounce  of  such 
concentrated  herbs  or  roots,  Mr.  Eisen  re- 
marks, will  be  a sufficient  allowance  for  a 
meal,  if  eaten  with  animal  food ; and,  as  not 
only  mushrooms,  but  lobsters,  small  fish, 
and  other  animal  substances,  are  preserved 
with  equal  success,  a traveller  may  carry- 
in  his  pockets  provisions  for  two  months,! 


Qj6 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


It  will  be  necessary,  be  adds,  when  such 
provisions  require  to  be  dressed,  that  they 
should  either  be  a short  time  infused  in  hot 
water  before  they  are  exposed  to  the  fire; 
or  steeped  in  cold,  particularly  the  legu- 
minous fruits,  so  that  they  may  swell  to 
nearly  their  original  size:  they  are  then  to  be 
treated,  in  every  respect,  after  the  custom- 
ary manner  of  all  such  culinary  objects. 
In  giving  this  curious  article,  as  really 
interesting  from  it’s  principle,  and  even 
practically  useful,  we  can  by  no  means 
adopt  all  the  sanguine  hopes  of  this  inge- 
nious gentleman:  though  he  has, certainly, 
enlarged  our  views,  with  regard  to  the  ef- 
fects of  drying  vegetables;  suggested,  pro- 
bably, by  contemplating  the  advantages 
which  result  from  the  drying  and  conse- 
quent close  package  of  tobacco,  teas,  hops, 
hay,  &c.  combined  with  ideas  of  essences, 
portable  soups,  and  other  concentrations 
of  animal  and  vegetable  substances.  His 
plan,  therefore,  is  rather  to  be  regarded  as 
an  extended  application  of  an  old  principle, 
scientifically  investigated,  and  experimen- 
tally acted  on  to  a certain  extent,  than  any 
absolute  new  discovery,  or  even  a known  in- 
vention carried  to  it’s  ultimate  point  of  per- 
fection. Mr.  Eisen  has  taught  us  much;  but 
we  have,  on  this  subject,  still  much  to  learn. 

Genuine  Rau  de  Luce. 

THE  long  and  highly  celebrated  pre- 
paration called  eau  de  luce,  so  greatly  in 
request,  and  so  useful  in  all  faintings  and 
lowness  of  spirits,  is  a liquid  compound, 
consisting  chiefly  of  the  essential  oil  of 
amber,  and  the  volatile  alkali;  in  which 
composition  has  been  discovered,  that  vo- 
latile alkali  is  rendered  considerably  more 
grateful  by  an  imperfect  combination  with 
oil.  In  compounding  this  fluid,  so  that 


it  may  possess  the  desired  quality  of  a 
milky  whiteness,  there  is  considerable  dif- 
ficulty: for  if,  by  a due  proportion  of  the 
materials,  the  combination  be  too  perfect, 
it  will  approach  to  transparency;  and  if, 
by  a redundancy  of  oil,  the  combination 
be  less  perfect,  the  oil  will  separate  in  the 
form  of  globules,  or  in  a sort  of  cream. 
Macqiter,  in  his  Chemical  Dictionary, 
speaks  highly  of  the  following  receipt  for 
making  eau  de  luce — In  four  ounces  of 
rectified  spirit  of  wine,  dissolve  ten  or 
twelve  grains  of  white  soap.  After  filtering 
the  solution,  dissolve  in  it  a dram  of  rectified 
oil  of  amber,  and  then  filter  it  again.  Mix, 
in  aflint  glass  bottle,  as  much  of  thissolution, 
with  the  strongest  spirit  of  sal  ammoniac 
or  pure  volatile  alkali,  as  will,  when  suf- 
ficiently agitated,  produce  a beautiful 
milky  fluid.  Should  a cream  form  on  it’s 
surface,  more  of  the  oily  spirit  of  wine 
must  be  added.  Eau  de  luce,  however,  is 
now  generally  made,  in  large  quantities, 
by  first  preparing  a very  rich  tincture  of 
amber,  and  then  mixing  it  with  spirit 
of  sal  ammoniac  and  rectified  spirit  of 
wine.  To  make  a gallon  of  the  tincture 
of  amber — Put  half  an  ounce  of  oil  of  am- 
ber in  a bottle,  with  two  pounds  of  highly 
rectified  spirit  of  wine.  Let  them  remain 
five  dajs,  occasionally  shaking  the  bottle; 
and,  when  the  spirit  is  thus  become  strong- 
ly impregnated  with  the  oil,  add  two  ounces 
of  the  choicest  finely  powdered  amber, 
and  let  it  digest  three  days.  Thus  will 
be  produced  a peculiarly  rich  tincture  of 
amber,  the  clear  of  which  is  to  be  decanted 
for  use.  To  the  quantity  of  tincture  of 
amber  thus  prepared,  on  merely  adding 
eight  pounds  of  the  strongest  spirit  of  sal 
ammoniac,  with  four  pounds  of  highly 
rectified  spirit  of  wine,  and  combining 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK 


them  together  by  shaking  the  bottle,  the 
eau  deluce  will  be  instantly  produced.  It 
must,  of  course,  be  kept,  and  ought  to  be 
made,  in  glass  stopper  bottles,  like  all  other 
volatile  preparations.  Either  of  these  may 
be  considered  as  genuine  eau  de  luce:  but 
much  that  is  vended  under  that  name, 
seems  merely  spirit  of  sal  ammoniac,  mixed 
with;  common  oil  of  amber;  having,  per- 
haps, a little  camphorated  spirit  of  wine 
added,  or  some  cheap  odorous  essence. 

Strawberry  Ice  Cream. 

Pick  the  stalks  from  a pottle  of  fresh 
strawberries;  force  them  through  a sieve 
into  a bason  by  means  of  a wooden  spoon; 
add  a quarter  of  a pound  of  powdered  loaf 
sugar  and  a pint  of  cream;  and  mix  them 
well  together.  Put  the  whole  into  a freez- 
ing pot;  and,  covering  it  over,  set  it  in  a 
pail,  and  surround  it  entirely  with  ice. 
Strew,  on  the  ice,  plenty  of  salt,  and  keep 
turning  round  the  pot  for  about  ten  mi- 
nutes ; then,  opening  it,  scrape  it  from  the 
sides,  again  cover  it  up,  and  continue  turn- 
ing it  till  the  cream  become  like  butter. 
Next  put  it  in  the  moulds;  and  place  them 
in  a pail  covered  with  ice  and  salt,  for  con- 
siderably more  than  half  an  hour,  till  the 
water  mounts  near  the  top  of  the  pail:  then 
dip  the  mould  into  water,  turn  out  the  ice 
cream  on  a plate,  and  send  it  to  table. 
Care  must  be  taken  to  use  a very  sufficient 
quantity  of  salt,  without  which  it  will  not 
freeze.  When  the  fresh  fruit  is  not  to  be 
had,  two  table-spoonfuls  of  strawberry  jam, 
with  a pint  of  cream,  the  juice  of  a lemon, 
and  a little  cochineal  to  improve  the  colour, 
may  be  passed  through  a sieve,  frozen,  and 
served  up,  exactly  in  the  same  manner. 
Rasberry,  cherry,  currant,  and  even  bar- 
berry ice  creams,  may  also  be  made  pre- 


257 

cisely  in  the  same  ways,  with  obvious  pro- 
portionings  of  the  acids  and  sugar  to  the 
respective  fruits. 

Strawberry  Water  Ice. 

Pick  the  stalks  from  a pottle  of  straw- 
berries, and  press  them  through  a sieve 
into  a bason.  Then  add  a pint  and  a half 
of  water,  with  half  a pound  of  powdered 
loaf  sugar;  and,  after  well  mixing  them, 
pass  the  whole  through  a sieve,  freeze  it 
rich,  put  it  in  the  moulds,  and  serve  it  up. 
If  ices  are  not  thick  and  smooth  like  but- 
ter, they  must  have  a little  syrup  added, 
and  be  again  frozen,  before  they  go  into 
the  moulds.  When  strawberries  are  not 
in  season,  put  two  table-spoonfuls  of  straw- 
berry jam  into  the  bason;  and  add  the  juice 
of  a large  lemon,  with  a pint  and  a half 
of  water,  and  a little  cochineal:  then, 
straining  it  through  a sievp  which  will 
suffer  no  seeds  to  pass,  freeze  it,  and  serve 
it  up,  in  the  usual  way.  Red,  white,  and 
black  currants,  as  well  as  raspberries,  &c. 
may  be  water  iced  after  the  same  methods, 
with  the  respective  jams  or  fresh  fruits. 

Bunch  of  Grapes  Water  Ice. 

Pour  a pint  of  boiling  water  over  two 
or  three  handfuls  of  clary  or  elder  flowers, 
cover  them  up  close,  and  let  them  stand  to 
infuse  till  quite  cold.  Then,  draining  off 
all  the  liquor,  pour  it  on  about  six  ounces 
of  powdered  loaf  sugar,  and  squeeze  in  the 
juice  of  two  or  three  lemons.  Strain 
it  through  a sieve,  freeze  it,  and  fill  with  it 
the  mould,  or  shape,  of  a bunch  of  grapes. 
Cover  the  closed  mould  with  paper;  and 
let  it  stand  at  least  an  hour  in  the  ice  and 
salt  before  it  be  turned  out.  Other  shapes 
may  be  thus  filled,  with  ices  flavoured  like 
the  fruits  represented. 

3 T 


255 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Simple  French  Remedy  for  Sir ellcd  Faces. 

The  following  easy  remedy  will  be  found 
very  beneficial  in  those  defluxions  which 
so  often  and  so  painfully  inflate  the 
cheeks — Put  a quarter  of  a pound  of  fresh 
butter  into  a small  saucepan,  over  a gentle 
fire;  and,  when  it  begins  to  melt,  add  two 
table-spoonfuls  of  rose  water,  well  stirring 
and  mingling  them  together.  Rub  the 
affected  part  with  this  ointment,  quite  hot, 
three  or  four  times  a day,  till  the  swelling 
entirely  disappears.  In  some  very  stub- 
born cases,  bleeding  and  clysters  may  be 
necessary:  but  cathartics  are  to  be  avoided 
while,  the  defluxion  remains,  through  fear  of 
diverting  the  humours;  at  least,  the  French 
physicians  are  of  this  opinion. 

Glocestershire  Butter. 

THOUGH  Glocestershire  is,  certainly, 
less  extensively  famous  as  a butter  than 
as  a cheese  county,  the  name  of  Glocester 
butter  has  a celebrity  in  many  parts  of  the 
surrounding  country  nearly  equal  to  that 
of  Glocester  cheese  in  London.  In  the 
upper  vale  of  Glocester,  particularly,  milk 
butter  forms  a considerable  object  of  the 
dairy;  not  only  in  the  spring,  while  calves 
are  rearing,  before  cheese  making  com- 
mences, but  during  summer  also:  owing 
to  the  species  of  cheese,  called  two-meal 
cheese,  peculiar  to  the  vale  of  Glocester, 
where  it  is  universally  made;  and  for 
which  purpose  the  evening’s  meal  of  milk 
being  set  for  cream,  and  skimmed  in  the 
morning,  is  added  to  the  morning’s  meal 
neat  from  the  cow.  There  are,  of  course, 
some  variations  in  different  districts,  and 
even  in  different  dairies  of  the  same  dis- 
trict; but  the  following  is  an  accurate  and 
minute  detail  of  the  best  general  practice 


— The  prevailing  rule  is,  to  set  the  nnik  as 
shallow  as  it  can  be  skimmed;  and,  with 
the  assistance  of  a tin  skimming  dish,  and 
a steady  hand,  the  most  skilful  dairy  wo- 
men can  skim  at  only  an  inch  deep,  but 
an  inch  and  a half  is  the  commonest  depth. 
The  cream  is  preserved  in  earthen  jars, 
where  it  is  stirred  several  times  a day  with 
a cream  slice;  having,  from  it’s  superior 
richness,  a peculiar  propensity  to  becoming 
curdy,  and  requiring  some  strength  of  hand 
to  stir  it.  If  the  weather  be  hot,  the  churn- 
is  prepared  by  a previous  cooling  with  cold 
water;  and,  sometimes,  cold  water  is  also 
put  into  the  churn  among  the  cream:  in 
cold  weather,  the  churn  is  warmed  with 
scalding  water ; and,  sometimes,  hot  water 
is  also  put  into  the  churn,  which  is  likewise, 
in  very  severe  weather,  placed  near  the 
fire  during  the  operation.  The  cream, 
owing  to  it’s  great  richness,  being  very 
liable  to  rise  while  churning,  part  of  it  is, 
in  such  case,  taken  out;  and,  on  the  rest 
I going  down,  again  added.  In  autumn, 
when  butter  generally  becomes  pale,  and 
tallow  like,  the  cream  is  not  unfrequently 
coloured  with  a preparation  cf  annotta 
before  it  be  put  into  the  churn.  The 
mouth  of  the  churn  is  always  sec  ured  with 
butter  pressed  into  the  joints,  which  is  con- 
sidered as  less  troublesome  than  a cloth. 
The  breaking  is  carefully  attended  to-; 
heating  the  butter  in  the  churn  being 
thought  highly  injurious.  In  making  up 
the  butter,  their  first  care  is,  to  prepare  the 
several  utensils;  these  are,  the  butter  skeel, 
the  butter  board,  the  print,  and  the  trowel. 
To  prevent  the  butter  from  hanging  or 
adhering  to  the  wood,  it  is  first  scalded 
with  water;  and  then  has  salt  brushed  in, 
while  it  is  moist  and  hot,  with  a solt  thick 
set  brush;  the  salt  being  either  put  on  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


brush,  or  dusted  over  the  utensil;  which 
is,  immediately  after,  plunged  into  cold 
water.  Exactly  in  the  same  manner,  the 
dairy  woman  prepares  her  own  hands. 
The  butter  being  now  taken  out  of  the 
churn,  and  placed  in  the  skeel  with  a quan- 
tity of  cold  water,  somewhat  more  than  a 
pound  is  broken  off,  and  kneaded  in  the 
water  with  one  hand  ; the  fincers  of  which 
are  widely  spread,  and  then  closed,  re- 
peatedly, to  break  the  butter,  and  give  the 
milk  an  opportunity  of  escaping.  Each 
time  the  fingers  are  closed,  the  lump  is 
rolled  on  the  bottom  of  the  skeel,  the  hand 
being  shifted  so  as  to  take  the  lump  the  con- 
trary way,  and  then  worked  as  before.  This 
having  been  several  times  repeated,  the 
first  roll  is  placed  on  the  butter  board,  and 
a fresh  lump  broken  off.  When  the  whole 
has  been  in  the  same  manner  prepared, 
the  milky  water  is  poured  into  the  tub 
of  butter  milk;  and,  the  skeel  being  wash- 
ed, has  somewhat  more  than  half  the  but- 
ter spread  thinly,  and  evenly,  but  with  a 
rough  surface,  over  the  bottom.  On  this 
rough  surface,  a little  salt  is  dusted,  the 
remaining  lumps  of  butter  are  spread  over 
the  salt,  and  a little  more  salt  is  strewed 
on  the  whole.  It  is  then  rolled  into  a 
single  lump,  and  broken  down  immediately 
with  the  palm  of  the  hand;  the  lingers 
being  expanded  as  before,  the  butter  forced 
forward,  and  the  fingers  partially  closed 
at  every  stroke,  till  the  butter  is  left  ex- 
ceedingly rough  spread  over  the  bottom 
of  the  skeel.  Fresh  water  is  now  poured 
over  this  rugged  surface,  and  the  butter 
again  rolled  up  into  one  large  lump: 
when  the  breaking  of  it  down,  working 
it,  and  forming  it  into  one  large  roll, 'is 
repeated;  till,  at  length,  it  is  broken  into 
pound  lumps,  and  finally  kneaded  in  fresh 


259 

water  as  at  first.  The  lumps  being  now 
placed,  a second  time,  on  the  butter  board, 
over  which  water  is  previously  thrown, 
they  are  separately  kneaded  with  one  hand 
on  the  bottom  of  the  dry  skeel,  and  set 
against  it’s  side  in  short  rolls.  The  butter 
scales  are  then  taken  out  of  the  salt  water 
in  which  they  had  been  immersed  from  the 
time  of  it’s  being  first  poured  out  of  the 
skeel,  and  balanced  even  with  some  of  the 
butter;  when  the  lumps  are  divided,  and 
weighed  in  half  pound  pieces.  These  are 
prepared  for  printing,  by  kneading  them 
dry  at  the  bottom  of  the  skeel,  and  mould- 
ing each  into  a conical  form;  effected  with 
the  palm  of  the  hand,  the  fingers  being 
joined  and  set  at  right  angle  to  the  palm 
The  point  of  the  cone  thus  formed  is  placed 
in  the  centre  of  the  print,  and  the  base 
pressed  down  till  the  surface  of  the  print 
be  covered;  whatever  presses  over  at  the 
edges  being  collected,  by  running  the 
finger  round  the  print,  and  put  on  the 
intended  bottom  of  the  pat.  The  sides 
are  finally  smoothed  with  the  butter  trowel; 
and  the  pat,  with  the  print,  set  on  the 
board:  the  print  is  then  taken  off,  leaving 
the  pat  about  four  inches  diameter  and 
about  an  inch  and  a half  thick.  If  the 
print  does  not  loose,  as  they  term  it,  freoljr; 
the  hand  is  placed  carefully  and  firm ly 
against  the  side  of  the  pat,  that  a degree 
of  purchase  may  be  gained  for  pulling: 
and  if,  after  all,  the  butter  in  any  degree 
adheres  to  the  wood,  the  print  is  again 
scalded,  salted,  and  brushed,  till  it  loosens 
freely;  the  indelicacy  of  blowing,  as  prac- 
tised in  most  other  places,  being  here  never 
suffered.  The  pats  generally  remain  all 
night  on  the  board,  to  stiffen;  and,  the 
following  morning,  are  placed  in  cold  wa- 
ter, previously  to  their  Deing  put  into  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


260 

baskets  for  sale.  The  butter  markets  of 
the  upper  vale  are,  chiefly,  Glocester,  Chel- 
tenham, Tewkesbury,  and  Evesham;  that  of 
Glocester  is,  perhaps,  the  neatest  in  the 
united  kingdom.  The  blitter  is  all  packed  in 
a sort  of  long  square  basket, with  a bow  han- 
dle across  the  middle;  and  with  two  lids, 
hinged  on  a cross  piece  under  the  bow.  A 
basket,  eighteen  by  fourteen  inches  within, 
and  about  ten  deep,  holds  twelve  prints  in 
one  layer  or  tier,  four  by  three  : when, 
therefore,  the  butter  is  firm,  three  layers, 
or  eighteen  pounds,  are  put  in  each  bas- 
ket; but,  when  soft,  only  two,  or  twelve 
pounds.  Baskets  of  a larger  size,  but  less 
common,  carry  thirty  pounds.  In  summer, 
the  butter  is  invariably  packed  with  green 
leaves  ; generally,  in  what  they  call  butter 
leaves.  These  are  the  leaves  of  the  artiplex 
liortensis,  or  garden  orach,  which  the  dairy 
women  sow  annually  in  their  gardens  for 
this  purpose;  they  are  sufficiently  large, 
of  a fine  texture,  and  of  a delicately  pale 
green  colour.  Vine  leaves,  and  leaves  of  i 
kidney  beans,  &c.  are  also  occasionally 
used.  The  bottom  of  every  butter  basket 
is  bedded  with  a thick  cloth  two  or  three 
times  folded,  and  overspread  with  a fine, 
thin,  gauze-like  cloth,  which  has  been  dip- 
ped in  cold  water;  on  this  are  placed  the 
prints  or  pats  of  butter,  with  a large  leaf 
beneath  each,  and  another  on  the  centre 
of  the  top.  A fold  of  the  cloth  being  spread 
over  the  first  layer,  another  tier  is  set  in, 
and  covered  in  the  same  manner.  At  mar- 
ket, the  cloth  is  removed,  and  the  prints, 
thus  partially  covered  with  leaves,  are  dis- 
played in  all  their  neatness.  The  leaves 
are  not  only  pleasing,  but  useful : they 
serve  as  guards  to  the  butter;  which  is 
thus  taken  out  of  the  basket,  as  well  as  put 
into  it,  without  being  touched,  or  having 


the  prints  at  all  disfigured.  Even  the  ge- 
neral mode  of  carrying  this  butter  to  mar- 
ket, merits  particular  notice — The  basket 
is  put  into  a kind  of  open  wallet,  with  a 
smaller  basket,  or  some  other  such  coun- 
terpoise, at  the  opposite  end  of  the  wallet; 
which  being  strapped  tightly  to  a saddle 
judiciously  made  for  the  purpose,  with  the 
heavy  end  on  the  off  side  of  the  horse,  the 
dairymaid  mounts,  and  preserves  the  ba- 
lance by  her  own  weight:  while  the  bas- 
ket being  lashed  on  so  as  to  ride  perfectly 
level,  the  prints  of  butter  are  securely  pre- 
served from  bruising. 

Glocester  Cheese. 

The  county  of  Glocester  has  long  been 
celebrated  for  it’s  excellency  in  the  art  of 
making  cheese;  “ and  where,”  says  Mr. 
Marshall,  one  of  the  most  intelligent  of 
all  writers  on  rural  affairs,  “ shall  we  study 
an  art  with  so  much  propriety,  as  in  the 
place  where  it  excels?”  It  is  to  the  labours 
of  this  gentleman  that  we  owe  the  power 
of  giving  a satisfactory  and  scientific  ac- 
count of  the  best  general  practice  of  the 
Glocestershire  dairies,  in  the  different  dis- 
tricts. In  the  lower  vale  of  Glocestershire, 
the  milk  is  run  neat  from  the  cow:  in  the 
upper,  as  stated  in  the  process  for  making 
Glocestershire  butter,  the  evening’s  milk 
is  generally  set  for  cream;  and,  on  it’s 
being  skimmed  next  morning,  it  is  added 
to  the  new  milk  of  the  morning’s  meal. 
The  practice  of  the  lower  vale,  in  making 
cheese  from  the  neat  milk,  produces  what 
is  called  one-meal  cheese,  or  the  best  mak- 
ing; that  made  from  the  mixture,  com- 
monly adopted  in  the  upper  vale,  is  de- 
nominated two-meal  cheese.  From  the  be- 
ginuingof  May, to  the  latter  end  of  October, 
including  a period  of  seven  months,  may 


96 1 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


be  considered  as  the  Glocestershire  season 
of  cheesemaking.  A little  fraud  is  suspected 
to  be  commonly  practised,  with  regard  to 
the  preparation  of  unskimmed  milk  for  the 
two  meal  cheese;  however,  it  is  generally 
of  a tolerably  fair  quality.  The  practice 
of  giving  a yellow  colour  to  cheese,  is  now 
scarcely  to  be  considered  as  a deception; 
which,  originally,  it  certainly  was.  On  some 
soils,  and  in  some  seasons,  cheese  naturally 
acquires  a yellow  colour;  and,  doubtless, 
such  cheese  having  been  found  to  bear, 
either  from  it’s  intrinsic  superior  goodness, 
or  more  pleasing  appearance  to  the  eye, 
a better  price  than  cheese  of  a paler  colour, 
the  Glocestershire  dairy  women  soon  found 
a method  of  counterfeiting  nature,  which 
is  become  every  w here  a general  practice. 
The  method  of  using  a preparation  of  an- 
notta,  as  sold  by  every  druggist  for  this 
purpose,  is  by  rubbing  a piece  of  it,  wretted 
with  milk,  against  a hard  and  smooth  peb- 
ble, or  other  stone  of  an  even  surface; 
and,  as  the  stone  becomes  loaded,  the  pieces 
of  colouring,  as  it  is  called,  are  dipped  in 
a dish  of  milk  usually  placed  on  the 
cheese  ladder,  till  all  of  it  appears  suf- 
ficiently coloured.  The  stone  and  the  co- 
louring being  washed  clean  in  the  milk,  it 
is  stirred  briskly  about,  left  a few  minutes  to 
settle,  and  returned  into  the  cheese  cowl 
from  whence  it  was  taken,  carefully  leav- 
ing behind  all  the  sediment;  which  is 
then  rubbed  with  the  finger  against  the 
bottom  of  the  dish,  fresh  milk  being  added, 
till  all  the  finer  particles  are  suspended. 
In  this  consists,  principally,  the  skill  in 
colouring;  for,  if  any  fragments  have  been 
broken  oft  during  the  operation,  they  re- 
main at  the  bottom  of  the  dish.  The  ex- 
pence of  the  colouring  is  not  reckoned 
more  than  about  a halfpenny  for  each  thin 


cheese  of  ten  or  twelve  pounds  Weight. 
The  universal  basis  of  the  rennet  for  coa- 
gulating or  turning  the  milk  is  the  stomach 
of  a calf,  provincially  called  a veil;  from 
this,  an  extract  is  drawn,  in  various  ways, 
according  to  the  judgment  of  the  dairy 
woman.  London  and  Ireland  furnish 
them  with  great  numbers  of  veils;  which 
are  brought  thither  in  casks,  in  pickle, 
and  sold  by  the  grocers  and  other  shop-- 
keepers. At  a few  of  the  best  dairies,  thev 
merely  steep  the  veils  in  cold  water  with 
salt;  but  the  most  prevailing  method  is, 
to  salt  some  whey  till  it  will  bear  an  egg, 
and  let  it  stand  all  night  to  purge  itself; 
in  the  morning,  it  is  skimmed,  racked  off 
clear,  and  has  an  equal  quantity  of  w'ater 
brine  added.  Into  this  briny  mixture  are 
thrown  some  sw-eet  briar,  thyme,  hyssop;  or 
other  sweet  herbs,  tied  up  in  bunches;  also 
a little  black  pepper,  saltpetre,  &c.  which 
remain  a few  days  in  the  brine.  Four 
English  veils,  or  five  or  six  Irish  smaller 
ones,  the  latter  supposed  sometimes  to  be 
those  of  lambs,  are  put  into  about  six  quarts 
of  this  liquor;  and,  having  soaked  in  it  three 
or  four  days,  the  rennet  is  fit  for  use.  No  part 
of  the  preparation  is  boiled,  or  even  heated, 
as  is  the  practice  in  some  countries.  In 
running,  as  in  every  other  stage  and  de- 
partment of  cheesemaking,  there  are  shades 
of  difference  in  the  practices  of  different 
dairy  w omen.  The  quantity  of  curd  is 
considered  as  proportioned  to  the  length 
of  the  time  of  the  coagulation ; there  being, 
they  say,  the  least  curd,  when  it  is  longest 
in  coming.  They  think,  that  setting  the 
milk  hot,  inclines  the  cheese  to  heave;  and, 
that  lowering  the  heat  of  the  milk  with 
cold  water,  when  made  too  hot,  has  a si- 
milar effect.  Part  of  the  milk  being  warm- 
ed to  give  the  whole  a dud  degree  of  tem- 
3 U 


262 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


perature  in  the  cowl,  it  is  coloured,  has 
an  estimated  sufficiency  of  rennet  added, 
and  is  stirred  and  mixed  evenly  together, 
the  heat  of  the  mixture  being  about  eighty- 
five  to  ninety  degrees  of  Fahrenheit’s  the-r- 
mometer.  The  cheese  cowl  is  then  com- 
monly covered;  but,  if  the  weather  be 
tolerably  warm,  it  is  placed  near  an  open 
door.  The  curd  sometimes  comes  in  even 
less  than  three  quarters  of  an  hour;  but, 
more  generally,  the  time  is  from  one  hour 
to  an  hour  and  a half.  From  particular 
instances,  it  appears  that  it  is  not  the  heat 
of  the  milk  when  run,  but  the  heat  of  the 
whey  when  the  curd  is  sufficiently  coagu- 
lated, which  gives  the  quality  of  the  curd; 
and  it  was  found,  that  the  milk  heated  to 
eighty-eight  degrees,  and  the  curd  when 
mixed  exactly  eighty,  and  coming  in  just 
an  hour  and  a half,  was  peculiarly  delicate. 
The  heat  of  the  milk  is  varied,  according 
to  the  warmth  or  coldness  of  the  weather: 
but,  be  the  state  of  the  air  what  it  may, 
when  the  curd  is  sufficiently  coagulated, 
the  heat  of  the  whey  is  found  to  be  exactly 
at  eighty,  though  produced  by  the  excel- 
lence and  exactness  of  practice,  without  a 
thermometer  or  any  other  artificial  help. 
Scientific  aids,  however,  are  evidently  ne- 
cessary, to  produce  uniform  success.  The 
whey,  at  more  than  eighty,  becomes  tough- 
er and  harder  than  it  should  be.  The 
operation,  called  breaking  the  curd,  is  per- 
formed by  cutting  it  with  a triple  cheese 
knife,  to  keep  the  fat  in  the  cheese;  draw- 
ing the  knife  across  the  cowl,  to  it’s  full 
depth,  in  two  or  three  places,  and  likewise 
round  by  it’s  sides,  lor  the  whey  to  escape 
as  clear  as  possible.  When  it  has,  for  this 
purpose,  stood  from  five  to  ten  minutes, 
the  knife  is  drawn  briskly  in  every  direc- 
tion, till  the  upper  part  of  the  curd  be  all 
cut  into  small  chequers.  The  bottom  is 


then  stirred  up,  with  the  dish  in  the  left 
hand;  and,  while  the  lumps  are  suspended 
in  the  whey,  they  are  cut  with  the  knife 
in  the  right:  thus,  the  curd  is  continued 
to  be  stirred  up  with  the  dish,  and  the 
lumps  to  be  separated  with  the  knife,  till 
not  a lump  bigger  than  a bean  is  seen  to 
rise  on  the  surface.  The  gathering  of  the 
curd  does  not  commence  till  it  has  had  at 
least  half  an  hour  to  settle;  when  the  whey 
is  laded  off  with  the  dish,  and  passed 
through  a hair  sieve  into  another  vessel. 
As  soon  as  the  greater  part  of  the  whey 
has  been  thus  laded  off,  the  curd  is  drawn 
to  one  side  of  the  cowl,  and  pressed  hard 
with  the  bottom  of  the  dish;  the  skirts  and 
edges  are  cutoff  with  any  common  knife; 
and  the  cuttings,  being  laid  on  the  prin- 
cipal mass,  are  carried  with  it,  among  the 
remaining  whey,  round  the  tub,  to  gather 
up  the  scattered  fragments.  The  whole 
being  collected*  the  remaining  whey  is  all 
laded  or  poured  off,  and  the  curd  left  in 
one  mass  at  the  bottom  of  the  cowl.  It  is 
here  the  invariable  practice,  to  scald  the 
curd ; and,  the  mass  being  first  broken, 
by  cutting  it  into  square  pieces  with  a com- 
mon knife,  and  then  reducing  it,  with  the 
triple  cheese  knife,  into  fragments  mostly 
as  small  as  peas,  the  scalding  stuff  is  thrown 
among  them,  and  the  whole  stirred  briskly 
about,  till  it  be  mixed  together  as  effectual- 
ly and  evenly  as  this  method  of  scalding 
admits.  The  liquid  made  use  of  for  scald- 
ing: the  curd  varies  in  different  districts. 
Some  scald  with  whey,  violently  objecting 
to  water;  some  use  water,  objecting  .with 
equal  violence  to  whey;  while  the  gene- 
rality mix  the  two  articles  together  in  ar- 
bitrary proportions.  The  regular  quan- 
tity of  the  scalding  stuff,  whichever  it  be, 
is  a sufficiency  to  float  the  curd,  and  ren- 
der the  mixture  easily  stirred  about  with 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


263 


the  dish;  and,  what  is  highly  worthy  of 
remark,  part  of  this  liquid  being  heated 
nearly  boiling  hot,  for  the  cheese  would  be 
ruined  if  the  liquor  were  quite  boiled,  it 
is  lowered  with  cold  to  a heat  proportioned 
to  the  state  of  the  curd;  soft  curd  being 
scalded  with  the  hotter  liquor,  hard  curd 
with  the  coolest.  In  scalding,  therefore, 
a remedy  presents  itself  for  any  error  in 
the  process  of  coagulation;  whether  the 
curd  come  too  soft,  or  too  hard,  it  can  be 
brought  to  the  texture  desired  by  the  heat 
of  the  scalding  liquid.  The  superior  skill 
of  the  Glocestershire  dairy  woman  is  in 
this  principally  manifest;  for,  by  running 
the  milk  cool,  she  can,  in  scalding,  rectify 
any  mistake  which  has  been  committed  in 
running.  In  some  dairies,  the  curd  being 
thus  roughly  mixed  and  agitated  among 
the  scalding  liquid,  it  is,  after  having  afew 
minutes  to  subside,  immediately  laded  off; 
generally,  however,  it  is  suffered  to  remain 
about  half  an  hour.  Being  then  mostly  i 
laded  off,  a vat  is  placed  on  the  cheese  | 
ladder,  and  laid  across  the  tub.  Into  this 
vat  the  curd  is  crumbled  with  the  hands, 
every  lump  being  scrupulously  broken; 
the  whey  is  squeezed  out  as  the  handfuls 
are  taken  up,  which  are  again  pressed  by 
the  hands  in  the  vat;  and  the  vat,  occa- 
sionally, is  set  on  it’s  edge,  to  let  the  whey 
run  off,  till  it  become  as  full  and  firm  as  I 
the  hand  alone  can  make  it,  and  rounded 
up  to  a considerable  height  in  the  centre. 

A cheese  cloth  is  then  spread  over  it,  and 
the  curd  turned  out  into  the  cloth;  while 
the  vat,  being  washed,  or  rather  dipped,  in 
the  whey,  the  inverted  mass  of  curd,  with 
the  cloth  beneath,  is  returned  into  it.  The 
angles  formed  by  the  bottom  of  the  vat  are 
pared  ofl,  and  crumbled  on  the  top;  with 
which  they  are  incorporated  by  partially 


breaking  the  surface,  and  rounded  up. 
in  the  middle  as  before.  The  cloth  being 
then  folded  over,  and  tucked  in,  the  vat, 
with  it’s  contents,  is  placed  in  the  press. 
It  is  remarkable  that,  in  the  Glocestershire 
dairies,  be  the  number  of  vats  what  they 
may,  only  one  cheese  board  is  ever  used  ; 
the  bottoms  of  the  vats,  all  made  smooth 
and  even,  answering  the  purpose  of  cheese- 
boards  to  each  other,  so  that  the  uppermost 
alone  requires  any  board:  nor  are  sinking 
boards  employed,  as  in  all  other  parts  of 
the  kingdom;  the  vats  being  rounded  up 
with  curd  in  such  a manner  as  is  experi- 
mentally known  just  to  fill  them  when  suf- 
ficiently pressed.  The  spare  curd,  or  over- 
flowings of  the  last  vat,  are  mixed  up  with 
that  of  the  next  day;  and,  when  the  quan- 
tity is  considerable,  as  four  or  five  pounds, 
is  frequently  made  into  a small  cheese  for 
the  Glocester  market,  and  sold  in  a recent 
state,  from  three  weeks  to  two  months  old, 
for  about  three  pence  a pound.  Where 
this  is  not  done,  the  spare  curd  is  often 
put  into  an  earthen  vessel,  covered  with 
cold  water,  thoroughly  rescalded  once  or 
twice  next  morning,  broken  as  fine  as  pos- 
sible, and  either  mixed  evenly  with  the 
fresh  curd,  or  put  into  the  middle  of  a 
fresh  cheese.  This  last  method  is,  however, 
u ith  great  reason,  objected  to  by  the  fac- 
tors; as  forming,  in  the  centre  of  the  cheese, 
a harsh,  crumbly,  ill  tasted  seam:  a dis- 
agreeable effect,  too  frequently  perceived 
on  cutting  a Glocester  cheese.  Even  mix- 
ing the  stale  curd  more  evenly  is  little  less 
unpleasant;  as  those  particles,  ripening 
faster  than  the  rest  of  the  cheese,  render 
it  at  once  unsightly  and  ill  flavoured-  As 
cheeses  intended  for  the  factors  are  obliged 
to  be  of  some  certain  size,  it  is  impossible, 
m small  dairies,  to  avoid  frequently  having 


264 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


spare  curd;  but,  b}'  a proper  number  and 
assortment  of  vats,  it  might, in  large  dairies, 
generally  be  avoided,  and  the  cheeses  still 
be  within  .size.  When  the  vat  has  stood 
two  or  three  hours  in  the  press,  it  is  taken  j 
out,  the  cheese  cloth  is  pulled  off  and 
washed,  and  the  cheeseling,  as  it  is  now 
called,  being  turned  into  the  same  cloth  ■ 
and  vat,  the  latter  cleaned  and  the  former 
spread  under  and  folded  over  as  before,  it 
is  again  put  into  the  press.  About  five  or 
six  o’clock  in  the  evening,  it  is  again  taken 
out  of  the  press;  the  angles  are  pared  off,  if 
necessary ; and,  being  placed  on  the  inverted 
vat,  a handful  of  salt  is  rubbed  hard  round 
it’s  edge,  leaving  as  much  as  will  adhere 
to  the  surface:  another  handful  of  salt  is 
strewed  on  the  upper  side,  and  rubbed 
over  tolerably  hard,  leaving  also  as  much 
as  will  stick  on  while  turning;  and,  being 
accordingly  turned  into  the  vat  without 
any  cloth,  a similar  quantity  of  salt  is  rub- 
bed on  the  now  upper  side,  and  it  is  again 
put  into  the  press.  It  is  turned,  next 
morning,  in  the  vat;  and,  in  the  evening, 
again.  Early  the  day  following,  it  is  ta- 
ken finally  out,  and  placed  on  the  dairy 
shelf.  Each  cheese,  therefore,  stands  just 
forty-eight  hours  in  the  press.  The  young 
cheeses  on  the  dairy  shelves  are  turned 
every  day,  or  every  two  or  three  days; 
according  to  the  state  of  the  weather,  or 
the  fancy  or  judgment  of  the  dairy  woman: 
if  the  air  be  harsh  and  dry,  the  window 
and  door  are  kept  generally  shut;  if  close 
and  moist,  as  much  fresh  air  as  possible  is 
admitted.  Having  remained  about  ten 
days  in  the  dairy,  they  are  washed  and 
scraped : a large  tub  of  cold  whey  is,  for 
this  purpose,  placed  on  the  dairy  floor, 
into  which  the  cheeses  are  plunged,  and 
where  they  remain  an  hour  or  more,  till 


the  rind  becomes  supple;  when  they  are 
taken  out,  and  scraped  singly  with  a com- 
mon somewhat  blunted  knife,  judiciously 
guided,  by  placing  the  thumb  hard  against 
it’s  side,  so  as  to  avoid  injuring  the  yet  ten- 
der rind,  till  the  cloth  marks  and  every  other 
roughness  are  not  only  done  way,  but  the 
edges  in  particular  are  left  with  a neat  polish. 
They  are  then  rinsed  in  the  whey,  wiped 
with  a cloth,  and  formed  into  a pile  after 
the  manner  of  piling  raw  bricks,  in  the 
dairy  window,  or  some  other  open  place, 
j till  dry  enough  to  be  deposited  in  the  cheese 
chamber.  The  floor  of  this  room,  or  cham- 
ber, is  generally  prepared  for  receiving  the 
cheeses,  by  rubbing  it  with  bean  tops, 
potatoe  haulm,  or  other  green  and  suc- 
culent herbage;  but,  though  thus  purposely 
rendered  black,  if  any  dirt  or  roughness 
appear  on  the  boards,  it  is  scraped  off  with 
a knife,  and  they  are  swept  clean  with  a 
hair  broom.  The  cheeses  being  regularly 
placed,  in  rows,  on  their  flat,  they  are 
turned  twice  a week,  have  their  edges 
wiped  hard  with  a cloth  once  a week,  and 
the  floor  itself  is  cleansed  and  rubbed  with 
fresh  herbs  every  fortnight.  If  the  cheese 
chamber  be  too  small  for  the  whole  to  be 
placed  singly,  the  oldest  are  doubled,  or 
even  put  what  is  called  three  or  four  double. 
It  is  curious  to  observe,  how  soon  these 
cheeses  bear  handling:  even  at  the  time 
of  washing,  the  dairy-woman  frequently 
sets  the  cheese  she  is  scraping  on  it’s  edge 
over  another,  which  is  laying  flat  on  the 
table,  without  it’s  receiving  the  smallest 
injury;  and,  at  a month  old,  they  may  be 
thrown  about  as  old  cheeses,  their  rinds 
being  apparently  as  tough  as  leather.  This 
cannot  be  owing  to  their  poverty,  for  they 
are  evidently  richer  or  fatter  than  most 
other  cheeses;  it  is,  probably,  the  effect 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


265 


of  the  scalding.  Tn  summer,  and  early  au- 
tumn, the  cheese  factors  will  take  them  down 
to  six  weeks  old:  provided  they  be  sound, 
firm,  marketable  cheeses;  that  is,  neither 
broken,  nor  hoven.  This  last  defect  not 
even  the  best  dairy  women  can  always 
prevent:  during  winter,  however,  if  their 
coats  be  perforated,  for  the  internal  air  to 
escape,  the  hoven  or  swollen  part  of  the 
cheese  will  generally  go  down;  and  it  will, 
consequently,  become  marketable  in  the 
spring.  Most  of  the  two-meal  cheese  is 
consumed  in  the  adjacent  manufacturing 
counties;  but  some  goes  to  the  London 
market,  where  it  is  often  sold  under  the  de- 
nomination of  Warwickshire  cheese,  &c. 
The  size,  generally,  what  are  denominated 
tens;  that  is,  ten  to  the  hundred  weight, 
or  from  eleven  to  twelve  pounds  each. 

Double  Berkeley  Cheese,  commonly  called 
Double  Glocester. 

The  district  or  hundred  of  Berkeley, 
forming  a considerable  part  of  Glocester- 
shire,  called  the  Vale  of  Berkeley,  has  ever 
been  celebrated  for  the  superior  quality 
of  it’s  cheese.  What,  in  the  kingdom  at 
large,  is  denominated  the  best  Glocester 
cheese,  and  particularly  double  Glocester, 
is  always  called,  in  Glocestershire,  double 
Berkeley;  not  mare,  on  account  of  it’s 
superior  quality,  than  because  the  principal 
part  of  the  thick  or  double  cheese  of  Glo- 
cestershire is  made  within  this  district. 
They  make  large  quantities  of  whey  but- 
ter; but  very  little  butter  with  milk,  every 
pound  of  which  they  consider  as  plundering 
their  cheese.  The  Berkeley  cheese  is,  in 
respect  of  quality,  uniformly  new  milk, 
one-meal,  and  best  making:  in  size,  how 
ever,  it  varies;  being  made  both  double  and 
single,  or  thin  as  well  as  thick.  The  thin, 


when  ready  for  sale,  usually  weigh  from 
nine  to  twelve  pounds  each;  the  thick,  from 
fifteen  to  twenty-five.  The  width  of  the 
vats  is  the  same  for  both,  the  size  of  the 
respective  cheeses  being  only  varied  by 
thickness.  The  chief  season  for  making 
thin  cheese,  is  from  April  to  November ; 
but,  for  thick  or  double,  during  May, 
June,  and  the  beginning  of  July:  those 
made  later  in  the  summer  not  acquiring  a 
sufficient  degree  of  firmness  to  be  market- 
able the  ensuing  spring.  Though  the  milk 
is  said  to  be  seldom  quite  genuine,  it  still 
boasts,  even  thus  lowered,  such  extraor- 
dinary richness,  that  the  cheeses  made 
from  it  will  sometimes,  in  hot  weather, 
exude  an  oleaginous  liquid,  which  might 
be  collected  from  their  surfaces  in  spoon- 
fuls. Colouring  is,  here,  considered  as  an 
affair  of  the  first  importance ; and  it  is 
common  for  the  cheese  factor  himself  to 
supply  the  dairies  for  which  he  contracts 
with  the  best  colouring  matter  he  can  pro- 
cure for  that  purpose.  Much  has  been 
said  about  the  salubrity  of  these  colouring 
materials,  which  are  now  chiefly  annotta; 
but,  when  it  is  considered  that  there  are 
not  more  than  two  grains  of  colour  in  a 
pound  of  cheese,  there  seems  but  little 
occasion  for  exciting  any  alarm  on  this 
subject.  The  best  method  of  preparing 
the  veils,  is  merely  to  wash  them  perfectly 
clean,  salt  them,  and  lay  them  down  for  a 
few  days  in  an  earthen  dish;  then  to  take 
them  out,  drain  from  them  the  first  pickle,, 
resalt  them,  and  put  them  down  in  jars. 
They  are  seldom  used  under  a year;  and, 
sometimes,  not  till  two  or  three  years  old. 
There  are  numerous  receipts  for  preparing 
the  rennet,  and  scarcely  two  dairies  exactly 
agree  ou  this  subject.  In  one  of  the  very 
best,  when  the  veils  are  wanted  for  use, 

3 x 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


266 

they  generally  boil  a little  black  pepper  in 
salt  and  water,  and  put  them  in  cold  to  soak; 
adding  a lemon  stuck  with  cloves,  which  is 
thought  to  give  the  rennet  a quickness. 
The  veils,  however,  when  originally  well 
cured,  and  properly  kept,  on  being  put  into 
a little  cold  water  only,  have  been  known 
to  produce  as  good  cheese,  as  ever  was 
made  with  any  prepared  rennet  whatever. 
In  fact,  nothing  more  seems  necessary, 
than  to  take  away  the  natural  faint  odour 
of  the  veils,  that  the  rennet  may  be  per- 
fectly sweet.  Milk  immediately  from  the 
cow1,  is  here,  especially  during  summer, 
considered  as  much  too  warm  for  running; 
and,  therefore,  cold  water  is  frequently 
added,  where  there  is  not  sufficient  skim- 
med milk.  When  the  coagulation  begins 
to  take  place,  the  surface  is  frequently 
broken  with  a skimming  dish,  to  hasten 
the  curding;  particularly,  where  the  milk 
is  run  very  cool.  The  curd  is  then  broken 
with  a double  or  two-bladed  cheese  knife, 
and  also  with  the  hand,  keeping  it  in  mo- 
tion with  the  dish.  As  the  curd  settles, 
the  dairy  woman  keeps  collecting  it  with 
her  hands  to  one  side  of  the  cowl ; carry- 
ing the  mass  round  the  tub,  from  time  to 
time,  more  expeditiously  to  collect  the 
scattered  curd.  The  whey  is  laded  off 
into  a large  oval  tub,  that  it  may  stand  for 
cream.  The  skirts  of  the  large  mass  of 
curd  are  now  cut  off,  and  piled  with  the 
rest,  which  is  gashed  with  the  cheese  knife 
to  let  out  the  whey  shut  up  in  gathering. 
After  which,  the  remaining  whey  is  strain- 
ed, to  collect  the  particles  of  curd,  as  well 
as  to  leave  the  whey  clear  for  making  but- 
ter. The  curd,  thus  nearly  freed  from  the 
whole  of  it’s  whey,  is  next  put  into  naked 
vats;  and,  being  pressed  well  in  with  the 
hands,  rounded  up  in  the  middle,  and  hav- 


ing a loose  cloth  thrown  over  and  tucked 
in,  the  vats  are  set  in  the  press,  to  fore© 
out  what  remained.  Having  stood  a quar- 
ter of  an  hour  in  the  press,  it  is  turned 
again  into  the  cheese  tub,  broken  small 
with  the  hands,  and  cut  still  smaller  with 
the  double  knife.  In  this  state,  it  is  scalded 
with  water  lowered  with  whey;  all  whey, 
being  here  considered  injudicious,  from  an 
idea  that  whey  may  be  heated  till  it  become 
sour.  A pailful,  more  or  less,  of  this  liquor 
being  thrown  on  the  crumbled  curd,  the 
whole  is  briskly  stirred,  to  mix  the  curd 
and  scalding  stuff  evenly  together.  The 
heat  of  this  mixture,  rather  than  that  of 
the  scalding  liquid,  giving  the  texture  of 
the  curd,  it  is  the  most  judicious  practice 
to  keep  back  some  of  the  hot  liquor;  and, 
having  stirred  the  mixture,  to  add  or  with- 
old  it,  as  judgment  directs,  regulating  the 
heat  of  the  mixture  to  the  state  of  the 
curd.  When  it  has  stood  a few  minutes, 
for  the  curd  to  subside,  the  liquor  is  laded 
off,  and  the  curd  collected.  In  order  to 
vat  it,  an  assistant  takes  the  curd  out  of 
the  tub,  while  the  dairy  woman  or  mana- 
ger trims  it  into  the  vats;  both  pressing 
it  hard  with  their  hands,  to  free  it  as  much 
as  possible  from  the  scalding  liquor.  On 
the  vat’s  being  half  full,  about  an  ounce 
of  salt  is  scattered  over  the  surface,  and 
worked  in  among  the  curd;  after  which,  it 
is  filled  up.  The  mass,  in  the  mean  while,  is 
twice  or  thrice  turned  in  the  vat;  the  edges 
being  pared,  and  the  middle  rounded, 
each  time  of  turning.  It  is  then  taken  out 
of  the  vat  with  a cloth,  and  put  into  the 
press,  in  the  customary  way.  The  cheese 
presses  are  mostly  loaded  with  gravel  in 
cubical  boxes,  raised  by  rollers,  and  made 
to  fall  horizontally  on  the  cheeses.  Some 
are  double,  holding  six  or  eight  thin  cheeses 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


in  each  division.  The  very  large  dairies 
have  three  or  four  presses.  When  the 
vats  have  stood  about  an  hour  in  the  press, 
they  are  turned  into  finer  cloths;  and, 
about  two  hours  afterward,  salted  for  the 
first  time,  and  turned  into  the  same  cloths. 
In  the  evening,  those  made  in  the  morning 
are  again  turned,  as  well  as  again  salted; 
and  this  process  is  also  repeated  the 
next  morning:  the  surface  of  each  cheese 
being  salted  three  times,  beside  the  little 
strewed  among  the  curd.  In  the  evening, 
they  are  bare  vatted;  and,  the  following 
morning,  finally  taken  out.  Each  cheese, 
therefore,  stands  four  meals  in  the  press. 
In  large  dairies,  where  the  dairy-room 
shelves  are  not  sufficient  to  contain  all  the 
young  cheeses,  they  are  carried  from  the 
press  into  an  upper  room  fitted  up  with 
shelves  for  their  reception.  They  are  there 
commonly  turned  once  a day,  till  of  a suf- 
ficient texture  to  bear  the  operation  of 
washing,  which  takes  place  every  three, 
four,  or  five  weeks,  as  conveniency  or  want 
of  room  may  require.  At  some  dairies, 
water  is  used  in  preference  to  whey;  and, 
in  autumn,  it  is  moderately  warmed:  but, 
hot  water  is  thought  too  much  to  soften 
the  rind.  The  firmness  or  solidity  of  the 
cheeses  is  now  manifested  in  their  specific 
gravity  : if  they  sink  in  the  water,  they 
are  of  a sufficient  close  texture;  if  they 
swim,  they  are  hove.  By  this  last  pro- 
vincialism, is  to  be  understood,  that  they 
are  either  porous,  or  hollow  in  the  middle. 
Th  is,  though  a seemingly  simple  ordeal,  i 
is  regarded  as  a very  certain  one.  In  some  j 
dairies,  where  they  are  less  anxious  to  give  j 
their  cheeses  a blue  coat  than  to  decorate  1 
it  w ith  a lively  red  or  scarlet  tint,  the  floor  1 
is  only  rubbed  clean  with  a cloth  ; the  sue-  j 
culence  of  the  herbage,  however,  is  thought,  1 


267 

by  many,  not  only  favourable  to  the  pro- 
duction of  a good  blue  appearance,  but 
also  very  conducive  to  keeping  the  rind 
supple  and  free  from  cracks,  as  well  as  to 
the  prevention  or  destruction  of  mites. 
The  artificial  colouring  of  the  rind,  like 
that  of  the  internal  parts  of  cheese,  origi- 
nated in  attempts  to  give  a natural  appear- 
ance of  extraordinary  goodness  to  articles 
which  did  not  actually  possess  any  such 
superior  distinction.  As  the  effect  of  some 
peculiarly  favourable  soils  produced  a mel- 
low yellowness  in  the  cheese;  so  these  rich 
cheeses  were  observed  to  acquire,  by  age, 
a variegated  colour,  at  and  near  the  sur- 
face, which  became  clouded  with  red:  and 
this  appearance  is  not  unfrequently  observ- 
able in  Cheshire  cheese,  on  which  the  arts 
of  colouring  were,  till  lately,  scarcely  at  all 
practised . The  arts,  or  rather  artifices,  of  giv- 
ing these  characteristic  yellow  and  red  hues 
of  the  best  Glocester  cheese,  to  that  which 
has  not  naturally  these  advantages  of  ap- 
pearance, have  already  travelled  into  other 
counties.  The  internal  yellowing  has  been 
before  described,  and  the  external  redden- 
ing is  produced  by  a very  simple  operation. 
For  this  purpose,Spanish  brown,  andlndian 
pink,  are  sometimes  mixed,  and  at  others 
used  separately:  these,  after  the  cheeses 
have  been  cleaned,  are  either  dabbed  on 
wet  with  a cloth;  or,  while  the  surface  of 
the  cheese  is  moist,  thrown  on  it  dry,  and 
irregularly,  in  pinches,  rubbing.it  well  in 
with  the  hand.  This  last  is  generally  con- 
sidered as  the  neatest  mode.  From  the 
cheese  chamber,  they  are  removed  into 
other  rooms;  and  placed  on  their  edges 
in  rows,  or  put  into  piles  of  a height  pro- 
portioned to  the  state  of  dryness,  where 
they  remain  till  they  are  sent  to  market. 
Sometimes,  in  large  dairies,  almost  every 


268 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


room  ir>  the  house  is  occasionally  filled  with 
cheeses.  The  annual  average  of  Glocester 
cheese  produced  from  one  cow,  is  estimated 
with  all  possible  accuracy  at  three  hundred 
weight,  or  three  hundred  and  thirty-six 
pounds;  while,  from  the  whey,  there  is, 
during  the  season,  a calculated  weekly  pro- 
duce of  three  quarters  of  a pound  of  butter. 
Hence  appears,  in  a very  striking  point 
of  view,  the  value  of  this  most  incompar- 
able domestic  animal.  Though  Gloces- 
tershire  may  be  considered  as  the  parent 
county  of  all  our  mild  cheese,  it  has  not, 
of  late  years,  augmented  it’s  celebrity ; 
while  other  places,  and  particularly  North 
Wiltshire,  are  rapidly  rising  to  perfection. 

Glocestershire  Green  Cheese . 

The  method  of  making  sage  cheese  in 
Glocestershire,  there  constantly  called 
green  cheese,  is  as  follows — For  a cheese 
of  ten  or  twelve  pounds  weight,  about  two 
handfuls  of  sage,  and  one  of  marigold 
leaves  and  parsley,  are  bruised,  and  steeped 
all  night  in  milk.  On  the  following  day, 
the  greened  milk  is  strained  off,  and  mixed 
with  about  a third  part  of  the  quantity  to 
be  run:  the  green  and  the  white  milks  are 
then  run  separately;  the  two  curds  being 
kept  carefully  apart,  till  both  are  ready 
for  vatting.  The  peculiar  mode  of  mixing 
them,  depends  entirely  on  the  fancy  of  the 
maker : some  crumble  the  two  together, 
mixing  them  evenly  and  intimately;  others 
break  the  green  curd  into  irregular  frag- 
ments, or  cut  it  out  in  regular  figures  with 
tins  constructed  for  the  purpose.  In  vat- 
ting it,  the  fragments  or  figures  are  placed 
on  the  outsides;  the  bottom  of  the  vat  be- 
ing first  set  with  them,  and  crumbling  the 
white  or  the  yellowed  curd  among  them. 
As  the  vat  fills,  others  are  placed  at  the 


edges,  and  the  remainder  is  added  flush 
with  the  top.  The  after  treatment,  of 
course,  is  exactly  similar  to  that  of  plain 
cheeses,  as  described  in  the  two  preceding 
articles. 

When  Butler. 

It  is,  in  Glocestershire,  the  invariable 
practice,  to  set  whey  for  cream  ; and  the 
lower  classes  of  the  inhabitants  eat  little 
else  than  whey  butter  : which,  with  due 
cleanliness,  and  proper  management,  may 
be  made  perfectly  palatable;  and  is  in  every 
respect  preferable,  while  quite  fresh,  to 
the  milk  butter  of  some  poorer  soils.  The 
whey,  for  making  butter,  is  generally  set 
in  one  large  tub;  and  not,  like  the  milk, 
parcelled  out  thin.  The  process  of  ma- 
king it,  and  mode  of  taking  it  to  market, 
are  precisely  the  same  as  has  already  been 
particularly  described  with  regard  to  Glo- 
cestershire butter  in  general.  It  is  com- 
monly sold  at  one  third  less  than  the  mar- 
ket price  of  the  best  milk  butter. 

North  Wiltshire  Cheese. 

The  cheese  of  North  Wiltshire  is,  at 
present,  in  high  estimation  ; having  a rich- 
ness, and  at  the  same  time  a mildness, 
which  make  it  preferred,  by  many  persons, 
to  that  of  Glocestershire,  even  when  pro- 
duced by  the  celebrated  vale  of  Berkley. 
The  best  Berkeley  cheese,  indeed,  though 
of  the  first  quality  as  to  richness,  has  in 
general  a sharpness,  or  degree  of  pungen- 
cy, offensive  to  some  palates;  while,  how- 
ever, this  very  circumstance  renders  it 
much  coveted  bv  others.  Even  Cheshire 
cheese,  so  much  relished  by  many  for 
it’s  peculiarly  strong  flavour,  is  by  some 
considered  as  highly  disgusting  on  that 
very  account.  The  produce  of  each,  there- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


269 


fore,  may  be  truly  sa’ul,  to  have  it’s  pecu- 
liar excellence.  The  dairies  of  North 
Wiltshire  are  large,  several  of  them  a hun- 
dred cows  each.  The  favourite  species  of 
cow  is,  invariably,  the  long-horned  breed  ; 
many  of  which  are  purchased,  but  great 
numbers  are  every  year  bred.  The  dairy 
room,  or  building,  called  here  deyhouses, 
are  large  and  commodious  ; set  round 
with  presses,  and  whey  leads.  I he  floors 
are  stone  ; the  area  being  left  free  for  the 
cowls,  churns,  &c.  There  are  no  shelves. 
In  general,  they  have  outer  doors  opening 
under  a penthouse  or  open  slant  shed ; j 
which  not  only  affords  shade  and  shelter, 
but  gives  a degree  of  coolness.  A gate- 
like door  on  the  outside,  to  guard  against 
cats, dogs, and  poultry, yet  admit  a thorough 
air,  or  door  frames  covered  or  panneled 
with  canvas,  have  of  late  years  been  in- 
troduced at  some  dairies,  in  this  and 
other  parts  of  the  kingdom.  The  utensils 
are,  in  general,  similar  to  those  of  Gloces- 
tershire.  The  broad  vats,  like  them,  fif- 
teen inches  and  a half  diameter;  but  the 
loaf  vats,  from  ten  to  twelve  only,  and  four 
to  six  deep.  Both  are,  however,  mostly 
without  holes  at  the  bottom,  that  they  may 
longer  retain  the  brine.  The  cowl  is  pro- 
portioned to  the  size  of  the  dairy;  but 
where  one  of  about  four  feet  diameter  is 
not  sufficiently  large  to  contain  all  the  milk 
of  the  dairy,  two  are  generally  used,  the 
curds  of  both  being  mixed  and  broken  to- 
gether after  part  of  the  whey  is  laded  off.  i 
The  hours  of  milking  are  very  early:  in 
some  dairies,  and  in  the  middle  of  summer, 
the  cows  are  in  the  yard,  and  the  w hole  fa- 
mily up,  by  three  o’clock  in  the  morning. 
The  afternoon’s  milking  commences  at  the 
same  hour  as  that  of  the  morning  meal.  Ten 
cows  to  a milker  is  the  general  allowance ; 


in  large  dairies,  they  are  chiefly  labourers, 
with  their  wives  or  daughters.  The  cows 
are  milked  only  once  over;  being  never 
drawn  a second  time  at  a meal,  either  here 
or  in  Glocestershire.  The  species  of  North 
Wiltshire  cheese  are  various.  Soft  thin 
cheeses  are  made  early  in  the  spring,  and 
sent  up  weekly  to  London  ; while  some  dai- 
ries put  the  whole,  or  a princip  al  part,  of 
their  make  in  nets  : but  the  common  make 
of  the  country  consists  of  thin  cheese,  broad 
thick  cheese,  and  loaf  cheese.  The  broad 
thick,  as  well  as  the  thin,  are  similar  to  those 
of  the  Vale  of  Berkeley,  and  usually  sold  in 
London  as  double  and  single  Glocester.  It 
is  the  narrow  loaf  cheese  which  goes  under 
the  name  of  North  Wiltshire  cheese;  and 
which  has,  of  late  years,  become  so  high  in 
fashion,  as  to  fetch  sometimes  a guinea  a 
hundred  weight  more  than  thin  cheese  of 
the  same  or  perhaps  a superior  specific 
quality.  Every  one,  therefore,  who  can, 
with  any  degree  of  certainty,  makes  these 
loaf  cheeses:  but  they  want  more  skill,  and 
more  labour;  and  much,  after  all,  is  said  to 
depend  on  the  ground  from  which  they  are 
to  be  made.  They  demand,  too,  far  greater 
pr  ess  as  well  as  store  room  ; and,  w hat  is 
still  more  inconvenient  to  the  necessitous, 
who  suffer  in  all  competitions  with  the  opu- 
lent, requiring  a much  longer  time  to  ripen 
than  thin  cheeses,  they  do  not  come  so 
quick  to  market.  Some  who  cannot  make 
loaf  cheeses,  endeavour  to  make  thick, 
which  bear  a price  nearest  approaching 
that  of  loaves.  The  large  North  Wiltshire 
dairies  make  cheese  all  the  year  round, 
many  tons  being  annually  manufactured 
from  hay;  which,  if  good,  is  said  to  afford 
not  only  closer  but  richer  cheese  than 
grass.  Winter  made  cheese,  however,  is 
long  ripening,  and  very  liable  to  be  scurfy 
3 Y 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


270 


and  white  coated;  “but  time,”  ingeniously 
observes  Mr.  Marshall,  “ overcomes  one 
of  these  disadvantages,  and  a coat  of  red 
paint  the  other.”  The  specific  quality  of 
this  milk  is  not  here  debased,  as  in  the  Glo- 
cestershire  practice,  by  keeping  a little  out 
for  milk  butter,  which  these  cheese-makers 
never  sell.  The  annotta  for  colouring,  and 
method  of  using  it,  are  much  the  same  as 
in  Glocestershire : the  former  being  pre- 
pared expressly  for  the  purpose,  is  much 
improved,  and  communicates  a beautiful 
yellow  hue,  very  superior  to  the  redness 
produced  by  a superfluity  of  the  old  com- 
mon material.  Cheese  resembling  well  co- 
loured bees  wax,  will  fetch  some  shillings 
a hundred  more  than  when  either  a pale  or 
highly  reddened  colour.  The  usual  way, 
with  respect  to  rennet,  is  to  make,  at  once, 
as  in  most  other  places,  sufficient  to  last 
several  days,  weeks,  &c.  but,  in  one  par- 
ticular dairy,  where  some  of  the  very  best 
cheese  is  produced,  the  rennet  is  made  fresh 
every  day;  that  is,  fresh  brine  is  daily  ad- 
ded. More  than  two  veils,  in  Wiltshire 
called  rades,  are  never  suffered  to  lay  at 
once  in  the  jar;  and  the  oldest,  marked 
with  a skewer,  is  taken  out  the  instant  it 
grows  stale,  and  a fresh  one  added.  The 
milk  is  universally  run  of  the  heat  it  comes 
from  the  cow,  or  as  it  may  happen  to  be 
lowered  by'the  little  skimmed  milk  put  in; 
and  the  cowl  is  closely  covered  with  a thick 
woollen  cloth,  to  make  the  top  and  bottom 
come  together.  The  management  of  the 
curd  depends  on  the  sort  of  cheese  to  be 
made;  thick  cheeses  require  more  care  and 
labour  than  thin,  and  thick  less  than  loaves. 
These,  indeed,  put  in  requisition  all  the 
best  skill  and  industry  of  the  North  Wilt- 
shire dairy  women  ; who  particularly  excel 
in  this  part  of  the  process,  vv  hich  they  seem 


to  regard  as  constituting  the  chief  mystery 
of  the  art.  The  breaking  is  performed  en- 
tirely with  the  hand  and  the  dish,  no  knife 
whatever  being  used.  The  first  fracture 
is,  by  some,  very  cautiously  made,  either 
with  the  hand  or  the  dish  moved  gently  in 
the  centre  of  the  cowl ; dividing  the  curd 
into  large  fragments,  so  as  leisurely  to  let 
out  the  whey,  and  prevent  it’s  carrying  off 
the  fat  of  the  curd.  After  the  curd  has  sunk 
a little  way  down,  it  is  more  freely  broken  ; 
and,  having  stood  to  subside,  the  clear  whey 
on  the  top  being  in  the  mean  time  laded  off, 
it  is  reduced  to  a degree  of  fineness  pro- 
portioned to  the  species  of  cheese.  It  is 
broken,  for  thin  cheese,  as  fine  as  curd  ge- 
nerally is  divided  in  Glocestershire;  for 
thick,  still  finer;  and,  for  loaf  cheeses,  re- 
duced as  nearly  as  possible  to  atoms.  In 
some  dairies,  it  is  violently  agitated  among 
the  whey  with  the  hands;  throwing  it  up 
from  the  bottom  of  the  cowl,  and  making  it 
boil  up  at  the  top  like  a strong  spring  gush- 
ing out  from  below  the  surface.  This  prac- 
tice, which  is  called  beating,  though  disap- 
proved by  judicious  dairymen,  is  more  or 
less  used  by  most  dairy  women,  on  the  last 
breaking  in  of  the  whey.  The  common 
method  of  gathering  the  curd,  is  by  lading 
off’  the  whey  as  it  rises  ; and  pressing  down 
the  curd  with  the  back  of  the  lading  dish, 
to  sink  it  faster  and  render  it  more  firm. 
Some,  however,  instead  of  thus  pressing  it 
with  the  back,  gather  it  with  the  bowl  or 
hollow  of  the  dish,  to  one  side  of  the  cowl ; 
first  carrying  it  gently  round,  more  effec- 
tually to  collect  the  curd  : and,  by  these 
means,  get  the  w hey  off  much  clearer,  term- 
ed here  greener,  than  when  the  curd  is 
pressed  in  a soft  or  pappy  state,  which  cer- 
tainly tends  to  impoverish  the  cheese.  The 
whey  being  mostly  got  off,  it  is  the  com- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  271 


mon  practice  to  get  the  curd  into  a mass 
on  one  side,  by  heeling  the  cowl ; then,  re- 
placing it  upright,  cutting  oft  the  skirts  of 
this  mass,  piling  it  on  the  rest,  gashing  the 
whole  with  a long  knife,  lading  oft’  the 
whey,  and  sopping  up  dry  with  a cloth.  It 
is  then  pared  down  in  slices  of  about  an 
inch  thick,  which  are  piled  on  the  oppo- 
site side  the  cowl ; pressing  it  close,  at  in- 
tervals, and  gashing  it  with  the  knife,  more 
effectually  to  let  out  the  whey.  When  the 
whole  has  been  thus  gone  over,  the  whey 
by  this  means  extracted  is  laded  off,  and 
sopped  up  with  a cloth,  as  before.  This 
slicing,  piling,  gashing,  and  pressing,  is  in 
some  dairies  repeated  to  a fourth  time  ; 
thus  making  it,  in  a manner,  perfectly  free 
from  whey:  a practice,  perhaps,  peculiar 
to  North  Wiltshire.  Even  this  general 
excellent  method  of  freeing  the  curd  from 
the  whey,  was  noticed,  by  that  accurate 
observer,  Mr.  Marshall,  to  be  in  one  in- 
stance much  improved.  For  example,  in- 
stead of  pressing  the  pile  at  intervals  with 
the  hands,  a power  which  has  but  little  ef- 
fect where  the  quantity  of  curd  is  large,  a 
vat  was  put  on  it,  and  loaded  with  cheese 
weights ; a cloth  being  spread  over  the 
bottom  of  the  vat,  to  prevent  the  weights 
from  sliding:  and,  as  the  pile  was  carried 
up,  or  gashed,  the  vat  being  moved  from 
part  to  part,  gave  the  whole  an  even  pres- 
sure, and  extracted  all  the  whey.  Some 
few  dairies  double  press  their  cheeses ; 
that  is,  put  the  curd  in  the  press  previously 
to  it’s  being  scalded,  after  the  Berkeley 
manner ; but  it  is  thought  by  the  best 
judges  to  reduce  the  richness  of  the  cheese, 
far  more  than  the  North  Wiltshire  methods. 
For  scalding,  the  mass  of  curd  is  broken 
to  different  degrees  of  fineness  ; in  some 
of  the  best  dairies,  even  for  making  loaf 


cheeses,  it  is  often  very  roughly  broken. 
The  quality  of  the  scalding  liquor  varies 
here,  as  in  Glocestershire  : whey  and  wa- 
ter are  by  some,  respectively,  used  sepa- 
rately; while  others  use  them  both  united, 
but  in  different  proportions.  The  heat  of 
the  scalding  liquor  also  varies  : but,  in 
the  ordinary  practice  of  the  country,  the 
milk  is  run,  and  the  curd  scalded,  muefy 
higher  than  in  the  vale  of  Berkeley. 
At  one  of  the  very  best  dairies,  there  are 
the  following  uncommon  practices,  during 
this  stage  of  the  business.  First,  the  curd 
is  not  crumbled  before  the  scalding  liquor 
be  thrown  in;  but  only  cut  into  checkers, 
or  dice,  of  about  a cubical  inch  each,  with 
the  same  knife,  and  used  in  nearly  the  same 
manner,  as  for  slicing.  Secondly,  the  curd 
is  salted  before  scalding  it;  having  a hand- 
ful of  salt  for  every  cheese  strewed  over  the 
checkers,  spread  regularly  on  the  bottom  of 
the  cowl,  and  worked  inevenly  among  them. 
This  is  done  in  conformity  with  the  gene- 
ral principle  of  this  practice,  to  keep  the 
fat  in  the  cheese;  the  salt  being  thought 
to  harden  and  close  the  outsides  of  the 
cubes,  so  as  to  prevent  the  butyraceous 
particles  from  being  extracted  by  the  scald- 
ing liquor.  Thirdly,  the  curd  is  literally 
scalded,  with  almost  boiling  water;  that  is, 
with  boiling  water  qualified  by  a dash  of 
cold  before  being  thrown  into  the  cowl,  to 
prevent  it’s  catching  the  curd.  The  re- 
sult of  this  practice  certainly  is,  that  the 
scalding  liquor  is  ieft  in  the  cowl,  after  the 
curd’s  being  taken  out,  thinner  than  the 
clearest  whey,  and  without  a speck  of  oil 
on  it’s  surface;  while,  after  the  common 
method  of  scalding,  it  is  often  rendered 
as  rich  and  thick  as  buttermilk,  and  is 
sometimes  covered  with  a sheet  of  oil 
which  might  be  skimmed  off  in  quantities. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


070 


There  is,  also,  another  admirable  stroke 
of  practice  in  this  particular  dairy:  for,  the 
masses  of  curd  having  been  stirred  among 
the  scalding  liquor,  and  remained  a minute 
or  two  to  get  thoroughly  heated,  are  taken 
out  of  the  scald  with  dishes,  and  instantly 
put  into  the  vats  as  hot  as  the  hands  can 
possibly  bear,  where  they  press  like  bees 
wax  much  softened  by  heat,  or  cheese 
v hich  has  been  slightly  toasted ; and,  when 
two  or  three  vats  are  filled,  they  are  set  in 
a shallow  tub,  placed  on  the  deyhouse 
floor,  and  have  a loaded  vat  put  on  them, 
to  close  the  curd  while  warm.  Thus,  rich- 
ness and  a closeness  of  texture  are  both 
certainly  obtained.  The  methods  of  vat- 
ting,  in  most  of  the  other  dairies,  are  va- 
rious. In  some,  the  scalding  liquor  is  laded 
off,  and  the  curd  rebroke  and  salted  in  the 
cowl ; while,  in  others,  the  curd  is  taken 
warm  out  of  the  liquor,  and  salted  in  the 
vat:  thin  cheese,  with  a small  handful  in 
one  layer;  thick,  with  two  small  handfuls 
in  two  layers;  and  loaves,  with  two  hand- 
fuls in  three  or  four  layers;  spreading  and 
rubbing  in  the  salt  evenly  among  the  curd. 
The  management  in  the  press,  where  they 
are  salted  twice,  is  much  the  same  as  in 
Glocestershire,  and  they  remain  there  a 
time  proportioned  to  their  thickness:  thin 
cheeses,  three  or  four  meals ; thick,  four 
or  five;  and  loaves,  five  or  six.  From  the 
press,  they  are  carried  into  rooms  com- 
modiously  fitted  up  with  shelves  for  their 
reception;  some,  with  a stage  or  two  in 
the  middle  as  well  as  round  the  room; 
where  they  are  turned  more  or  less  fre- 
quently, according  to  the  state  of  their 
maturity,  as  well  as  of  the  weather,  till  firm 
enough  to  bear  cleaning.  In  some  dairies, 
the  summer  cheeses  have  only  their  edges 
wiped  ; the  blue  coat  soon  enough  rising, 


and  sufficiently  concealing  their  rough- 
ness: in  others,  they  are  either  scraped 
dry,  or  washed  and  brushed  without  scrap- 
ing. They  are  never  soaked  by  the  hour, 
and  afterward  scraped,  as  in  Glocestershire: 
the  dairy  women  are  of  opinion,  that  soak- 
ing, if  not  wetting,  both  softens  them  and 
checks  their  ripening,  and  consequently 
retards  their  sale;  as  well  as  injures  their 
quality,  by  admitting  the  water  wherever 
there  may  be  the  smallest  crack.  They 
paint  freely  their  winter  cheeses,  which 
throw  out  a white  scurfy  coat  diflicult  to 
begot  rid  of  in  any  other  way;  but  the 
rest,  being  much  the  greater  part,  are  at 
present  allowed  to  go  to  market  in  their 
own  blue  coats.  From  the  shelf  rooms 
they  are  taken  to  others;  not  here  called 
cheese  rooms,  but  lofts:  where,  however, 
they  are  spread  on  floors  repeatedly  clean- 
ed, and  dry  rubbed.  For  preventing  or 
killing  the  mites  with  which  thick  cheese 
is  liable  to  be  infested  before  it  be  suffici- 
ently ripe,  the  leaves  of  elder  are  rubbed 
over  the  floors  where  such  cheeses  are  to 
be  deposited.  The  arrangement  of  cheese 
rooms,  in  some  deyhouses,  or  dairies,  is 
admirably  adapted  to  save  much  aukward 
carriage:  the  shelf  room  being  immediately 
above  the  dairy  room,  and  the  lofts  over 
the  shelf  room  ; with  trap  doors  in  each 
floor,  through  which  the  cheeses  are  rea- 
dily handed.  Small  cheeses  are  generally 
drawn  from  the  larger  dairies  once  a month, 
and  down  to  five  or  six  weeks  old;  the 
larger  cheeses  require  a much  longer  time. 
The  winter  and  early  spring  make,  go  off 
in  autumn;  the  autumnal  make,  in  the 
succeeding  spring.  The  greater  part  is 
purchased  by  factors,  who  send  it  to  Lon- 
don ; but  considerable  quantities  are  also 
annually  sold  at  Heading  fair. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  273 


Net  Cheeses. 

THERE  are  considerable  quantities  of 
net  cheeses  made  in  Noith  Wiltshire; 
which  are  prepared,  in  all  respects,  except 
pressing,  like  the  other  best  cheeses.  It 
is  a remarkable  circumstance,  and  highly 
deserving  of  attention,  that  these  net  cheeses 
are  never  either  hoven  or  eyey,  defects 
frequently  found  in  all  the  other  sorts. 
It  is,  in  fact,  no  uncommon  circumstance, 
for  the  same  maker  to  form,  out  of  one 
cowl  of  curd,  pressed  cheeses  which  heave, 
and  net  cheeses  which  are  perfectly  close. 
There  seems,  therefore,  but  little  occasion 
to  look  farther  for  a cause.  In  making  net 
cheeses,  the  curd  is  squeezed  as  closely  and 
tightly  as  possible  into  the  nets  by  hand, 
but  receives  no  other  compression;  in 
other  cheeses,  the  curd  is  subjected  to  the 
powers  of  a press:  and  it  has  not  failed 
to  be  noticed  that,  the  heavier,  the  press, 
the  greater  is  the  propensity  of  the  cheeses 
to  heaving,  as  well  as  that  a similar  effect 
is  produced  by  overfilling  the  vats.  The  na- 
tural inference  is,  that  an  instrument  of  pres- 
sure as  nearly  as  possible  on  the  principle 
of  that  of  the  hand,  with  powers  suited  to 
the  size  of  the  largest  cheese,  would  in  like 
manner  render  cheeses  of  any  form  or 
magnitude  invariably  close;  if,  indeed, 
there  should  not  also  be  a necessity  of 
having  the  mould  or  vat  so  constructed 
as  to  leave  the  sides  of  the  cheese  some 
degree  of  freedom,  like  the  meshes  of  a 
net. 

General  Process  of  making  Foreign  Wines. 

By  wine,  generally  speaking,  is  meant 
the  fermented  juice  of  the  grape:  this  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  the  original  of  all  our  fer- 
mented liquors;  and  it  is,  perhaps,  on  the 


whole,  much  the  best.  The  common  mode 
of  making  foreign  wine  is  thus  described — - 
The  grapes  having  arrived  at  a due  state  of 
maturity,  known  by  the  perfection  of  their 
sweetness  or  saccharine  principle,  thejuice 
is  pressed  out  so  as  to  {low  into  a vessel 
placed  for  it’s  reception;  when  the  fer- 
mentation naturally  commences,  frequent- 
ly in  a few  hours,  but  sometimes  not  till 
after  several  days,  according  to  the  state 
of  the  atmosphere,  the  nature  of  the  fruit, 
the  quantity  of  the  juice,  and  the  warmth 
of  the  place  where  the  containing  vessel 
stands,  manifested  by  an  intestine  motion 
visible  in  the  liquid.  This  movement  con- 
tinually augmenting,  expansion  results 
from  the  accumulated  heat;  and  the  body 
or  volume  of  the  liquor,  which  becomes  tur- 
bid and  oily,  of  course  increases:  while 
the  fixed  air,  disengaged,  fills  all  the  un- 
occupied space  of  the  vessel;  and  the  heat 
rises  frequently  to  seventy-five  degrees  of 
Fahrenheit’s  thermometer,  and  not  unfre- 
quently  still  higher,  with  a forcible  ebul- 
lition. Generally,  after  a few  days,  the 
intestine  motion  declines,  the  warmth  les- 
sens, the  mass  sinks  or  falls  lower,  and 
the  feculencies  subside:  when  the  liquor 
is  found  to  have  lost  some  of  it’s  saccharine 
quality;  and  to  have  gained  clearness,  an 
odorant  and  vinous  flavour,  and  a colour 
of  more  or  less  redness.  This  red  colour 
arises  from  the  ardent  spirit,  produced  by 
the  previous  fermentation,  acting  on  the 
colouring  matter  contained  in  the  skin  of 
the  grapes.  As  soon  as  the  fermentation  has 
thus  discontinued  it’s  operations,  the  liquor 
is  put  into  casks;  where,  by  a second  but 
insensible  fermentation,  the  wine  clarifies, 
it’s  principles  more  perfectly  combine, 
and  it’s  taste  and  odour  improve.  Where 
this  is  checked  or  stopped,  the  gaseous  prin- 
3 Z 


274 


"FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ciples  being  retained,  it  will  be  brisker, 
and  possess  more  of  the  nature  of  must 
in  the  saccharine  juice,  which  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  wort  of  malt.  There  are 
two  general  causes  of  imperfect  fermenta- 
tion. 1.  Where  there  is  a defective  heat; 
when  the  saccharine  and  oleaginous  qua- 
lities are  insufficiently  attenuated  or  ela- 
borated, and  the  wine  becomes  unctuous 
and  sweet.  2.  Where  the  saccharine  mat- 
ter is  defective  in  quantity  or  quality, 
which  happens  in  a wet  season;  when 
the  wine  is  weak,  and  the  predominant 
mucilage,  occasioning  a decomposition, 
renders  it  sour.  If  the  juices  are  too  wa- 
tery, from  whatever  cause,  an  addition 
of  must,  concentrated  by  boiling,  is  to  be 
added;  if  the  saccharine  quality  be  defi- 
cient, the  want  is  to  be  remedied  by  an 
addition  of  sugar.  Maequcr  has  proved, 
in  his  Chemical  Dictionary,  that  excellent 
wine  may  be  made  of  verjuice  and  sugar. 
Whether  the  grapes  should  be  pressed  with 
or  without  their  stalks,  depends  on  the 
peculiar  nature  of  the  fruit:  if  they  abound 
with  saccharine  and  mucilaginous  matter, 
the  insipidity  of  the  wine  will  be  corrected 
by  the  bitter  principle  extracted  from  the 
stalks;  but,  if  the  juice  be  not  too  sweet, 
the  stalks  will  render  it  drier  and  unplea- 
santly rough.  The  colouring  matter  in 
the  skin  of  the  grape  being  of  a resinous 
nature,  is  not  extracted  by  the  juice  till 
it  becomes  wine;  as  there  is,  till  then,  no 
menstruum  by  which  it  can  be  dissolved; 
hence  it  is,  that  white  wine  may  be  made 
of  red  grapes,  provided  the  juice  be  im- 
mediately poured  off  from  the  mass  before 
fermentation  has  commenced.  On  the 
must’s  being  evaporated,  the  colouring 
principle  will  be  found  remaining,  and 
may  be  extracted  by  spirit  of  wine.  Old 


wines,  it  is  well  known,  always  part  with  „ 
their  colour,  a pelicle  being  precipitated, 
and  deposited  on  the  side  or  the  bottom  of 
the  bottle.  If  exposed  to  the  heat  of  the 
sun,  it  is  detached  in  a pelicle  found  at  the 
bottom ; and,  where  the  vessel  is  open, 
discolouration  takes  place  in  a few  summer 
days.  This  deprivation  of  colour,  how- 
ever, is  not  accompanied  by  any  percep- 
tible diminution  of  strength  in  the  wine. 
On  a chemical  analysis  of  wine,  it  appears 
to  consist  of  the  six  following  principles: 

I.  Water,  which  may  be  considered  as  the 
basis  of  all  fluids;  2.  An  inflammable  spirit, 
obtained  by  distillation ; 3.  A fine  salt  or 
saline  matter,  which  rises  immediately 
after  the  distillation  of  the  inflammable 
spirit;  4.  A gross  salt,  called  tartar  by 
chemists,  but  commercially  argol,  which  in 
part  separates  on  standing,  and  adheres 
to  the  sides  of  the  cask  in  solid  masses; 
5.  A gummous  or  mucilaginous  substance; 
and,  6.  A gross  unctuous  and  resinous  sub- 
stance. The  colour  is  frequently  artificial ; 
a deep  red  being  almost  constantly  the 
effect  of  the  red  woods,  elder-berries,  bil- 
berries, cochineal,  kc.  In  the  vast  variety 
of  grapes,  some  are  colourless;  and  others 
yellow,  blueish,  and  red,  in  many  different 
shades:  they  are,  also, of  more  or  less  sweet- 
ness, and  of  numerous  flavours.  The  same 
kind  of  grape,  too,  proves  very  different, 
according  to  the  culture,  soil,  climate,  and 
exposure  to  the  influence  of  the  sun.  Even 
in  France  and  Italy,  grapes  which  grow 
on  the  south  side  of  a hill,  are  much  sweeter 
than  those  on  the  plains.  The  grapes  at 
the  bottoms  of  the  hills  are  best  in  very 
warm  and  dry  seasons;  those  at  the  top, 
in  warm  and  moist;  the  middle  always 
produces  them  good.  In  a dry  summer, 
the  grapes  are  sweetest,  but  they  are  least 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Juicy;  in  a wet,  they  abound  with  juice, 
but  it  is  weaker  and  more  dilute.  The 
sweet  Hungarian  and  Spanish  wines  are 
made  of  grapes  which  have  been  concen- 
trated or  rendered  richer,  by  cutting  half 
through  the  stem  of  each  bunch  or  cluster 
when  the  fruit  is  quite  ripe,  and  suffering 
great  part  of  it’s  aqueous  moisture  to  ex- 
hale, without  the  flavour  of  any  fresh  juice 
from  the  vine,  so  as  to  become  a sort  of 
half  grape,  half  raisin.  The  best  must,  or 
juice  of  the  grape  prior  to  it’s  fermentation, 
is  that  which  flow's  on  breaking,  bruising, 
or  treading,  the  picked  fruit;  inferior  sorts 
are  forcibly  extracted  from  the  entire  clus- 
ters with  their  stalks.  Dilute  watery  musts 
are  enriched  by  an  infusion  of  dried  grapes, 
or  an  added  inspissation  of  part  of  their 
liquor:  strongand  full  bodied  wines  are  thus 
obtained  from  the  poorer  juices;  and,  by 
similar  modes,  even  the  best  genuine  wines 
of  the  grape  are  to  be  imitated  with  thejuices 
of  other  fruits  and  sugar.  Wines,  with 
respect  to  their  fermentation,  may  be  di- 
vided into  three  classes.  The  first,  how- 
ever, having  suffered  scarcely  any,  are  very 
little  better  than  boiled  must;  of  this  sort 
are,  chiefly,  the  Italian  boiled  wines,  called 
by  the  general  name  of  vino  cotto.  This 
process  is  applied  to  such  thin  and  watery 
juices  as  are  extremely  disposed  to  ferment; 
and  the  fermentation  of  which,  when  once 
it  commences,  is  scarcely  possible  to  be 
suppressed  till  it  gets  beyond  the  vinous  1 
.state:  the  boiling,  therefore,  restraining 
the  fermentative  quality,  renders  the  li- 
quor more  rich;  and  it  continues  a year  or 
two  fit  for  drinking,  though  it  be  less  salu- 
brious than  wines  properly  fermented.  In 
fact,  the  must  relaxes  and  liquifies,  while 
perfect  wine  corroborates  and  constringes. 
The  second  class  comprehends  two  sorts, 


each  only  partially  fermented:  of  which, 
the  first  are  the  thin  sweet  wines  of  the 
Tyrol,  some  of  the  Savoy  wines,  and  seve- 
ral of  the  Italian  wines;  the  second  sort, 
the  strong,  full  bodied,  rich  and  sweet 
wines,  such  as  malmsey,  Canary,  and  some 
of  the  Spanish  and  Hungarian  wines.  Both 
these  sorts  have  the  fermentation  checked 
before  the  sweetness  has  gone  off;  and  the 
latter  has  an  addition  of  inspissated  must, 
to  augment  the  richness,  as  well  as  restrain 


the  fermentation.  Dr.  Shannon  observes, 
that  these  greatly  heat  the  constitution,  and 
ought  to  be  very  sparingly  drank.  The 
third  class,  being  the  most  perfect  wines, 
and  for  common  use  the  most  wholesome, 
are  those  which,  having  been  compleatly 
fermented,  have  thrown  oft*  their  grossness. 
As  wines,  however  closely  the  cask  be 
stopped,  sensibly  waste  in  keeping,  the 
aqueous  part  transpiring  through  the  pores 
of  the  wood,  they  should  be  filled  with 
wine  of  similar  qualities;  if  the  small  spon- 
taneous diminution  of  a cask  of  Hungarian 
wine  be  made  up  with  Rhenish, though  both 
keep  well  separately,  the  mixture  soon 
spoils.  Cool  cellars  are  of  the  first  im- 
portance for  preserving  wines;  the  want 
of  which,  renders  wines  so  apt  to  fret  or 
run  into  a new  fermentation  on  the  ap- 
proach of  very  warm  weather.  “ The 
goodness  and  wholesomeness  of  wines,” 
says  Dr.  Shannon,  “ are  judged  from  their 
being  bright,  clear,  and  sparkling  in  the 
glass:  of  an  agreeable  reviving  smell  and 
taste;  leaving,  when  retained  some  time 
in  the  mouth,  a slight  sense  of  astringency ; 
being  moderately  strong  and  spirituous; 
passing  freely  by  urine;  exciting  appetite ; 
promoting  a gentle  increase  of  perspiration 
in  the  night;  keeping  the  belly  open  next 
day,  without  being  followed  by  a head  ach. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


276 

heaviness  of  the  limbs,  or  other  uneasiness. 
Such  a wine,  moderately  used,  is  a very 
valuable  cordial.  The  sweet,  rich  wines, 
are  either  new,  or  very  strong  and  liery: 
they  heat  the  blood  much  more,  and  if 
drank  to  any  degree  of  excess  their  effects 
continue  much  longer,  than  those  of  the 
thinner  wines  which  contain  an  equal  quan- 
tity of  spirit.  The  red  wines,  in  general, 
have  the  greatest  astringency,  which  ren- 
ders them  more  tonic  and  corroborating. 
Wine  quickens  the  circulation,  raises  the 
pulse,  promotes  perspiration,  warms  the 
habit,  and  chears  the  spirits.” 

Melon  Citron. 

This  agreeable  sweetmeat,  which  consi- 
derably resembles  real  citron,  is  thus  made 
— Cut  half  ripe  melons,  not  of  too  large  a 
size,  into  quarters;  and,  taking  out  the 
seeds,  lay  them  in  salt  and  water  for  at 
least  forty-eight  hours.  Having  prepared 
a good  quantity  of  thin  common  syrup, 
and  wiped  dry  the  quarters  of  salted  me- 
lon, simmer  them  in  it  for  nearly  twenty 
minutes  ; then,  letting  them  remain  in  the 
syrup  till  next  day,  again  boil  them  gently 
up  as  before.  Repeat  this  simmering  the 
two  following  days;  and,  taking  them  out 
of  the  syrup,  boil  it  up  with  a glass  of  white 
wine,  and  a quarter  of  a glass  of  brandy,  to 
every  pint  of  syrup,  adding  also  a little 
more  sugar.  After  the  syrup  has  been 
well  scummed,  is  compleatly  clarified,  and 
boiled  nearly  to  a candy  height,  put  in  the 
melons,  boil  them  up,  pour  the  whole  into 
glasses,  and  let  them  stand  till  next  day  to 
cool.  When  quite  cold,  close  them  up 
with  bladder  and  leather  for  use ; or  they 
may  be  afterward  dried  and  candied  in  the 
usual  way,  as  directed  for  other  fruits.  With 
a little  essence  of  citron,  &c.  it  is  easy  to 


give  them  the  flavour  as  well  as  appearance 
of  candied  citron. 

Curious  Instance  of  the  probable  good  Effect 
of  leeping  Goats  among  Horses. 

The  following  curious  fact  is  given  on 
authority  which  cannot  be  doubted.  It  is 
extracted,  verbatim,  from  the  celebrated 
Mr.  Marshall’s  Rural  (Economy  of  Glo- 
cestershire. — “ In  the  livery  stables  in  Lon- 
don,” observes  this  gentleman,  “ he-goats 
are  kept,  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  the 
health  of  the  horses  which  stand  in  them. 
Many  carriers  keep  them  in  their  stables 
for  the  same  purpose;  and  I have  some- 
where met  with  an  instance  of  farmers  do- 
ing the  same,  particularly  as  a prevention 
of  the  staggers:  but,  I have  always  consi- 
dered it  as  one  of  those  popular  charms,  of 
which  wonderful  effects  are  related  in  every 
country.  Nor  have  I,  yet,  any  proof  to 
the  contrary;  all  I have  at  present  to  pro- 
duce, is  strong  evidence:  I give  it,  how- 
ever, on  such  authority  as  no  one,  who 
knows  the  author,  will  dispute.  About 
sixteen  years  ago,”  writes  Mr.  Marshall  in 
1789,  “ Mr.  William  Peacy,  of  Northleach, 
lost  several  horses  in  the  staggers.  He  was 
advised  by  a friend,  whose  experience  led 
him  to  believe  that  he  had  benefited  much 
by  what  he  recommended,  to  keep  a he- 
goat  in  his  stables.  He  got  one;  and  had 
not,  for  many  years,  another  instance  of 
the  disorder.  While  the  goat  lived,  his 
horses  were  free  from  the  staggers;  but, 
the  goat  dying,  his  horses  again  became 
afflicted  with  this  alarming  disorder.  He 
procured  another  goat,  which  is  still  living; 
and  has  not,  since,  had  an  instance  of  the 
staggers.  He  has  seldom  less  than  twenty 
horses  in  his  stables.  I do  not  mean  to  re- 
commend, in  general  terms,  the  keeping  of 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


goats  in  farm  stables:  but,  if  this  terrible 
disease  can  be  prevented  at  so  trifling  an 
expence,  what  farmer  in  his  senses  would 
be  in  want  of  a goat?  In  the  midland  coun- 
ties, three  years  ago,  many  farmers  lost  all 
their  best  horses  in  the  staggers.  Loss, 
to  the  amount  of  several  thousand  pounds, 
wTas  sustained  in  Staffordshire  alone.  I 
dwell  the  longer  on  this  incident,  as  it  ap- 
pears to  me  probable,  that  the  influence 
of  the  goat  is  not  merely  that  of  a charm. 
The  staggers  appears,  evidently,  to  be  a 
nervous  disorder.  Odours  are  found,  in 
many  cases,  I believe,  to  act  beneficially 
on  the  human  nerves;  and,  possibly,  the 
strong  scent  of  the  goat  may  have  a simi- 
lar effect  on  those  of  the  horse.  The  sub- 
ject is,  certainly,  entitled  to  enquiry.” 

Salt  Preserved  Cucumbers,  for  Sauces, 
Soups,  Kc. 

In  Russia,  notwithstanding  all  that  has 
been  said  against  the  wholesomeness  of 
cucumbers,  they  form  a chief  article  of 
vegetable  food ; being  brought  to  market 
in  tubs,  by  the  country  people,  ready  pick- 
led  with  salt  and  water  for  use.  The  poor- 
er inhabitants,  eat  them  in  vast  quantities 
with  bread  alone,  without  experiencing 
any  ill  effect  whatever;  on  the  contrary, 
these  cucumbers  are  considered  as  very 
good  and  nourishing:  there  can  be  no 
question,  that  they  are  far  more  salubri- 
ous than  our  acid  and  spiced  pickled  cu- 
cumbers, though  at  first  less  agreeable 
to  the  palate.  Could  these,  however,  once 
be  rendered  fashionable,  they  would,  most 
probably,  long  keep  their  ground.  Many  of 
the  Jews,  even  in  England,  greatly  relish 
them.  Those  who  cannot,  all  at  once,  get  the 
better  of  prejudices,  may  thus  preserve  cu- 
cumbers for  winter  use  in  sauces,  &c. — 


?7r 

On  fine  cucumbers,  of  a tolerable  size,  pour 
over  a boiling  hot  mixture  of  salt,  wrater, 
and  vinegar:  the  proportions  may  be  ad- 
justed by  the  palate;  but  there  should  not, 
by  any  means,  be  more  vinegar  than  wa- 
ter. Fill  the  jar  up  with  sweet  oil,  to  pre- 
serve the  pickle  from  external  air;  cover 
down  close  with  bladder  and  leather;  and 
keep  it  in  a dry  situation.  Any  favourite 
spice  may  be  boiled  in  the  pickle:  but  salt 
and  water  alone,  with  oil  at  top,  is  quite 
sufficient;  and,  perhaps,  best. 

Red  Pcppin  Paste  for  Ornamental  Knots,  fifr. 

Boil  some  fine  large  apples,  pared, 
cored,  and  sliced,  in  barely  sufficient  water 
to  cover  them,  till  they  are  soft  enough  to 
pass  through  a sieve;  and,  having  finely 
coloured  the  pulp  with  cochineal,  and 
boiled  as  much  syrup  as  the  quantity  of 
apples,  to  the  height  called  blow,  mix  them 
together  off  the  fire.  Then,  spreading  the 
paste  on  a sheet  of  pewter,  turned  up 
round  it’s  edges  about  the  sixth  part  of 
an  inch,  to  prevent  the  paste  from  sliding 
off,  set  it  in  a hot  stove  till  the  following 
day;  and,  on  it’s  being  dry  enough;  which 
is  known  by  it’s  coming  easily  off  the  pew- 
ter, cut  or  score  it  all  round  the  edges,  as 
well  as  quite  across,  into  long  slices  or 
strings  about  a quarter  of  an  inch  in  width. 
These  strings  being  tied  or  fashioned  ac- 
cording to  the  taste  and  fancy  of  the  ope- 
rator, are  to  be  put  on  another  pewter  sheet, 
and  dried  for  two  days  in  a stove;  after 
which,  they  may  be  put  up  cold,  and  kept 
for  use  in  boxes  lined  with  paper,  like  other 
sweetmeats.  This  paste  is  very  agreeable 
to  the  palate,  and  |ias  a most  pleasing  ap- 
pearance. It  may  be  made  green,  &c.  or 
left  of  the  natural  colour,  but  red  is  usually 
preferred  for  most  purposes. 

A A 


278 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Italian  Ravioli. 

This  fashionable  dish,  in  Italian  cookery, 
is  thus  made — Wash  and  pick  the  leaves 
of  white  beet,  or  endive,  green  and  white 
together,  and  boil  them  in  a very  little 
water.  When  done,  squeeze  out  the  wa- 
ter, and  chop  the  whole  small  in  the  same 
manner  as  spinach.  Add  half  the  quantity 
of  firm  or  hist  curd;  season  and  blend  them 
well  together,  with  an  egg  to  each  pound  of 
the  mixture,  a spoonful  of  grated  Parmasan 
cheese,  and  sufficient  grated  bread  to  work 
up  the  whole  into  long  oval  forms,  each  con- 
taining nearly  the  quantity  of  an  egg. 
Having  well  regulated  the  seasoning,  roll 
them  in  flour,  and  throw  them  into  salted 
boiling  water:  let  it  continue  to  boil; 
and,  when  they  all  rise  to  the  top,  they  may 
be  considered  as  properly  done.  They  are 
to  be  served  up  under  good  gravy  sauce, 
or  melted  butter. 

Vccliioni,  or  Preserved  Chesnuts  for  Culinary 
Purposes. 

In  Italy,  where  as  well  as  in  France, 
and  other  parts  of  the  continent,  chesnuts 
are  much  used  by  the  best  cooks,  they  are 
thus  prepared  for  keeping — Put  any  quan- 
tity of  fresh  chesnuts  into  an  oven  after  the 
bread  is  drawn,  and  let  them  remain  till  both 
the  outer  and  inner  rinds  feel  very  dry,  and 
brittle  enough  to  be  got  clearly  off  by  well 
rubbing  and  beating  them  in  a sack.  This 
being  done,  winnow  them  well  from  the 
husks;  pick  out  and  throw  away  the  un- 
sound; and  string  those  which  are  sound 
on  packthread,  by  means  of  a needle  run 
through  the  middle  of  each.  They  should 
be  tied  in  lengths,  containing  a certain 
number  each,  suited  to  the  quantity  most 
generally  used  at  once  in  the  family;  and 


are  then  to  be  returned  to  a cool  oven,  and 
left  till  they  become  as  hard  as  stone. 
Their  appearance  in  this  state,  being  much 
shrunk,  and  exceedingly  wrinkled,  has  ob- 
tained them  the  Italian  name  of  vechioni* 
or  very  old  men.  Being  hung  up  in  a dry 
place,  they  will  keep  many  years;  and  are 
ready  for  use  at  all  seasons,  after  previously 
soaking  them  in  the  following  manner — 
Pour,  first,  some  water,  with  a little  salt, 
over  as  many  as  are  wanted ; and  change 
it  every  twenty-four  hours,  by  substituting 
only  common  cold  water,  without  salt,  till 
they  regain  their  first  size,  and  are  soft  to  the 
centre.  They  are  then  ready  for  use,  and 
will  be  found  to  preserve  a most  sweet  and 
agreeable  taste,  for  the  various  purposes, 
of  the  cook  or  confectioner. 

Codlin  Mangoes. 

Put  some  of  the  finest  and  largest  cod- 
lins,  full  grown,  but  not  ripe,  in  a cold 
brine  of  salt  and  water,,  which  has  been 
boiled  and  scummed  till  strong  enough 
to  bear  an  egg.  When  they  have  remained 
three  days,  closely  covered  up,  make  a new 
pickle;  and,  after  three  more,  change 
it  again.  On  the  ninth  day,  take  them  out, 
dry  them,  and  core  them  carefully  with  a 
scoop;  getting  the  stalk  out  whole,  so  as 
for  the  piece  to  fit  in  again,  and  without 
piercing  through  the  eye  at  the  other  end. 
Supply  the  place  of  the  core,  by  filling  in 
a mixture  of  ginger  sliced  thin  and  cut 
short,  a clove  of  garlic,  and  plenty  of  whole 
mustard  seed  ; then  put  in  the  stalk  piece, 

| and.  tie  it  up  tight.  Having,  in  the  mean 
time,  made  a pickle  of  as  much  white  wine 
vinegar  as  will  cover  them,  with  sliced 
ginger,  cloves  of  garlic,  horse-radish,  and 
mustard  seed,  well  boiled  in  it,  pour  the 
liquor  hot  over  the  codiins,  every  day  foe 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


279 


at  least  a fortnight.  Then  put  them  into 
a stone  jar,  and  keep  them  close  covered  with 
bladder  and  leather  for  use.  Cucumbers 
of  a tolerably  large  size  may  be  done  in  a 
similar  manner;  but  these  are  best  whole, 
as  they  then  eat  crisper,  and  keep  much 
longer.  Codlins,  however,  are  generally 
considered  as  making  the  best  imitation  of 
Indian  mangoes  ; being  preferable  to  either 
melons  or  cucumbers,  or  even  peaches,  for 
that  purpose. 

Pickled  Walnuts . 

Scald  slightly,  to  facilitate  rubbing  off 
the  first  skin,  a hundred  of  fine  large  French 
walnuts,  about  the  beginning  of  July,  be- 
fore they  have  a hard  shell,  which  is  easily 
ascertained  by  the  common  method  of  try- 
ing them  with  a pin.  Put  them  in  a strong 
cold  brine,  shift  them  into  new  the  third 
and  sixth  days,  and  take  them  out  and  dry 
them  on  the  ninth  or  tenth.  Then  take 
an  ounce  each  of  long  pepper,  black  pep- 
per, ginger,  and  allspice;  a quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  cloves;  a few  blades  of  mace; 
and  a table-spoonful  of  mustard  seed:  and, 
having  bruised  the  whole  together,  put 
into  a jar  a layer  of  walnuts,  strew  them 
well  over  with  the  mixture,  and  proceed 
in  the  same  manner  with  the  rest,  tdl  all 
are  covered.  Then,  boiling  three  quarts 
of  white  wine  vinegar,  with  some  sliced 
horse-radish  and  ginger,  pour  it  hot  over 
the  walnuts,  and  cover  them  up  close. 
Repeat  the  boiling  of  the  vinegar  and  pour- 
ing it  hot  over,  three  or  four  days,  always 
keeping  the  pickle  closely  covered;  and 
adding,  at  the  last  boiling,  a few  cloves 
of  garlic,  or  some  shallots,  let  them  stand 
at  least  four  or  five  months,  when  they 
will  be  excellent.  This  liquor,  too,  proves 
an  admirable  walnut  ketchup,  for  fish,  &c. 


Girkins „ 

The  lest  method  of  pickling  the  smallest 
young  cucumbers,  commonly  called  gir- 
kins, differs  little  from  that  of  preparing 
codlin  mangoes,  &c.  They  should,  after  lay- 
ingfor  two  or  three  days  in  a strong  brine, 
be  wiped  dry,  and  put  into  stone  jars. 
Then,  boiling,  for  ten  minutes,  a sufficient 
quantity  of  good  common  vinegar  to  cover 
them,  with  plenty  of  ginger,  black  pepper, 
and  allspice;  a few  cloves;  a little  mace; 
some  sliced  horse-radish,  peeled  onions, 
and  shallots  ; and  a small  quantity  of  gar- 
lic; pour  the  liquor  hot  over  the  girkins, 
cover  each  jar  with  vine  or  cabbage  leaves 
and  a plate,  and  set  them  near  the  fire, 
or  in  some  other  warm  situation;  next 
day  drain  the  vinegar  from  them,  boil  it, 
and  again  pour  it  hot  over  them  and  fresh 
vine  leaves;  and,  if  not  then  sufficiently 
green,  repeat  the  same  process  a third 
time.  When  quite  cold,  tie  them  down 
close,  covered  with  bladder  and  leather. 

Pickled  French  Beans,  &c. 

These,  and  most  other  small  vegetable 
substances,  particularly  such  as  are  green, 
may  be  pickled  in  the  same  way  as  girkins; 
care  being  taken  to  use  only  fresh  articles 
gathered  in  dry  weather,  at  the  proper  sea- 
son and  stage  of  their  growth.  Vine  leaves, 
where  convenient,  may  be  infused  in  the 
pickle,  to  improve  their  green  colour. 
If,  however,  the  vegetables  are  naturally 
of  a good  green,  and  the  vinegar  is  well 
boded  in  copper  or  brass  vessels  thoroughly 
cleaned,  it  will  seldom,  be  necessary;  and, 
in  this,  there  is  no  danger:  but  vinegar  must 
never  be  suffered  to  remain,  after  boiling, 
in  any  copper  or  brass  vessel  whatever.  In- 
deed, no  liquid  ought  to  be  left  long  in 


9. 80 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


‘Trass  or  copper;  for,  where  there  is  the 
smallest  tendency  to  acid,  it  will  always 
he  unwholesome,  and  not  unfrequently 
prove  mortal.  The  practice  of  boiling  cop- 
per coin  in  vinegar,  is  highly  indiscreet  and 
dangerous.  As  acids  dissolve  the  lead  used 
even  in  the  tinning  of  saucepans,  glazing 
of  earthenware,  £cc.  the  poison  of  which  is 
to  the  full  as  fatal  as  that  of  the  verdigrease 
in  copper  or  brass,  vinegars  should  never 
be  long  kept  in  any  other  than  stone, 
glass.,  or  wooden  vessels. 

Small  Pickled  Onions. 

The  small. round  onions,  when  delicately 
clear  and  white,  make  a pleasing  and  ex- 
cellent pickle,  commonly  called  button 
onions.  The  following  is  the  best  method 
of  pickling  them — Peel  the  finest  and  whit- 
est small  round-headed  onions,  generally 
most  plentiful . in  the  month  of  September, 
and  boil  them,  with  plenty  of  salt,  in  a 
quantity  of  milk  and  water;  as  soon  as 
they  boil  up,  and  look  a little  clear  on  the 
outside,  take  them  instantly  up  with  a slice, 
lay  them  on  a cloth,  cover  them  over,  and 
put  them  when  cold  and  wiped  dry  into 
a jar,  or  rather  wide-mouthed  glass  bottles, 
or  small  glasses,  as  they  lose  their  white 
colour  on  the  slightest  exposure  to  the  air 
after  being  pickled.  In  the  mean  time, 
having  boiled  some  of  the  .best  white  wine 
or  double  distilled  vinegar  in  a stone  jar, 
with  a little  sliced  horse-radish,  whitest  gin- 
ger, and  white  pepper,  by  putting  it  in  a 
vessel  of  boiling  water,  pour  the  liquid, 
when  a little  cooled,  over  the  onions;  and 
cover  them,  as  soon  as  quite  cold,  with  blad- 
der and  leather.  If  double  distilled  vinegar 
be  used,  it  will  greatly  contribute  to  preserve 
them  white;  but  it  must  not,  on  any  ac- 
count, be  boiled  in  metal. 


Pickled  Cucumbers  and  Onions  in  Slices. 

Slice  large  peeled  onions,  and  unpared 
cucumbers,  and  well  sprinkle  them  over 
with  salt;  on  the  following  day,  drain  off 
the  brine  gradually  for  some  hours,  and 
put  them  in  a stone  jar.  In  the  mean  time, 
boil  sliced  horse-radish,  whitest  ginger, 
whole  white  pepper,  and  allspice,  with  a 
little  mace,  in  good  common  vinegar,  pour 
it  hot  over  them,  and  keep  them  covered 
in  a warm  situation.  The  slices  of  cu- 
cumbers should  be  tolerably  thick,  those 
of  the  onions  somewhat  thinner.  The 
vinegar  must  be  reboiled  daily,  two  or 
three  times,  and  again  poured  hot  over; 
after  which,  the  jar  is  to  be  closed  in  the 
usual  way. 

Admirable  Cement,  or  Mortar,  as  made  on  the 
Cotsu'old  Hills. 

On  the  Cotsvvold  Hills,  in  Glocester- 
shire,  where  lime  is  dear,  and  sand  not  to 
be  had,  an  excellent  mortar  is  prepared  at 
a moderate  price.  Invention  is  seldom 
more  successful,  than  when  it  is  prompted 
by  necessity.  The  scrapings  of  the  public 
roads  over  these  hills,  being  levigated  lime 
stone  more  or  less  impregnated  with  the 
dung  and  urine  of  the  animals  travelling  on 
them,  are  found  to  be  a most  admirable 
basis  for  cement.  The  scrapings  alone  are 
frequently  used  for  ordinary  walls;  and 
the  general  proportion,  for  even  the  best 
buildings,  is  not  more  than  one  part  lime 
to  three  of  scrapings.  This  mortar,  of  less 
than  ten  years  standing,  has  been  observed 
to  possess  a stone  like  tenacity,  much  firmer 
than  the  common  stone  of  the  country ; 
and,  consequently,  much  harder  than  the 
stones  from  which  either  the  basis  or  the 
lime  was  made.  The  method  of  preparing 


28 1 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


this  powerful  mortar,  or  cement,  is  simply 
bv  collecting  the  road  scrapings,  slacking 
the  lime,  and  mixing  them  very  thoroughly 
together ; carefully  picking  out,  as  the 
mass  is  worked  over,  the  stones  or  other 
foulnesses  which  may  have  been  collected. 
For  stone  work,  this  is  quite  sufficient;  for 
brick  work,  it  might  be  necessary  to  pass 
the  materials  through  a screen  or  sieve, 
previously  to  their  being  united,  and  made 
up  into  mortar.  Similar  scrapings  may  be 
collected,  wherever  limestone  is  used  as  a 
material  in  making  or  repairing  roads; 
this  admirable  mortar  can,  therefore,  rea- 
dily be  prepared,  in  all  such  places,  with 
very  little  trouble  or  expence. 

Easy  French  Method  to  prevent  Bacon  from 
becoming  Rusty. 

When  the  bacon  has  been  salted  about 
a fortnight,  put  it  in  a box  the  size  of  the 
flitches  or  pieces  to  be  preserved,  on  a 
good  bedding  of  hay;  and  wrap  round 
each  piece  entirely  with  hay,  placing  also 
a layer  between  every  two  flitches  or  pieces. 
The  box  must,  of  course,  be  closed,  to 
keep  out  rats,  &c.  In  this  state,  it  will 
continue  as  good  as  at  first,  and  without 
the  possibility  of  getting  rusty,  for  much 
longer  than  a year,  as  has  frequently  been 
experienced.  It  must,  however,  be  kept 
in  a place  free  from  damp. 

Genuine  Process  for  making  the  Celebrated 
Prussian  Blue. 

The  method  of  making  this  Prussian 
blue  in  perfection,  has  been  formerly  pur- 
chased at  a high  price,  in  England,  Ger- 
many, France,  Plolland,  &c.  The  process 
for  obtaining  it,  is  very  extraordinary; 
and  the  result  was  not  to  have  been  ex- 
pected from  any  previous  reasoning  about 


the  nature  of  colours.  It  is  universally 
allowed  to  be  an  excellent  blue  pigment, 
some  painters  even  preferring  it  to  ultra- 
| marine;  though  it’s  durability  might  have 
been  suspected,  from  the  vegetable  and 
animal  matters  used  in  it’s  preparation,  if 
the  colour  did  not  seem  wonderfully  fixed 
j by  the  operation,  which  is  thus  faithfully 
j described — Pulverize,  and  mix  together, 
four  ounces  each  of  crude  tartar  and  nitre  ; 
and,  by  deflagration,  bring  them  to  a fixed 
salt.  Add  to  this,  powdered  while  hot,  four 
ounces  of  thoroughly  dried  bullock’s  blood 
reduced  to  fine  powder.  Calcine  the  mix- 
ture in  a covered  crucible  two  thirds  filled; 
then  lightly  grind  the  matter  in  a mortar, 
and  throw  it  hot  into  two  quarts  of  boiling 
water.  After  boiling  them  together  half 
an  hour,  strain  off  the  liquor,  wash  the 
black  remaining  substance  with  fresh  wa- 
ter, and  again  strain  it.  Thus  continue  to 
do,  till  the  water  poured  off  becomes  quite 
insipid.  The  several  liquors  being  put  to- 
gether, evaporate  them  to  two  quarts.  Dis- 
solve an  ounce  of  green  vitriol,  first  cal- 
cined to  whiteness,  in  six  ounces  of  rain 
water,  and  filter  the  solution  : dissolve, 
also,  half  a pound  of  crude  alum  in  two 
quarts  of  boiling  water,  and  add  this  to  the 
solution  of  vitriol  taken  hot  from  the  fire, 
pouring  to  them  the  first  lixivium,  while 
thoroughly  hot,  in  a large  vessel ; when  a 
great  ebullition,  and  a green  colour,  will 
immediately  ensue.  While  this  ebullition 
continues,  pour  the  mixture  out  of  one 
vessel  into  another:  and,  after  it  has  stood 
some  time,  strain  the  liquor  through  a linen 
cloth,  letting  the  matter  or  pigment  remain 
in  the  strainer;  from  whence  put  it,  with  a 
wooden  spatula,  into  a small  new  pot. 
Pour  on  it  two  or  three  ounces  of  spirit  of 
salt,  and  a beautiful  blue  colour  will  im- 
1 4 B 


282 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


mediately  appear.  The  matter  being  now 
well  stirred,  and  suffered  to  rest  for  a night, 
must  be  afterward  thoroughly  edulcorated 
by  repeated  affusions  of  rain  water,  allow- 
ing a proper  time  between  each  for  the 
precipitate  to  subside.  Thus,  at  length, 
it  will  become  exquisitely  blue.  Lastly, 
drain  it  on  a linen  strainer,  and  leave  it 
gradually  to  dry;  when,  the  process  above 
described  having  been  exactly  and  care- 
fully pursued,  it  will  be  the  finest  genuine 
Prussian  blue.  Compleat  success  greatly 
depends  on  the  calcination.  The  crucible 
is  first  to  be  surrounded  with  coals  placed 
at  some  distance,  that  it  may  gradually 
grow  hot,  and  the  matter  within  leisurely 
flame  and  glow.  This  degree  of  heat  must 
be  continued  till  the  flame  and  glowing 
decrease;  when  the  fire  should  be  so  raised 
that  the  matter  may  glow  with  an  exceed- 
ing white  heat,  and  but  little  flame  appear 
above  the  crucible.  The  lixiviums  should 
be  very  hot,  and  mixed  together  with  the 
utmost  possible  expedition.  A casual  cir- 
cumstance gave  rise  to  the  discovery  of  this 
useful  colour,  the  beginning  of  the  seven- 
teenth century:  Diesbach,  a chemist  of 

Berlin,  having  been  desirous  of  precipitat- 
ing a decoction  of  cochineal  with  fixed 
alkali,  borrowed  a quantity  of  alkali  from 
Dippel,  with  which  he  had  several  times 
distilled  his  animal  oil;  and,  as  the  decoc- 
tion ol  cochineal  contained  martial  vitriol, 
a beautiful  blue  precipitate  fell  down.  In 
] 710,  an  account  of  this  discovery  of  Prus- 
sian blue,  but  without  revealing  the  pro- 
cess, was  published  in  the  Memoirs  of  the 
Academy  of  Berlin.  This,  however,  was 
afterward  rendered  public  by  Woodward, 
in  the  Philosophical  Transactions.  In  the 
common  manufacture  of  Prussian  blue, 
it  is  made  with  the  raspings  of  horns,  clip- 


pings of  skins,  or  other  animal  substances, 
converted  into  charcoal  by  heating  them 
in  covered  vessels.  Ten  pounds  of  this 
coal  are  mixed  with  thirty  of  potash,  and 
calcined  in  an  iron  vessel.  The  mixture, 
after  twelve  hours  ignition,  having  acquired 
the  consistence  of  a soft  paste,  is  poured 
into  vessels  of  water;  and,  being  filtered, 
is  mixed  with  another  solution,  consisting 
of  three  parts  alum  and  one  of  martial 
vitriol,  which  produces  the  Prussian  blue. 

Best  Saxon  Blue. 

Mix  an  ounce  of  the  best  powdered  in- 
digo with  four  ounces  of  oil  of  vitriol,  in  a 
glass  body  or  matrass,  and  digest  it  for  an 
hour  with  the  heat  of  boiling  water,  fre- 
quently shaking  the  mixture.  Then  add 
three  quarters  of  a pint  of  water;  stir  the 
whole  well  together;  and,  when  cold,  filter 
it.  This  produces  a very  rich  deep  blue 
colour;  if  wanted  paler,  more  water  must 
be  added.  The  heat  of  boiling  water,  which 
is  sufficient  for  this  operation,  can  never 
spoil  the  colour.  By  previously  digesting 
the  indigo  in  a large  quantity  of  spirit  of 
wine,  drying  it,  and  then  using  it  as  above, 
a still  finer  blue  may  be  produced;  but 
this  is  not  often  judged  necessary,  except 
for  very  fine  paintings. 

Gooseberry  Custard. 

Boil  three  pints  of  gooseberries  till  ten- 
der, rub  them  through  a hair  sieve,  and 
beat  up  with  the  pulp  the  yolks  of  five  eggs 
and  the  whites  of  two  ; adding  sugar  to  pa- 
late, and  two  table-spoonfuls  of  rose  or 
orange  flower  water.  When  thoroughly 
mixed,  set  it  over  the  fire,  stirring  it  con- 
tinually one  way  till  it  be  the  proper  con- 
sistency for  a custard.  It  must  on  no  ac- 
count be  suffered  to  boil. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


283 


Excellent  Cheesecakes. 

PUT,  to  half  a gallon  of  new  milk,  about 
the  third  part  of  a gill  of  rennet;  and  set 
it  neajr  the  fire,  to  hasten  it’s  turning. 
Drain  the  curd  thoroughly  from  the  whey, 
put  it  on  the  back  of  a sieve,  mix  into  it 
at  least  a quarter  of  a pound  of  fresh  butter, 
and  rub  it  through  with  the  back  of  a 
spoon  into  a bason  beneath.  Add  pow- 
dered loaf  sugar  to  palate,  with  half  an 
ounce  of  sweet  and  half  a dozen  bitter 
blanched  and  pounded  almonds,  a little 
candied  citron  and  orange  peel  in  small 
and  thin  slices,  half  a fresh  lemon  peel 
grated,  a few  washed  and  picked  currants, 
and  a small  glass  of  brandy.  Beat  up  three 
yolks  of  eggs;  put  them  to  the  mixture; 
and,  having  sheeted  the  pans  with  a paste 
composed  of  a quarter  of  a pound  of  sifted 
flour,  and  two  ounces  each  of  powdered 
loaf  sugar  and  fresh  butter,  lightly  mixed 
with  cold  spring  water,  and  rolled  out  of 
a proper  thickness,  fill  in  the  preparation, 
set  the  cheesecakes  in  a brisk  oven,  and 
bake  them  about  ten  minutes. 

Portugal  Cakes. 

Take  a pound  each  of  the  finest  dried 
and  sifted  flour,  powdered  and  sifted  loaf 
sugar,  and  the  best  fresh  butter.  Mix 
them  up,  with  the  hand,  to  a very  fine  bat- 
ter; and,  adding  two  table-spoonfuls  each 
of  rose  water  and  white  wine,  half  a pound 
of  washed  and  nicely  picked  currants,  arid 
a little  beaten  mace,  whisk  up  the  yolks 
of  ten  eggs  with  the  whites  of  six,  incor- 
porate the  whole  well  together,  butter  the 
tin  hoops  or  moulds,  fill  them  little  more 
than  half  full,  sift  a little  sugar  over  each 
cake,  and  bake  them  in  a brisk  oven.  If 
the  currants  are  omitted,  as  is  often  done, 


they  will  keep  good  half  a year.  A supe- 
rior sort  is  sometimes  made,  by  substitut- 
ing a pound  of  blanched  almonds  beaten 
up  with  rose  water,  for  the  pound  of  flour. 

Heart  Cakes. 

These  are  made  exactly  in  the  same  way 
as  the  Portugal  cakes,  either  with  or  with- 
out currants;  the  sole  difference  consist- 
ing in  the  size  and  shape  of  the  moulds, 
which  are  only  to  be  about  half  filled. 
The  wine  may  be  omitted  in  either. 

Aspect,  or  Savoury  Jelly. 

Fish,  fowl,  &c.  have  a very  pleasing  ap- 
pearance, when  dressed  or  served  up  in 
aspect;  vulgarly,  and  very  erroneously, 
called  aspic,  by  some  celebrated  cooks. 
The  jelly  for  this  purpose  may  be  made 
with  lean  ham,  knuckle  of  veal,  an  old 
fowl,  giblets,  or  any  other  parts  of  poultry 
or  meat,  without  fat,  stewed  down,  for  four 
or  five  hours,  with  onions,  thyme,  parsley, 
celery,  and  a little  mace,  in  broth,  gravy, 
or  weak  stock;  then  strained  olf,  and  suf- 
fered to  stand  all  night.  The  fat,  &c.  being 
cleanly  taken  off',  put  into  a stewpan  about 
a pint  and  a half  of  it,  with  half  a pound 
of  lean  ham  cut  very  small,  a dozen  shallots, 
a clove  of  garlic,  and  three  or  four  bay 
leaves:  let  them  boil  gently,  for  about  half 
an  hour;  then  put  the  rest  of  the  prepared 
jelly  into  another  stewpan,  and  strain  off 
this  additional  mixture  to  it,  seasoned  with 
salt,  Cayenne  pepper,  and  tarragon  vine- 
gar. When  all  is  melted,  over  a stove  or 
slow  fire,  add  a sufficient  quantity  of  dis- 
solved isinglass;  and  whisk  into  it  plenty 
of  eggs,  with  their  shells:  keep  whisking 
the  whole  till  it  has  boiled  a few  minutes; 
and  then  run  it  repeatedly  through  a jelly 
bag,  till  it  becomes  perfectly  clear,  bright. 


284 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


nd  transparent,  as ‘the  name  of  aspect 
implies,  for  which  purpose  this  savoury 
jelly  is  chiefly  thus  prepared. 

Aspect  of  Fish. 

\ 

Warm  a little  aspect,  or  savoury  jelly ; 
and,  putting  it  about  an  inch  thick  into  a 
plain  tin  or  copper  mould,  let  it  stand  till 
cold.  Then  take  fillets  of  soals,  &c.  pieces 
of  lobsters,  whole  smelts,  crayfish,  or  other 
small  fish,  ornamented  or  not,  and  dressed 
and  disposed  according  to  fancy,  the  whole 
fish  appearing  as  if  alive,  cover  them  with 
a little  of  the  aspect  only  just  warm,  set 
it  to  cool,  and  then  fill  up  the  mould  with 
more  warm  aspect  or  jelly.  When  cold, 
dip  the  mould  in  milk-warm  water,  put 
the  dish  on  the  jelly,  turn  it  over,  and 
serve  it  up.  They  may  be  garnished  with 
slices  of  lemon,  parsley,  barberries,  &c. 
The  crayfish  should  be  those  with  the  red- 
dest shells;  and  the  pieces  of  lobsters  be 
also  of  the  best  possible  colour,  accom- 
panied by  spawn,  &,c. 

Aspect  of  Brawn. 

CoVER  the  bottom  of  a mould  with  warm 
aspect;  and,  when  cold,  ornament  it  either 
with  flowers  or  yolks  and  whites  of  eggs 
cut  and  disposed  according  to  fancy.  Then 
add  carefully,  so  as  not  to  disturb  the  seve- 
ral pieces,  a little  more  of  the  warm  jelly; 
and,  on  it’s  becoming  quite  cold,  still  more. 
That  being  likewise  cold,  put  in  neat  pieces 
of  brawn,  and  fill  up  the  mould  with  warm 
aspect.  When  cold,  dip  the  mould  in  warm 
water,  turn  out  the  whole,  and  serve  it  up 
garnished  with  slices  of  lemon. 

A Fowl,  Shoulder  of  Lamb,  &;c.  in  Aspect. 

Bone  either  a fowl  or  small  shoulder  of 
lamb  ; and,  seasoning  the  inside  with  pep- 


| per,  salt,  and  a little  pounded  spice,  stuff  it 
j with  some  light  farce  or  forcemeat,  sew  it 
up,  blanch  it,  and  stew  it  in  good  white 
! stock  till  sufficiently  done.  Lay  the  fowl 
with  it’s  breast  downward  on  a dish  to 
keep  it  as  white  as  possible,  and  the  lamb 
in  the  usual  way.  Having,  in  the  mean 
time,  filled  the  bottom  of  a large  mould 
j with  aspect;  and,  on  it’s  getting  cold,  made 
! a star  or  any  other  regular  or  pleasing  form 
with  small  slices  or  slips  of  breast  of  fowl, 
lean  and  fat  of  ham,  girkins,  hard  white 
and  yolk  of  eggs,  &c.  covering  that  with 
warm  savoury  jelly  or  aspect  carefully 
poured  over,  which  has  also  stood  till  en- 
tirely cold;  the  fowl,  or  shoulder  of  lamb, 
is  to  be  placed  lightly  on,  and  the  mould 
filled  up  with  warm  aspect.  The  whole, 
when  cold,  is  to  be  turned  out,  by  dipping 
the  moulds  in  warm  water,  and  served  up 
garnished  with  chopped  aspect  and  slices 
of  lemon.  Pieces  of  fowl  or  other  poultry, 
game,  veal,  lamb,  &c.  may  be  done  in  a 
similar  way,  with  or  without  forcemeat. 
Some  stew  the  fowl  on  layers  of  ham  or 
bacon  fat,  covered  also  with  bacon  and 
paper,  in  which  it  afterward  stands  till 
quite  cold.  There  is,  in  all  these  dishes, 
much  room  for  the  display  of  taste,  accord- 
ing to  the  very  different  significations  of 
that  comprehensive  word. 

Useful  Hint  for  Cultivating  the  Sea  Coasts, 
and  even  Sandy  Dcsarts,  exemplified  in  the 
Growth  of  the  Sand  Reed. 

It  is  an  obvious  and  most  important  truth 
that,  by  adapting  plants,  herbs,  trees,  &c. 
to  the  soil  and  climate,  there  is  scarcely 
any  part  of  the  world  so  sterile  as  not  to 
produce  some  species  of  useful  vegetation. 
The  barren  sands,  as  they  are  commonly 
denominated,  it  is  now  well  known,  afford 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


285 


no  contemptible  harvest  of  the  sand  reed : 
and,  even  on  the  bleak  and  sandy  shores 
of  Iceland,  it’s  grain  approaches  so  nearly 
to  maturity,  that  the  process  of  kiln  dry- 
ing imparts  to  it  the  requisite  degree  of  j 
hardness  for  the  mill  ; which  is  worked 
by  the  hand,  it’s  stones  being  formed  of  a 
hard  and  compact  lava.  The  crop  is  re-  ! 
gularly  reaped  with  a sickle,  dried  in 
shocks,  and  then  threshed  and  winnowed. 
The  flour,  which  in  some  districts  forms  j 
an  article  of  traffic,  is  used  in  soups  and  : 
porridge,  and  is  baked  into  cakes,  as  oat- 
meal is  in  Scotland.  These  cakes,  called 
flad  brod,  or  flat  bread,  are  relished  as 
dainties,  even  by  the  principal  inhabitants 
of  the  island.  The  flour  is  likewise  pre- 
pared with  sour  whey  into  a paste  called 
tisma,  which  the  labourers  eat  with  milk  or 
cream.  This  is  their  usual  breakfast,  which 
they  would  not  exchange  for  more  delicate 
fare;  as  they  think  it  communicates  a ge- 
nial heat,  strength  and  spirits,  to  the  frame, 
for  the  rest  of  the  day.  We  mention  these 
circumstances — say  the  Edinburgh  Review- 
ers, from  whose  account  of  Ron  cel's  Flore 
du  Nord  de  la  France,  in  1806,  this  article 
is  chiefly  extracted — not  merely  for  the 
gratification  of  curiosity  ; but  to  justify 
the  inference,  that  extensive  portions  of 
sea  coast  which  from  time  immemorial 
have  been  condemned  to  hopeless  sterility, 
may  be  converted  into  productive  soil. 
The  plant  under  consideration  is  of  spon- 
taneous growth,  of  easy  propagation,  and 
not  liable  to  become  the  prey  of  insects, 
or  the  sport  of  sudden  changes  of  tempera- 
ture; it  exhausts  notit’s  native  sand,  re- 
quires no  manure,  and  ripens  it’s  seed 
without  the  cares  and  labours  of  the  hus- 
bandman. Another  important  benefit  re- 
sults from  the  remarkable  property  which 


this  plant  possesses  of  retaining  the  dry 
and  moveable  sand,  which  in  many  cases 
might  bury  fertile  fields  and  leave  the  flat 
beach  unprotected  to  the  incroachments 
of  the  sea.  Long  success  has  sanctioned 
the  Dutch  practice  of  sowing  it  on  sandy 
coasts  subject  to  inundations.  The  ex- 
ample has  been  followed,  on  a small  scale, 
in  some  parts  of  Norfolk.  In  contemplat- 
ing the  ever  varying  contrivances  by  which 
nature  regulates  her  operations,  we  are 
sometimes  astonished  at  her  humble  sim- 
plicity, not  less  than  by  her  display  of 
stupendous  powers.  In  the  present  in- 
stance, a feeble  reed  is  made  the  instru- 
mentof  repelling  those  stormy  waves  which 
have  so  often  riven  the  bolted  oak,  and 
pierced  and  shattered  the  flinty  rock  into 
atoms.  The  same  remarks  apply  to  Ga- 
lium verum,  triticum  junceum,  elymus  are- 
narius,  &c.  and,  in  a still  more  forcible 
manner,  to  cocos  crucifera;  which  may,  if 
judiciously  distributed,  one  day  arrest  the 
overwhelming  clouds  of  Arabia,  and  make 
“ the  desart  to  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the 
rose.” 

Scalded  Cream. 

In  the  west  of  England,  and  particularly 
in  Devonshire,  scalded  cream, . vulgarly 
called  clouted  or  clotted  cream,  is  in  very 
general  use.  It  is,  in  fact,  a most  delicate 
and  delicious  article,  for  tea,  coffee,  cho- 
colate, fruit,  fruit  pies,  &c.  generally  con- 
sidered not  only  as  superior  to  common 
cream,  but  to  butter,  and  in  some  cases 
preferred  even  before  custard.  The  me- 
thod of  preparing  it  is  excessively  simple 
— The  new  milk  is  set  in  shallow  pans, 
commonly  of  brass,  small  at  the  bottom, 
and  very  wide  at  the  top.  These  pans, 
which  stand  on  three  legs,  like  a skillet, 
4 C 


286 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


are  placed  next  day  over  a very  slow  fire  ; 
and,  when  the  cream  is  sufficiently  scalded 
a round  mark  appears  on  the  surface  of 
the  cream,  the  exact  size  of  the  bottom 
ef  the  pan,  which  mark  is  in  Devonshire 
called  the  ring.  As  soon  as  that  is  seen, 
the  cream  must  be  immediately  taken  from 
the  fire.  In  moderately  cool  weather,  it 
will  keep  good  several  days;  and,  being 
of  a solid  substance,  is  sometimes  sent  even 

to  London  in  tin  boxes  or  earthen  jars. 

* 

Devonshire  J unket. 

This  Devonshire  dish,  which  is  little  else 
than  curds  and  whey,  enriched  with  the 
favourite  scalded  cream,  is  thus  made — Put 
into  a bowl  any  quantity  of  new  milk  warm 
as  from  the  cow,  and  turn  it  with  rennet; 
then  add  some  scalded  cream,  with  sugar 
and  pounded  cinnamon  on  the  top,  and 
serve  it  up  without  breaking  or  disturbing 
the  curd.  It  is,  also,  sometimes  sprinkled 
over  with  small  harlequin  comfits. 

Most  Important  Philosophical  and  Experimen- 
tal Fact,  •with  Regard  to  the  Fermentation 
of  Ale,  Bread,  Ardent  Spirit,  and  Vinegar, 
without  Yeast. 

By  the  science  of  chemistry,  without 
having  recourse  to  alchemical  chimeras,  or 
the  reveries  of  mere  metallic  transmutation, 
it  seems  pretty  certain  that,  in  time,  the  art 
will  be  discovered  of  converting  every  sub- 
stance to  the  representative  of  gold;  that 
is,  in  plain  terms,  to  money  or  money’s 
worth.  Lavoisier’s  impregnation  of  water 
with  fixed  air  from  the  fermentation  of  a 
vinous  liquor,  by  means  of  which  he  con- 
verted it  into  vinegar,  added  to  his  analysis 
of  yeast.  Sec.  authorised  Mr.  Ilenry  of 
Manchester  in  entertaining  those  conjec- 
tures relative  to  fixed  air,  which  induced 


him  to  make  the  following  experiment?, 
detailed  in  the  Memoirs  of  the  Manchester 
Society,  These  experiments,  having  ori- 
ginated in  an  idea  that  yeast  was  merely  a 
quantity  of  fixed  air,  involved  and  detained 
among  the  mucilaginous  parts  of  the  fer- 
menting liquor,  Mr.  Henry  informs  Us 
that  he  attempted  to  prepare  it  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner — Having  boiled  wheat  flour 
in  common  water  to  the  consistence  of  a 
thin  jelly,  he  put  this  viscous  fluid  into  the 
middle  part  of  Dr.  Nooth’s  machine  for 
impregnating  water  with  fixed  air.  The 
gas  being  absorbed  in  considerable  abun- 
dance; the  matter,  next  day,  wras  seen  in 
a state  of  fermentation : and  it  had,  the 
third  day,  acquired  so  much  the  appearance 
of  yeast,  that  an  experiment  was  made  on 
some  paste  for  bread;  which,  after  being 
five  or  six  hours  baked,  w'as  found  to  have 
tolerably  well  answered  the  purpose.  Ano- 
ther experiment  was  made  with  wort;  and, 
instead  of  the  artificial  yeast,  part  of  the 
wort  itself  was  put  into  Dr.  Nooth’s  ma- 
chine, and  impregnated  with  fixed  air: 
which,  having  imbibed  a large  quantity, 
and  been  poured  into  the  remainder  of  the 
liquor,  a brisk  fermentation  came  on  in 
twenty-four  hours;  a strong  head  of  yeast 
began  to  collect  on  it’s  surface;  and,  the 
third  day,  it  was  fit  for  tunning.  With 
the  yeast  taken  off  the  surface,  good  bread 
was  made:  while  beer  was  produced,  by 
keeping  the  fermented  liquor;  and,  by  dis- 
tilling it,  a good  ardent  spirit.  In  another 
experiment,  where  a fourth  part  of  wort  had 
been  impregnated,  but  was  insufficiently  sa- 
turated, with  fixed  air,  the  fermentation  not 
commencing  so  soon,  though  it  probably 
would  also  have  taken  place  at  last  with- 
out any  farther  addition,  a bottle  contain- 
ing an  effervescing  mixture  of  chalk  and  acid 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


287 


of  vitriol,  and  having  a perforated  stopper 
and  valve,  was  let  down  into  the  bottom 
of  the  vessel ; from  which  mixture  the  dis- 
charge of  fixed  air  went  on  so  rapidly,  that 
in  six  hours  the  bottle  was  withdrawn,  the 
fermentation  being  sufficiently  manifested 
by  a tolerably  strong  head  of  yeast  on  the 
surface  of  the  liquor.  The  fermentation, 
next  day,  seeming  somewhat  on  the  de- 
cline, it  was  recovered  by  a second  immer- 
sion of  the  bottle  and  mixture.  When, 
however,  the  vinous  fermentation  ended, 
the  liquor,  by  being  kept  too  long,  was 
found  converted  into  vinegar.  So  that, 
in  the  course  of  these  experiments,  ale, 
bread,  yeast,  ardent  spirit,  and  vinegar, 
had  all  actually  been  produced.  “ There 
are,”  says  Dr  Shannon,  who  perhaps  unites, 
in  his  own  person,  as  much  scientific  and 
practical  knowledge  with  regard  to  fer- 
mented liquors,  to  say  nothing  of  his  pro- 
fessional skill  in  medicine,  as  anyone  per- 
son in  existence,  “ many  tons  weight  of 
this  elastic  air  blended  with  some  tons  of 
alcohol,  dissipated  in  great  breweries,  dis- 
tilleries, &c.  and  annually  every  vintage 
in  wine  countries,  that  may,  no  doubt,  be 
one  day  or  other  converted  to  purposes 
highly  advantageous  in  undertakings  of 
this  kind.”  This  is  an  article  most  highly 
interesting,  in  whatever  view  it  be  con- 
templated, as  pregnant  with  national  and 
individual  benefit. 

Description  of  Dr.  Nooth’s  Celebrated  Ma- 
chine for  impregnating  Liquids  with  Gas  or 

Fixed  Air. 

This  famous  machine  or  chemical  appa- 
ratus for  promoting  the  absorption  of  gase- 
ous fluids  by  liquids,  is  composed  of  three 
principal  vessels  or  pieces  of  glass;  and 
forms,  on  the  whole,  a handsome  and  grand 


appearance.  The  bottom,  or  lower  piece, 
being  bell  shaped;  the  middle  piece  larger, 
in  the  form  of  a sort  of  urn,  with  a glass  cock; 
and  the  top,  or  upper  piece,  very  small,  but 
likewise  in  a somewhat  urn  shape,  crowned 
by  an  inverted  conical  glass  stopper.  These 
respective  pieces  are  ground  with  the  ut- 
most accuracy,  so  as  closely  to  fit  each 
oilier;  and,  in  using  the  machine,  the  sub- 
stances from  which  the  gas  or  fixed  air  is 
to  be  extricated,  are  put  into  the  lower 
piece;  the  middle  piece  being  filled  with 
the  liquid  with  which  the  gas  is  to  be  com- 
bined; and  the  upper  piece  left  entirely 
empty.  As  soon  as  a sufficient  quantity 
of  gas  becomes  formed  to  overcome  the 
pressure,  it  passes  through  a curious  valve, 
consisting  of  an  internal  tube  of  small  cali- 
bre, but  of  a stout  substance;  ground  and 
fitted  tightly  into  an  external  tube,  which 
is  closed  at  the  upper  end,  but  there  per- 
forated with  small  holes  to  give  passage 
for  the  gas.  In  forming  tiiis  internal  tube, 
and  fitting  it  to  the  external,  a portion  is 
cut  out  sufficient  to  receive  a small  hemi- 
sphere of  glass,  and  allow  the  hemisphere  to 
rise  a little  on  it’s  chamber  without  turning 
over:  the  upper  piece  of  the  internal  tube 
is  then  thrust  home  into  it's  proper  station, 
and  the  glass  hemisphere  introduced  with 
it’s  perfectly  flat  plane  recumbent  in  the 
upper  end  of  the  lower  piece  of  the  tube, 
which  is  likewise  ground  compleatly  fiat. 
It  is  evident,  from  this  construction,  that 
the  glass  hemisphere  may  be  raised  by  the 
upward  pressure  or  ascent  of  any  gas,  so  as- 
to  permit  it’s  passage,  while  nothing  can 
possibly  pass  downward;  for,  in  fact,  the 
stronger  is  the  pressure  above,  the  closer 
becomes  the  valve.  The  gas,  therefore, 
in  the  operation  above  described,  passing 
by  this  curiously  constructed  valve,  rises 


288 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


through  the  liquid  to  the  upper  part  of 
the  middle  piece  of  the  machine;  forcing, 
at  the  same  time,  a quantity  of  fluid  into 
the  upper  piece,  through  it’s  lower  funnel 
formed  aperture,  the  mouth  of  which  is 
inserted  in  the  middle  piece.  Immediately 
on  so  much  of  the  fluid’s  being  forced  from 
the  middle  piece  as  to  bring  it’s  surface 
down  to  the  level  of  the  lower  aperture  of 
the  upper  piece,  a portion  of  gas  escapes 
into  the  upper  piece;  the  fluid  rises  a little 
in  the  middle  piece;  and,  the  conical  stop- 
per with  which  the  upper  piece  is  closed 
yielding,  permits  a portion  of  gas  to  escape 
as  soon  as  it’s  pressure  in  the  upper  piece 
becomes  considerable.  When  the  liquid 
is  thus  sufficiently  impregnated,  or  rather 
saturated,  with  the  fixed  air  or  gas,  it  is 
drawn  off’  by  the  glass  cock  near  the  bottom 
of  the  middle  piece.  The  curious  valve  in 
Dr.  Nooth’s  machine,  has  already  been  in- 
geniously applied  to  the  apparatus  of  some 
eminent  distillers  with  very  considerable 
success. 

The  Reverend  Mr.  Cartwright’s  Account  of 
the  Wonderful  Efficacy  of  Yeast  in  the  Cure 
of  Putrid  Diseases. 

The  following  account  of  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Cartwright’s  first  discovery,  and  sub- 
sequent experience,  of  the  good  effects  of 
administering  yeast,  in  putrid  sore  throats, 
fevers,  &c.  cannot  be  too  generally  made 
known — “ Several  years  ago,”  says  this 
gentleman,  for  we  shall  transcribe  verba- 
tim his  own  highly  interesting  narrative, 
“ I went  to  reside  at  Brampton,  a very 
populous  village  near  Chesterfield.  I had 
not  been  there  many  months,  before  a 
putrid  fever  broke  out  among  us;  and, 
finding  by  far  the  greater  number  of  my 
new  parishioners  much  too  poor  to  afford 


themselves  medical  assistance,  I undertook, 
by  the  help  of  such  books  on  the  subject 
i of  medicine  as  were  in  my  possession,  to 
prescribe  for  them.  I early  attended  a 
boy  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  who  was 
attacked  by  this  fever;  he  bad  not  been  ill 
many  days,  before  the  symptoms  were  un- 
equivocally putrid.  I then  administered 
bark,  wine,  and  such  other  remedies  as  my 
books  directed.  My  exertions,  however, 
were  of  no  avail : his  disorder  grew,  every 
day,  more  untractable  and  malignant;  so 
that  I was  in  hourly  expectation  of  his  dis- 
solution. Being  under  the  absolute  neces- 
sity of  taking  a journey;  before  I set  off, 
I went  to  see  him,  as  I thought,  for  the 
last  time:  and  I prepared  his  parents  for 
the  event  of  his  death,  which  I considered 
as  inevitable;  reconciling  them,  in  the  best 
manner  I was  able,  to  a loss  which  I knew 
they  would  feel  severely.  While  I was  in 
conversation  on  this  distressing  subject 
with  his  mother,  I observed,  in  a corner  of 
j the  room,  a small  tub  of  wort  working. 

The  sight  brought  to  my  recollection  an 
! experiment  I had  somewhere  met  with,  of 
a piece  of  putrid  meat  being  made  sweet 
by  suspending  it  over  a tub  of  wort  in  the 
act  of  fermentation.  The  idea  instantly 
flashed  into  my  mind,  that  the  yeast  might 
correct  the  putrid  nature  of  this  disease ; 
and,  I instantly  gave  him  two  large  spoon- 
fuls : telling  the  mother,  if  she  found  her 
son  better,  to  repeat  this  dose  every  three 
hours.  I then  set  out  on  my  journey.  On 
my  return,  after  a few  days,  I anxiously 
enquired  about  the  boy;  and  was  informed, 
he  had  recovered.  I could  not  repress  my 
curiosity.  Though  I was  greatly  fatigued 
with  my  journey,  and  night  was  come  on, 
I went  directly  to  where  he  lived;  which 
w7as  three  miles  olf,  in  a wild  part  of  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK 


289 


moors.  The  boy  himself  opened  the  door; 
looked  surprisingly  well;  and  told  me,  that 
he  felt  better  from  the  instant  he  took  the 
yeast.  After  I left  Brampton,  I lived  in 
Leicestershire:  and,  my  parishioners  being 
there  few  and  opulent,  I dropped  entirely 
my  medical  character,  and  would  not  even 
prescribe  for  any  of  my  own  family.  One 
of  my  domestics  falling  ill,  accordingly, 
the  apothecary  was  sent  for.  The  servant’s 
complaint  was  a violent  fever;  which,  in 
it’s  progress,  became  putrid.  Having  great 
reliance,  and  deservedly,  on  the  apothe- 
cary’s penetration  and  judgment,  the  man 
was  left  solely  to  his  management.  His  dis- 
order, however,  kept  daily  gaining  ground; 
till,  at  length,  the  apothecary  considered 
him  in  very  great  danger.  At  last,  finding 
every  effort  to  be  of  service  to  him  baffled, 
he  told  me,  he  considered  it  as  a lost  case ; 
for,  in  his  opinion,  the  man  could  not  sur- 
vive four  and  twenty  hours.  On  the  apo- 
thecary thus  giving  him  up,  I determined 
to  try  the  effects  of  yeast,  and  I gave  him 
two  large  .spoonfuls.  In  fifteen  minutes 
from  taking  it,  his  pulse,  though  still  feeble, 
began  to  get  composed  and  full;  and,  in 
thirty-two  minutes  from  taking  the  yeast, 
he  was  able  to  get  up  from  his  bed,  and 
walk  in  his  room.  At  the  expiration  of 
the  second  hour,  I gave  him  a bason  of 
sago,  with  a good  deal  of  lemon,  wine,  and 
ginger,  in  it,  and  he  eat  it  with  appetite. 
In  another  hour,  I repeated  the  }-east;  an 
hour  afterward,  I gave  him  the  bark  ; and, 
the  next  hour,  he  had  food.  He  had,  next, 
another  dose  of  yeast;  and  then  went  to  bed, 
being  nine  o’clock.  I went  to  him,  next 
morning,  at  six  o’clock;  when  he  told  me 
he  had  had  a good  night,  and  was  recovered. 
Ir  however,  repeated  his  medicine,  and  he 
was  able  to  go  about  his  business  as  usual. 


i A year  after  this,  as  I was  riding  past  a de- 
I tached  farm  house  at  the  outskirts  of  the 
i village,  I observed  the  farmer’s  daughter 
standing  at  the  door  apparently  in  great 
affliction.  On  enquiring  into  the  cause  of 
her  distress,  she  told  me  her  father  was  dy- 
ing. I dismounted,  and  went  into  the 
house  to  see  him.  I found  him  in  the  last 
stage  of  a putrid  fever:  his  tongue  was 
black;  bis  pulse  was  scarcely  perceptible  ; 
and  he  lay  stretched  out,  like  a corpse,  in  a 
state  of  drowsy  insensibility.  I immedi- 
ately procured  some  yeast;  which  I diluted 
with  water,  and  poured  down  his  throat. 

I then  left  him,  with  little  hope  of  his  re- 
covery. I returned  to  him  in  about  two 
hours;  and  found  him  sensible,  and  able 
to  converse.  I then  gave  him  a dose  of 
bark.  He  afterward  took,  at  a proper  in- 
terval, some  refreshment.  I continued 
with  him  till  he  repeated  the  yeast;  and 
then  left  him,  with  directions  how  to  pro- 
ceed. I called  on  him  the  next  morning, 
at  nine  o’clock;  and  found  him  apparently 
well,  walking  in  his  garden.  He  was  an 
old  man,  upward  of  seventy.  I have,  since, 
administered  the  yeast  to  above  fifty  per- 
sons labouring  under  putrid  fevers;  and, 
whatis  singular, I havenot  lost  one  patient.” 
Dr.  Thornton,  whose  opportunities  have 
been  great,  as  superintending  physician  of 
the  General  Dispensary,  including  the  poor 
of  nine  parishes  in  London,  has  made  fre- 
quent trials  of  yeast.  In  St.  Giles’s,  par- 
ticularly, among  the  numerous  poor  of  that 
crouded  district,  he  administers,  in  putrid 
diseases,  after  cleansing  the  first  passages, 
nothing  else  but  two  table-spoonfuls  of 
yeast,  in  some  porter,  every  two  hours; 
and,  in  about  fifty  successive  cases,  not  a 
single  patient  died  under  this  treatment. 
The  following  cases  are  selected,  from  this 
4 D 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


1290 

physician’s  successful  practice,  as  peculiarly  j 
interesting.  As  Dr.  Thornton  was  acci- 
dentally passing  the  shop  of  Mr.  Burford, 
in  Tottenham  Court  Road,  he  heard  the 
shrieks  of  a mother,  agonized  at  seeing  her 
child  apparently  expire.  These  alarming 
screams  renewed  the  struggles  of  the  child; 
and  the  nurse  was,  at  this  moment,  threat-  J 
ening  to  take  away  the  child,  that  it  might 
die  in  peace.  The  doctor  immediately  got 
down  some  tartar  emetic,  which  quickly  i 
acted  on  the  stomach;  and,  that  operation 
ended,  gave  a dose  of  rhubarb,  to  clear  also 
the  intestines.  He  then  ordered  the  child 
yeast  and  water  every  two  hours,  with  wine 
and  bark;  and,  in  three  days,  the  dying 
child  was  up  and  well.  The  infection  had 
spread  to  two  other  persons  in  the  same 
house.  With  this,  and  another  child,  the  pu- 
trid fever  was  attended  by  swelled  glands; 
which  had  suppurated,  and  threatened  mor- 
tification : with  a robust  servant  girl,  it  took 
the  form  of  a putrid  sore  throat.  This 
girl,  also,  had  an  emetic,  and  afterward 
rhubarb,  followed  by  yeast  and  water  every 
two  hours.  The  first  effect  of  the  yeast, 
was  that  of  rendering  the  pulse  fuller,  and 
diminishing  it  fifteen  beats  a minute;  the 
blackness  of  her  tongue  soon  began  to  as- 
sume a clean  and  red  appearance;  and, 
without  either  bark  or  wine,  she  was  speedi- 
ly restored  to  health.  In  Husband  Street, 
a very  confined  situation  near  Berwick 
Street,  a malignant  fever  prevailed;  which, 
within  a fortnight,  had  swept  away  six  per- 
sons, from  three  houses  only,  when  Dr. 
Thornton  was  called  in,  to  the  assistance 
of  a mother,  who  lay  in  the  same  bed  with 
her  two  children.  She  was  delirious  ; and 
violently  rejected  both  food  and  medicine, 
with  which  she  was,  consequently,  obliged 
to  be  drenched.  After  an  emetic  and  ca- 


thartic had  been  got  down  each,  herself 
and  children  w ere  all  put  on  the  same  plan: 
that  is,  each  was  made  to  swallow,  every 
three  hours,  two-thirds  of  a glass  of  fresh 
porter,  with  two  table-spoonfuls  of  yeast, 
and  the  juice  of  half  a lemon.  The  food 
given  at  intervals,  was  the  white  of  eggs, 
beat  up  with  some  sugar  and  water;  the 
doctor  judging  that,  as  the  white  of  eggs, 
even  under  the  heat  of  a hen’s  body  during 
incubation,  does  not  corrupt,  but  actually 
serves  as  milk  to  the  embryo  in  the  shell, 
this  was  of  all  things  least  liable  to  putrify. 
Strawberries,  being  in  season,  were  also 
ordered;  and,  with  this  management  alone, 
she  and  her  little  family  all  rapidly  reco- 
vered. More  testimonies  might  easily  be 
added,  and  from  several  other  respectable 
practitioners;  but  farther  proofs  seem  un- 
necessary, to  establish  the  prodigious  ef- 
ficacy of  yeast,  in  one  of  the  most  fatal 
class  of  maladies  with  which  human  na- 
ture is  peculiarly  subject  to  be  afflicted. 
Where,  indeed,  is  the  family,  which  has 
not  suffered  by  the  dreadful  ravages  of 
some  putrid  disease;  which,  under  Provi- 
dence, a knowledge  of  this  simple  but  po- 
tent remedy,  and  for  which  we  are  indebted 
to  the  Reverend  Mr.  Cartwright,  might 
happily  have  prevented! 

Genuine  Mushroom  Ketchup. 

T hf.RE  are  several  modes  of  making  ket- 
chup: sometimes,  vulgarly,  called  catchup; 
and  sometimes,  affectedly,  catsup.  It  is, 
strictly,  the  juice  of  mushrooms:  but  these 
names  are  also  applied  to  the  liquor  of  wal- 
nuts; and,  indeed,  even  to  that  of  cockles, 
when  the  saline  liquid  of  these  small  sfiell 
fish  is  prepared  and  preserved  for  saurc. 
All  sauces,  in  fact,  of  which  mushrooms 
are  the  basis,  may  be  said  to  form  a sort  of 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


more  or  less  compound,  or  simple  and  gen- 
uine, ketchup;  and  as,  in  this  last,  is  chiefly 
to  be  found  the  true  mushroom  flavour,  vve 
shall  here  describe  the  best  method  of  pre- 
paring and  preserving  it  for  use- — Get  the 
largest  broad  flapped,  and  red  gilled  fresh 
mushrooms,  gathered  before  the  sun  has 
discoloured  them;  and,  after  wiping  them 
with  a clean  woollen  cloth,  break  them  to 
pieces  in  a large  earthen  pan.  To  every 
three  handfuls  of  the  mushrooms  thus  bro- 
ken, throw  in  a handful  of  common  salt; 
and,  the  whole  being  done,  stir  them  well 
together  two  or  three  times  a day,  till  the 
salt  be  all  dissolved,  and  the  mushrooms 
appear  in  nearly  a state  of  liquefaction. 
Then,  having  bruised  the  few  remaining 
bits,  set  the  whole  over  a gentle  fire,  till 
the  entire  virtue  be  extracted;  and,  strain- 
ing the  hot  liquid  through  a fine  hair  sieve, 
boil  it  gently  with  a little  allspice,  whole 
black  pepper,  ginger,  horse-radish,  and  an 
onion  or  a few  shallots,  with  two  or  three 
laurel  leaves.  Some  use  garlic,  all  the  dif- 
ferent spices,  mustard  seed,  &c.  but,  if 
not  wanted  for  long  keeping,  those  who 
most  relish  the  flavour  of  the  mushrooms 
will  like  it  best  with  few  ingredients,  or 
even  without  any  thing  but  the  salt.  After 
it  has  simmered  some  little  time,  and  been 
well  scummed,  strain  it  into  bottles;  and, 
on  it’s  getting  quite  cold,  close  them  with 
cork  and  bladder.  If  again  boiled,  at  the 
end  of  three  months,  with  a little  fresh  spice 
and  a stick  of  sliced  horse-radish,  it  will 
keep  very  well  for  at  least  a year;  which 
it  seldom  does,  perfectly  good,  unless  it  be 
a second  time  so  boiled. 

Ancient  British  Liquor , called  Bragget. 

This  once  famous  old  British  liquor  is 
still  made  by  a.  few  respectable  families. 


291 

chiefly  in  Wales;  from  one  of  which  w.e 
have  been  favoured  with  an  admirable  me- 
thod of  preparing  it.  The  original  Welsh 
name  is  bragod;  from  which  has  been  form- 
ed that  of  bragget,  or  braggot,  for  it  is 
found  both  ways  in  the  few  old  dictionaries- 
and  other  books  where  it  occurs,  and  sim- 
ply defined  as  a drink  consisting  of  honey 
and  spices.  Were  this  correct,  it  could 
only  be  considered  as  the  Welsh  appella- 
tion of  mead  ormetheglin;  but,  according 
to  our  information,  bragget  implies  a com- 
bination of  malt  liquor  with  honey  and 
spices,  the  best  method  of  preparing  which- 
is  as  follows — Take  after  the  rate  of  a gal- 
lon of  w'ater  to  a pound  of  honey,  and  stir 
it  till  the  honey  be  melted.  Then,  adding 
half  a handful  each  of'  rosemary  tops,  bay 
leaves,  sweet  briar,  angelica,  balm,  thyme, 
or  other  sweet  herbs,  with  half  an  ounce  of 
sliced  ginger,  and  a little  nutmeg,  mace, 
cinnamon,  and  a few  cloves,  boil  them 
gently  together  for  nearly  half  an  hour; 
scumming  it  well,  till  it  looks  tolerably 
clear.  In  the  mean  time,  having  prepared 
three  gallons  of  the  first  runnings  of  strong 

ale,  or  sweet  wort,  mix  the  two  liquids  quite 
hot,  with  all  the  herbs  and  spices;  and, 
stirring  them  together  for  some  time  over 
a fire,  but  without  suffering  them  to  boil, 
strain  off  the  liquor,  and  set  it  to  cool. 
When  it  becomes  only  the  warmth  of 
new  milk,  ferment  it  with  good  ale  yeast; 
and,  after  it  has  properly  worked,  tun  it 

up,  and  hang  a bag  of  bruised  spices  in  the 
barrel,  where  it  is  to  remain  all  the  time 
of  drawing.  It  is  generally  drank  from  the 
cask;  but  may  be  bottled,  like  other  li- 
quors, any  time  after  it  has  entirely  ceased 
to  hiss  in  the  barrel.  A weaker  sort  of  bra"- 

O 

get  is  sometimes  prepared  with  the  third 
! runnings  of  the  ale,  a smaller  proportion 


-.92 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


of  honey,  and  the  strained  spices,  &c.  with 
a few  fresh  herbs;  the  second  runnings, 
in  that  case,  being  made  the  family  ale, 
These  arrangements,  however,  and  other 
obvious  deviations,  are  made  according  to 
the  taste  or  inclination  of  the  respective 
parties. 

Frosted  Coellins  and  Cream. 

BolL  gently  some  fine  large  codlins  in 
spring  water,  with  a very  little  roche  alum  ; 
and,  when  they  become  somewhat  more 
than  half  done,  peel  off  their  outside  skin, 
rub  them  over  with  oded  butter,  and  sift 
fine  loaf  sugar  plentifully  over  them.  Place 
them  on  a tin  plate;  let  it  stand  in  a slow 
oven  till  the  sugar  on  the  codlins  has  a 
frost-like  sparkling  appearance;  and  serve 
them  up  when  cold,  surrounded  with  finely 
perfumed  tart  cream.  If  a dozen  or  more 
codlins  thus  prepared  are  put  into  a trifle 
glass,  having  a flower  or  other  pleasing  or- 
nament stuck  on  the  top  of  each  codlin, 
they  form  a very  elegant  as  well  as  excel- 
lent di;$h  for  the  most  fashionable  tables. 

Codlins  and  Greengages , finely  Greened  and 

presej'ved  for  Tarts,  Stc. 

Cover  the  bottom  of  a stewpan  with  a 
layer  of  the  finest  green  codlins  or  green- 
gages, and  spread  over  them  a double  layer 
of  the  greenest  and  freshest  vine  leaves ; 
then  proceed  with  other  alternate  layers 
of  fruit  and  vine  leaves,  till  the  stewpan  be 
full,  or  all  the  fruit  intended  to  be  greened 
compleatly  covered  with  vine  leaves.  Fill 
in  cold  spring  water,  closely  cover  up  the 
stewpan,  and  set  it  over  a slow  fire.  When 
the  codlins  or  greengages  become  a little 
tender,  strip  oil  their  skins;  and,  both  them 
and  the  liquor  being  quite  cooled,  return 
the  fruit  into  it,  with  fresh  vine  leaves  and  a 


little  roche  alum,  and  let  them  remain  over 
a slow  fire  till  they  get  perfectly  greened. 
Having,  in  the  mean  time,  prepared  a thin 
common  syrup,  drain  the  fruit  dry,  put  it 
into  the  syrup,  and  let  it  remain  there  till 
next  day.  Pour  off,  boil  up,  and  again  add 
thesyrup,  daily,  at  least  three  times;  then, 
putting  the  fruit  up  in  glasses,  with  the 
syrup,  when  quite  cold,  place  over  brandy 
papers,  and  cover  each  glass  closely  with 
bladder  and  paper  tied  round  the  top. 

Easy  Method  of  making  Excellent  lied  or 
Black  Cherry  Wine.  ' 

Bruise  twenty-four  pounds  of  the  finest 
ripe  cherries,  either  red  or  black,  first  tak- 
ing away  the  stalks  with  any  rotten  or  un- 
ripe fruit;  and,  after  pressing  out  the  juice, 
and  even  breaking  the  stones  and  crushing 
the  kernels,  let  the  whole  ferment  together 
for  twelve  hours.  Then  run  the  liquid 
through  a large  flannel  jelly  bag,  into  a 
vessel  placed  beneath,  containing  a pound 
of  fine  powdered  loaf  sugar;  forcing  also, 
with  a ladle  or  the  hands,  as  much  as  pos- 
sible of  the  juice  from  the  entire  mass  of 
mashed  fruit  and  kernels.  When  the  sugar 
is  thoroughly  dissolved,  put  the  liquor  up 
in  bottles,  filling  each  above  half  up  the 
neck,  or  within  nearly  an  inch  of  the  cork. 
This  quantity  of  good  cherries  will  gene- 
rally make  six  quart  bottles  of  a most  plea- 
sant and  salubrious  wine,  without  dregs; 
of  a fine  deep  red  colour,  more  or  less 
bright,  according  to  the  sort  of  cherries 
used;  and  will  keep  well  considerably 
longer  than  a year,  if  deposited  in  a cool 
cellar.  Those  who  are  fond  of  experiments, 
may  flavour  with  ripe  gooseberry  juice  or 
a few  raspberries,  or  sharpen  with  thejuice 
of  currants,  &c.  But  the  cherries  alone, 
particularly  if  the  stones  are  broken  so  as 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  293 


to  obtain  flavour  from  the  kernels,  will 
produce  a wine  highly  agreeable  to  almost 
everv  palate.  This  winewill  befittodrink 
in  two  or  three  months.  The  small  pro- 
portion of  sugar  requisite,  renders  this  one 
of  the  cheapest,  as  well  as  one  of  the  best, 
of  all  our  British  wines.  It  may,  indeed, 
with  little  or  no  injury  to  the  colour,  be 
made  with  good  moist  sugar;  and,  if  even 
barreled,  instead  of  bottled,  will  draw  clear 
and  well  to  the  last.  When  the  juice  is 
first  pressed  out,  in  making  cherry  wine, 
the  mass  should  be  wrung  as  dry  as  possi- 
ble in  a napkin,  before  the  stones  are  at- 
tempted to  be  broken,  and  the  kernels  ! 
bruised;  which,  however,  being  afterward 
done,  either  in  a press  between  boards,  or 
with  a mallet,  &c.  the  whole  is  to  be  re- 


together.  This  rule  is  to  be  observed,  in 
making  all  other  wines  from  stoned  fruits,  j 
where  the  flavour  of  the  kernels,  either  in 

the  whole  or  part,  is  any  way  desirable. 

. 

Wonderful  Effects  of  Potatoe  Liquid , in  Clean- 
sing Silk , Woollen,  and  Cotton,  Furniture 
or  Apparel,  8(c.  without  Injury  to  the  Tex- 
ture or  Colour. 

For  the  communication  of  this  valuable 
discovery  to  the  Society  for  the  Encourage- 
ment of  Arts,  Manufactures,  and  Commerce, 
in  the  Adelphi,  February  4,  1805,  Mrs. 
Morris  obtained  a premium  of  fifteen 
guineas  from  that  truly  honourable  insti- 
tution; in  whose  Transactions  of  that  year 
it  is  thus  regularly  described— Take  raw 
potatoes,  in  the  state  they  are  taken  out 
of  the  earth.  Wash  them  well:  then  rub 
them  on  a grater,  over  a vessel  of  clean 
water,  to  a fine  pulp  ; pass  the  liquid  mat- 
ter, through  a coarse  sieve,  into  another 
tub  of  clear  water;  let  the  mixture  stand, 


I till  the  fine  white  particles  of  the  potatoes 
j are  precipitated;  then  pour  the  mucila- 
I ginous  liquor  from  the  fecula,  and  preserve 
! this  liquor  for  use.  The  article  to  be  clean- 
ed should  be  laid,  on  a linen  cloth,  on  a 
table:  and,  having  provided  a clean  sponge, 
dip  the  sponge  in  the  potatoe  liquor,  and 
apply  the  sponge  thus  wet  on  the  article 
to  be  cleaned;  and  rub  it  well  on  with  re- 
peated portions  of  the  potatoe  liquor,  till 
the  dirt  is  perfectly  separated.  Then  wash 
the  article  in  clean  water  several  times,  to 
remove  the  loose  dirt.  It  may,  afterward, 

; be  smoothed  or  dried.  Two  middle  sized 
potatoes  will  be  sufficient  for  a pint  of  wa- 
ter. The  white  fecula,  which  separates  in 
making  the  mucilaginous  liquor,  will  an- 
swer the  purpose  of  tapioca;  it  will  make  a 
useful  and  nourishing  food  with  soup  or 
milk,  or  serve  to  make  starch  and  hair  pow- 
der. The  coarse  pulp,  which  does  not  pass 
the  sieve,  is  of  great  use  in  cleaning  wors- 
ted curtains,  tapestry,  carpets,  or  other 
coarse  goods.  The  mucilaginous  liquor 
of  the  potatoes  will  clean  all  sort's  of  silk, 
cotton,  or  woollen  goods,  without  damag- 
ing the  texture  of  the  article  or  spoiling 
the  colour.  It  is  also  useful  in  cleaning 

O 

oil  paintings,  or  furniture  that  is  soiled. 
Dirty  painted  wainscots,  may  be  cleaned 
by  wetting  a sponge  in  the  liquor,  then 
dipping  it  in  a little  fine  clean  sand,  and 
afterward  rubbing  the  wainscot  therewith. 
Various  experiments  were  made  by  Mrs. 
Morris,  in  the  presence  of  a committee,  at. 
the  society’s  house;  and  the  whole  process, 
on  fine  and  coarse  goods  of  different  fa- 
brics, was  performed  to  their  entire  satis- 
faction. This  simple  but  very  valuable 
discovery  may  certainly  be  applied  to  many 
other  useful  purposes,  as  well  as  those  which 
are  here  particularly  enumerated. 

4 E 


294 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


New  Method  of  Clearing  Feathers  from  their 
Animal  Oil. 

The  process  for  effecting  this  tiseful 
purpose,  is  thus  described  in  the  Transac- 
tions of  the  Adelphi  Society,  who  rewarded  j 
Mrs.  Richardson  with  a premium  of  twenty 
guineas  for  making  the  discovery — fake,  • 
for  every  gallon  of  clear  water,  a pound 
of  quick  lime.  Mix  them  well  together; 
and,  when  the  undissolved  lime  is  precipi- 
tated in  fine  powder,  pour  off  the  clear 
lime-water  for  use,  at  the  time  it  is  wanted. 
Put  the  feathers  to  be  cleaned  in  another 
tub,  and  add  to  them  a sufficient  quantity 
of  the  clear  lime  water  to  cover  the  feathers 
about  three  inches  when  well  immersed  and 
stirred  therein.  Thefeathers,when  thorough- 
ly moistened,  will  sinkdown ; andshould  re- 
main in  the  lime  water  three  or  four  days: 
after  which,  the  foul  liquor  should  be  sepa- 
rated from  the  feathers,  by  laying  them  on 
a sieve.  The  feathers  should  be  afterward 
well  washed  in  clean  water,  and  dried  on 
nets,  the  meshes  being  about  the  same 
fineness  as  those  of  cabbage  nets.  The 
feathers  must,  from  time  to  time,  be  shaken  i 
on  the  nets;  and,  as  they  dry,  they  will  fall 
through  the  meshes,  and  are  to  be  collected 
for  use.  The  admission  of  air  will  be  ser- 
viceable in  the  drying,  and  the  whole  pro- 
cess may  be  eompleated  in  about  three 
weeks.  The  feathers,  after  being  thus  pre- 
pared, will  want  nothing  more  than  beating 
for  use,  either  as  beds,  bolsters,  pillows,  or 
cushions.  So  effectual  is  this  method,  and 
so  preferable  to  the  old  and  common  way 
of  stoving  or  baking,  that  an  eminent  dealer 
having  sent  to  the  society  some  bags  of 
foreign  feathers,  which  retained  their  un- 
pleasant smell  after  having  been  stoved  the 
usual  period  of  three  days,  Mrs.  Richard-  I 


son  rendered  them  perfectly  sweet  and 
clean.  This  is  a very  important  discovery; 
more  particularly  as  the  feathers,  by  not 
being  hardened  with  heat,  certainly  require 
less  beating. 

Excellent  Carraxvay  Comfit  Whigs , Buns,  or 
Cakes. 

Rub  half  a pound  of  new  butter,  fresh 
from  the  churn,  in  two  quarts  of  fine  dried 
and  sifted  flour;  then,  adding  a quarter  of 
a pound  of  carraumy  comfits,  beat  up  two 
yolks  of  eggs,  three  table-spoonfuls  of  ale 
yeast,  with  a little  salt,  and  put  them  also 
to  the  flour;  adding  a pint  or  more  of  new 
milk,  and  mixing  the  wdiole  together  as  if 
intended  for  a single  large  cake.  The  paste 
must  be  equally  well  worked,  and  beat 
till  it  leaves  the  hand;  when  it  should  be 
set  before  the  fire,  to  rise,  for  about  half  an 
hour.  In  the  mean  time,  having  ready  a 
quarter  of  a pound  of  powdered  and  sifted 
loaf  sugar,  roll  pieces  of  the  paste  well 
among  it,  make  them  up  in  the  shape  of 
either  whigs  or  buns,  place  them  on  tins, 
dust  a little  sugar  over  them,  and  set  them  in 
the  oven.  They  may  be  eaten  hot  or  cold; 
and  are  esteemed  very  good,  when  toasted, 
for  tea.  The  whigs  or  buns  are  sometimes 
made  with  plain  carraway  seeds,  instead  of 
comfits:  and,  sometimes,  the  paste  thus 
formed  is  made  into  a single  seed  cake; 
for  which  it  is  equally  well  adapted,  w he- 
ther with  comfits  or  plain  carraway  seeds. 

Beef  Bonillie , or  Fresh  Beef  Boiled. 

This  simple  but  most  useful  article  seems 
little  understood  in  England,  even  by  our 
best  cooks.  Because  the  name  has  origi- 
nated in  France,  though  the  manner  is 
adopted  all  over  the  continent,  a singular 
notion  has  here  generally  prevailed,  that 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  295 


beef  bouillie,  literally  meaning  boiled  beef, 
is  in  fact  beef  never  boiled  at  all ; but  mere- 
ly stewed  down  till  it  parts  with  it’s  entire 
juices,  and  eaten  when  thus  rendered  des- 
titute of  nourishment,  accompanied  by  the 
soup,  which  contains  all  the  goodness  of  the 
meat.  This  is  an  important  error,  which 
it  well  becomes  us  carefully  to  eradicate. 
Bv  a strange  infatuation,  we  are  led,  in 
this  country,  amid  all  our  boasted  attach- 
ment to  the  flesh  of  the  ox,  into  a ridiculous 
idea  that,  because  roasted  fresh  beef,  and 
boiled  salt  beef,  are  both  excellent  food, 
salt  beef  roasted  being  bad,  fresh  beef  boiled 
must  necessarily  be  bad  also.  Owing  en- 
tirely to  this  fatal  absurdity,  do  our  poor, 
in  particular,  sustain  an  incalculable  loss 
of  the  most  nourishing,  salubrious,  and 
least  expensive,  flesh  food.  We  are,  our- 
selves, no  advocates  for  stewing  meat  to 
rags ; or  substituting  solid  meat,  for  mere 
slops  and  soups:  but,  undoubtedly,  if  we 
can  obtain  good  soup  for  human  food, 
without  depriving  meat  of  it’s  nutritious 
succulence,  by  the  simple  operation  of  boil- 
ing it  while  fresh,  we  are  doing  what  com- 
mon sense  would  alone  have  long  since  dic- 
tated to  all,  had  we  not  been  in  this,  as 
in  too  many  other  instances,  under  the 
wretched  and  pernicious  influence  of  na- 
tional prejudice.  Were  the  small  bits  of 
fresh  beef  which  the  poor  can  alone  pur- 
chase, instead  of  being  burnt  to  a coal  on 
a gridiron,  or  dried  up  in  an  oven,  dressed 
after  the  same  manner  as  the  beef  bouillie 
of  France,  Italy,  Germany,  Sweden,  Den- 
mark, Russia,  &c.  they  would  aflord  far 
more  than  double  the  nourishment  which 
is  now  commonly  obtained  from  them. 
Beef  bouillie,  we  shall  take  the  liberty 
to  define,  not  salt  boiled  beef,  but  fresh 
beef  boiled.  This,  in  England  at  least. 


is  a very  necessary  distinction,  and  we  are 
desirous  forcibly  to  impress  it  on  our  coun- 
try; where  we  do  not  wish  ever  to  see  meat 
banished  for  even  the  richest  soups,  good 
and  salutary  as  they  undoubtedly  are  when 
followed  by  a moderate  portion  of  solid 
flesh.  The  plain  method  of  boiling  fresh 
beef,  called  beef  bouillie,  is  simply  this — 
Boil  slowly  the  thick  end  of  a brisket,  or 
any  other  piece  or  pieces  of  good  fresh 
beef,  tying  it  round  with  packthread,  or  the 
pieces  closely  together,  for  the  purpose  of 
not  only  securely  keeping  in  the  gravy,  but 
occasioning  the  meat  to  cut  up  firmly, 
should  any  of  it  remain  to  be  eaten  cold. 
It  is  to  be  well  covered  with  water,  have 
a moderate  quantity  of  salt  thrown  in  when 
it  begins  to  boil,  be  well  seasoned,  and 
have  fresh  boiling  water  added  as  the  for- 
mer boils  away.  A faggot  of  sweet  herbs 
may  be  at  any  time  put  in;  but  the  carrots, 
turnips,  onions,  celery,  or  any  other  vege- 
tables made  choice  of,  should  not  be  added 
till  within  the  last  hour  of  the  time  the 
whole  is  wanted  to  be  served  up,  when  it  is  to 
be  also  finally  seasoned  with  salt  and  pep- 
per, &c.  The  time,  of  course,  must  be  pro- 
portioned to  the  magnitude  of  the  meat; 
which,  however,  must  continue  slowly  boil- 
ing till  it  becomes  quite  tender:  this,  fora 
piece  of  about  six  pounds,  will  not  be  less 
than  three  hours.  When  done,  it  may 
be  served  up  in  the  middle  of  the  soup  and 
vegetables;  or  the  soup  in  a separate  tu- 
reen, and  the  meat  in  a dish  surrounded 
with  vegetables  and  strew'ed  over  with 
sprigs  of  rawr  parsley.  This  beef,  which 
is  excellent  hot,  is  at  least  equally  good 
cold;  and,  in  general,  preferred  even  to 
cold  salt  beef  by  almost  all  palates.  It 
wants  only  a fair  trial,  in  England;  where 
the  necessity  of  salted  provisions  for 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


296 

sea  service,  is  considered  by  foreigners  as 
having  in  some  degree  vitiated  the  public 
taste  with  regard  to  boiled  beef. 

Cold  Beef  Bouillie,  a la  Matt  re  d’ Hotel. 

THOUGH  beef  bouillie  may  be  eaten  cold, 
either  with  pickles,  sallad,  onions,  horse- 
radish, boiled  vegetables,  &c.  or  with  vine- 
gar and  mustard  only;  in  short,  exactly 
like  other  cold  boiled  beef:  a very  favou- 
rite way  of  eating  it,  on  many  parts  of 
the  continent,  is  by  preparing  it  what  the 
French  call  a la  naaitre  d’hotel ; or,  after 
the  manner  of  the  master  of  the  hotel,  inn, 
or  other  house  of  public  entertainment,  for 
his  own  general  table.  The  following  is 
the  mode  in  which  it  is  thus  served  up — 
The  beef  being  perfectly  cold,  and  it  will 
be  by  no  means  worse  for  having  been 
dressed  a day  or  tvro  before,  provided  the 
flavour  has  not  been  lowered  with  making 
too  large  a quantity  of  soup,  cut  it  on  a 
trencher,  in  slices  of  nearly  half  an  inch 
thick,  and  about  three  fingers  in  breadth, 
with  fat  in  proportion  to  the  lean,  and  lay  on 
a dish  as  much  as  may  be  requisite  for  the 
occasion:  then  mix  well  together,  in  a ba- 
son, chopped  onion  or  shallots,  pepper, 
salt,  mustard,  egg,  oil,  vinegar,  &c.  exactly 
as  fora  sallad;  pour  this  mixture  over  the 
beef  bouillie;  and  serve  it  up,  garnished 
with  water  cresses  or  scraped  horse-radish. 

Best  Method  of  making  Hare  Soup. 

Tins  very  fashionable  soup,  though  pre- 
pared in  a variety  of  ways,  is  best  made 
in  the  following  manner — Cut  up  the  hare, 
but  do  not  wash  it:  and,  in  particular, 
take  care  to  preserve  all  the  blood;  which 
must  be  put,  with  the  pieces  of  hare,  into 
a stewpan  containing  three  quarts  of  water, 
an  onion  or  two  stuck  with  cloves,  a good 


faggot  of  sweet  herbs,  a turnip  or  two  en- 
tire with  one  cut  in  dices,  and  a few  slices 
of  lean  ham.  Stew  it  gently,  for  a time 
proportioned  to  the  age  of  the  hare,  as  the 
flesh  -must  be  rendered  quite  tender.  If 
required  to  be  very  high,  season  with  a 
little  Cayenne  or  long  pepper,  and  add  a 
couple  of  table-spoonfuls  of  the  finest  mush- 
room ketchup,  just  before  serving  it  up. 
Hare  soups  are  extremely  common  in 
France  and  Germany,  at  all  genteel  tables, 
owing  to  the  prodigious  plenty  of  this  as 
well  as  other  game.  In  Germany,  more 
particularly,  where  hares  are  usually  consi- 
derably larger  than  in  England,  as  well  as 
far  more  abundant,  they  are  not  roasted 
entire:  the  heads  and  ears  having,  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Germans,  a most  disgusting 
and  ghastly  appearance,  they  constantly 
take  off  the  head  and  shoulders  of  the  hare, 
before  spitting  it;  and,  finding  no  sort  of 
difficulty  in  obtaining  two  or  three  hares 
at  any  time,  they  prepare,  with  the  head 
and  shoulders  alone,  most  excellent  rich 
and  savoury  hare  soups.  This  excessive 
plenty,  however,  must  never  be  expected 
in  England,  under  the  existing  state  of  our 
game  laws. 

New  and  powerful  Cement  for  curing  Damp 

Walls,  uniting  Broken  Portland  Stone  or 

Marble,  $$c. 

For  this  valuable  discovery,  the  inven- 
tor, Mr.  Charles  Wilson,  received  a pre- 
mium of  ten  guineas  from  the  Adelphi  So- 
ciety for  the  Encouragement  of  Arts,  &e. 
in  the  year  1805.  This  cement  or  com- 
position is  described  as  having  been  found 
of  great  utility  in  curing  damp  walls,  in 
flooring  damp  kitchens,  and  various  other 
purposes  where  the  prevention  of  wet  was 
necessary.  When  put  in  water,  it  suffers 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


not  either  the  smallest  increase  or  diminu- 
tion of  it’s  weight;  and  possesses  the  pecu- 
liar advantage  of  joining  broken  Portland 
stone,  or  marble,  so  as  to  render  them  as 
durable  as  they  were  prior  to  the  fracture. 
The  receipt  for  making  this  powerful  and 
useful  cement  is  as  follows — Boil  two  quarts 
of  tar  with  two  ounces  of  kitchen  grease, 
for  a quarter  of  an  hour,  in  an  iron  pot. 
Add  some  of  this  tar  to  a mixture  of  slacked 
lime,  and  powdered  glass,  which  have 
passed  through  a hair  sieve,  and  been  dried 
compleatly  over  the  fire  in  an  iron  pot; 
in  the  proportion  of  two  parts  of  lime,  and 
one  of  glass,  till  the  mixture  becomes  of 
the  consistence  of  thin  plaster.  The  ce- 
ment must  be  used  immediately  after  be- 
ing mixed;  and,  therefore,  it  is  proper  not 
to  mix  more  of  it  at  a time  than  will  coat 
a single  square  foot  of  wall : for  it  quickly 
becomes  too  hard  for  use,  and  continues  to 
increase  it’s  hardness  for  three  weeks. 
Great  care  must  also  be  taken,  to  prevent 
any  moisture  from  mixing  with  the  cement. 
For  a wall  which  is  merely  damp,  it  will 
be  sufficient  to  lay  on  one  coating  of  the 
cement,  about  the  eighth  of  an  inch  thick; 
but,  should  the  wall  be  more  than  damp, 
or  actually  wet,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
coat  it  a second  time.  Plaster  made  of 
lime,  hair,  and  plaster  of  Paris,  may  be 
afterward  laid  on  the  cement. 

Mr.  Sebastian  Grandi’s  Restoration  or  Dis- 
covery of  the  old  Venetian  Art  of  Preparing 
Grounds  for  Painting  on  Pannels,  Copper, 
or  Canvas,  fyc. 

This  ingenious  gentleman  having  long 
had  the  honour  of  being  employed  by  the 
most  eminent  professors  of  the  fine  arts  in 
Italy  and  England,  and  assisted  and  im- 
proved the  processes  of  preparing  canvases 


297 

and  pannels,  seems  to  have  discovered,  as 
far  as  experience  can  prove,  the  manner 
of  preparing  either  canvas,  copper,  or 
pannel,  in  the  old  Venetian  stile:  an  art, 
which  has  been  long  lost;  and  to  which,  it 
is  well  known  that  Titian,  Paul  Veronese, 
Bassani,  and  other  Venetian  masters,  owed 
much  of  the  peculiar  harmony,  brightness, 
and  durability,  of  their  beautiful  produc- 
tions. Mr.  Grandi  having  communicated, 
for  the  public  benefit,  his  entire  process  of 
thus  preparing  pannels,  canvas,  &c.  for 
artists;  and  also  made  other  valuable  com- 
munications with  regard  to  the  preparation 
of  oils,  colours,  crayons,  &c.  for  painting 
and  drawing,  was  rewarded  by  the  Honour- 
able Society  in  the  Adelphi,  for  the  En- 
couragement of  Arts,  &c.  with  their  ele- 
gant and  honorary  silver  medal  as  well  as 
a pecuniary  premium  of  twenty  guineas. 
These,  therefore,  in  perfect  concert  with 
the  design  of  that  liberal  and  truly  patriotic 
institution,  we  shall  contribute  all  in  our 
power  to  make  more  generally  known. 
Mr.  Grandi’s  method  of  preparing  pan- 
nels and  canvases  for  painters  is  thus  de- 
scribed— Break,  grossly,  the  bones  of 
sheep’s  trotters,  and  boil  them  in  water 
tdl  they  are  cleared  from  their  grease ; 
then,  putting  them  into  a crucible,  calcine 
them,  and  afterward  grind  them  to  powder. 
Dry  some  wheaten  flour  in  a pan,  over  a 
slow  fire;  then  make  it  into  a thin  paste, 
adding  an  equal  quantity  of  the  pulverized 
bone  ashes,  and  grind  the  whole  mass  well 
together.  This  mixture  forms  the  ground 
for  the  pannel.  When  the  pannel  has 
been  well  pumiced,  some  of  the  mixture 
or  ground  is  to  be  well  rubbed  on  with  a 
pumice  stone,  that  it  may  be  incorporated 
with  the  pannel : another  coat  of  the  com- 
position is  next  applied,  with  a brush,  on 
4 F 


298  FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  pannel,  where  it  is  suffered  to  dry,  the 
surface  being  afterward  rubbed  over  with 
sand  paper.  A thin  coat  of  the  compo- 
sition is  then  applied  with  a brush;  and, 
if  a coloured  ground  be  required,  a coat’or 
two  more  must  be  added,  so  as  to  compleat 
the  absorbent  ground.  When  a pannel 
thus  prepared  is  wanted  to  be  painted  on, 
it  must  be  rubbed  over  with  a coat  of  raw 
linseed  or  poppy  oil,  as  drying  oil  would 
destroy  the  absorbent  quality  of  the  ground; 
and  the  painter’s  colours  should  also  be 
mixed  up  with  the  purified  oil  for  paint- 
ing hereafter  mentioned.  Canvas  grounds 
are  prepared  by  giving  them  a thin  coat 
of  the  composition,  and  afterward  drying 
and  pumicing  them:  then  giving  them  a 
second  coat;  and,  lastly,  a coat  of  colour- 
ing matter  along  with  the  composition. 
The  grounds  thus  prepared  do  not  crack: 
they  may  be  painted  in  a very  short  time 
after  being  laid;  and,  from  their  absorbent 
quality,  allow  the  business  to  be  proceeded 
in  with  greater  facility,  and  better  effect, 
than  with  those  prepared  in  the  usual 
mode.  These  valuable  qualities  have  been 
sufficiently  ascertained,  and  are  liberally 
avowed,  by  Sir  William  Beechey,  and  other 
Royal  Academicians,  whose  names  are  added 
to  Mr.  Grandi’s  last  communication. 

Method  of  Purifying  the  Oil  for  mixing  up 
Colours. 

Make  some  of  the  bone  ashes  into  paste 
with  a little  water,  so  as  to  form  a mass  or 
ball.  Put  this  ball  into  the  fire,  and  make 
it  red  hot;  then  immerse  it,  for  an  hour, 
in  a quantity  of  raw  linseed  oil  sufficient 
to  cover  it.  When  cold,  pour  the  oil  into 
bottles;  add  to  it  a little  of  the  bone  ashes; 
let  it  stand  to  settle;  and,  in  a single  day, 
it  will  be  clear,  and  fit  for  use. 


Preparation  of  White,  Brown,  Yellow,  Red, 

Grey,  and  Blue  Black  Colours,  which  never 

Change,  and  may  he  used  either  in  Oil  or  Water. 

White  is  made  by  calcining  the  bones 
of  sheep’s  trotters  in  a clear  open  fire,  till 
they  become  a perfect  white,  which  will 
never  change — BROWN,  is  made  from  bones 
in  a similar  manner,  only  calcining  them 
in  a crucible  instead  of  an  open  fire — 
YELLOW,  or  masticot,  by  burning  a piece 
of  soft  brick  of  a yellowish  colour  in  the 
fire;  grinding  a quarter  of  a pound  of 
flake  white  with  every  pound  of  brick: 
calcining  them,  as  well  as  grinding  them, 
together;  and,  afterward,  washing  the  mix- 
ture to  separate  the  sand,  and  letting  the 
finer  part  gradually  dry  for  use — Red, 
equal  in  beauty  to  Indian  red,  by  calcin- 
ing some  of  the  pyrites  usually  found  in 
coal  pits — Grey,  by  calcining  together 
blue  slate  and  bone  ashes  powdered,  grind- 
ing them  together,  washing  the  mixture, 
and  gradually  drying  it — Blue  Black,  by 
burning  vine  stalks  within  a close  crucible 
and  in  a slow  fire,  till  they  become  a perfect 
charcoal,  which  must  be  well  ground  for 
use. 

Superior  Crayons,  of  Permanent  Colours,  to 
be  applied  cither  in  Water  or  Oil. 

THESE  crayons,  produced  also  by  Mr. 
Grandi,  are  of  a quality  superior  to  any 
heretofore  in  use;  they  are  fixed,  so  as  to 
prevent  their  rubbing  off  the  paper  when 
used,  and  may  be  applied  in  water  or  oil. 
This  process  of  preparing  the  crayons  is 
thus  described — They  are  made  of  bone 
ash  powder  mixed  with  spermaceti,  adding 
the  colouring  matters.  The  proper  pro- 
portion is,  three  ounces  of  spermaceti  to  a 
pound  of  the  powder:  the  spermaceti  to  be 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


299 


first  dissolved  in  a pint  of  boiling  water; 
then  the  white  bone  ashes  added;  and  the 
whole  to  be  well  ground  together,  with  as 
much  of  the  respective  colouring  matter  as 
may  be  necessary  for  the  shade  of  colour 
wanted.  They  are  then  to  be  rolled  up 
in  the  proper  form,  and  gradually  dried  on 
a board.  • 

Preparation  of  White  and  Coloured  Chalks. 

If  white  chalk  be  required  to  work  soft, 
add  a quarter  of  a pound  of  whitening  to  a 
pound  of  the  bone  ash  powder;  otherwise, 
the  bone  ashes  will  answer  alone.  Coloured 
chalks  are  prepared  by  grinding  the  respec- 
tive colouring  matters  with  bone  ashes. 
These  several  communications,  relative  to 
the  preparation  of  grounds,  oil,  colours, 
crayons,  and  chalks,  for  painters,  were 
most  respectably  certified  to  the  Society  in 
the  Adelphi,  by  Sir  William  Beechey,  and 
the  following  other  Royal  Academicians, 
&c.  Benjamin  West,  John  Opie,  Martin 
Archer  Shee,  James  Northcote,  Thomas 
Lawrence,  Joseph  Farrington,  Richard 
Cosway,  P.  J.  De  Loutherbourg,  Richard 
M.  Paye,  and  Isaac  Pocock,  Esquires;  who 
all  confirm  the  good  qualities  of  the  pan- 
nels  prepared  by  Mr.  Grandi,  and  gene- 
rally recommend  his  colours  as  useful  and 
permanent.  The  materials  are  certainly 
extremely  cheap,  as  well  as  easy  to  be  pro- 
cured, and  none  of  the  processes  for  pre- 
paration are  at  all  difficult. 

Simple  Decoction  of  Pearl  Barley,  commonly 
called  Barley  Water. 

In  the  Edinburgh  Dispensatory  of  the 
year  1806,  it  is  remarked  that  these  decoc- 
tions, meaning  the  common  and  compound 
barley  waters,  being  to  be  used  freely  as 
diluting  drinks,  in  fevers  and  other  acute 


disorders,  it  is  of  consequence  that  they 
should  be  prepared  so  as  to  prove  as  elegant 
and  agreeable  as  possible;  and  on  this  ac- 
count it  is,  that  they  are  inserted  in  the 
Pharmacopeia  with  the  several  circum- 
stances contributing  to  their  elegance  set 
down,  any  one  of  which  being  omitted  the 
beverage  would  be  rendered  less  grateful. 
As  such  decoctions,  it  is  added,  are  much 
oftener  prepared  by  nurses  and  servants 
than  by  the  apothecary,  these  receipts 
might  with  great  advantage  be  substituted 
for  the  ridiculous  and  often  dangerous  spe- 
cifics with  which  domestic  cookery  books 
abound;  for,  however  trivial  medicines 
of  this  class  may  appear  to  be,  they  are  of 
greater  importance  in  the  cure  of  acute 
diseases  than  many  more  elaborate  pre- 
parations. Both  the  London  and  Edin- 
burgh Dispensatories  agree  in  directing 
common  barley  water,  or  decoction  of  pearl 
barley,  to  be  made  thus — Take  two  ounces 
of  pearl  barley;  and,  washing  off  the  mealy 
matter  which  adheres  to  the  barley  with  a 
little  cold  water,  extract  the  colouring  mat- 
ter, by  boiling  it  with  about  half  a pint  of 
fresh  water:  throw  this  water  also  away; 
put  the  barley,  thus  purified,  into  live  pints 
of  boiling  water;  and,  boiling  it  down  to 
half  the  quantity,  strain  off  the  decoction 
for  use. 

Compound  Decoction  of  Pearl  Barley. 

This  excellent  drink  is  directed  to  be 
made  as  follows — Take  a quart  of  the  sim- 
ple decoction  of  pearl  barley,  two  ounces  of 
sliced  figs,  half  an  ounce  of  sliced  and 
bruised  liquorice  root,  two  ounces  of  stoned 
raisins,  and  a pint  of  distilled  water.  Bod 
the  whole  together  till  the  liquid  be  re- 
duced to  a quart,  then  strain  it  for  use.  It 
can  scarcely  be  drank  too  plentifully. 


300 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Syrup  of  Damask  Hoses. 

TlIE  Edinburgh  Dispensatory  describes  j 
syrup  of  damask  roses  as  an  agreeable  and  j 
mild  purgative  for  children,  in  doses  of  from  i 
half  to  a whole  table-spoonful.  It  likewise 
mentions,  that  this  syrup  proves  gently  laxa- 
tive to  adults ; and,  with  that  intention,  may 
be  of  service  to  costive  habits.  The  me- 
thod of  preparing  it,  according  to  the  Lon- 
don practice,  is  as  follows — Take  seven 
ounces  of  the  dried  petals  of  the  damask 
rose,  six  pounds  of  double  refined  sugar,  1 
and  four  pints  of  boiling  distilled  water. 
Macerate  the  roses  in  the  water  for  twelve 
hours,  and  then  strain.  Evaporate  the 
strained  liquor  to  two  pints  and  a half; 
and  add  the  sugar,  that  it  may  be  made  a 
syrup.  In  the  Edinburgh  practice,  it  is 
prepared  thus — Take  one  pound  of  the 
fresh  petals  of  the  damask  rose,  four  pounds 
of  boiling  water,  and  three  pounds  of  double  h 
refined  sugar.  Macerate  the  roses  in  the 
water  for  twelve  hours;  then,  to  the  strain- 
ed infusion,  add  the  sugar,  and  boil  them 
to  a syrup  in  the  usual  manner,  as  directed 
for  syrup  of  clove  gilliflowers,  &c. 

Syrup  of  Reel  Roses. 

This,  in  the  Edinburgh  Dispensatory,  is 
properly  distinguished  from  the  syrup  of 
damask  roses;  being  considered  as  mildly 
astringent,  instead  of  gently  laxative.  It  j 
seems,  however,  principally  valued  on  ac-  j 
count  of  it’s  beautiful  red  colour.  The 
manner  of  preparing  it  is  almost  the  same 
as  the  London  method  of  making  the  syrup 
of  damask  roses,  called  simply  syrup  of 
roses  — Take  seven  ounces  of  the  dried 
petals  of  red  roses,  six  pounds  of  double 
refined  sugar,  and  five  pounds  of  boiling 
water.  Macerate  the  roses  in  the  water 


for  twelve  hours;  then  boil  a little,  and 
strain  the  liquor:  add  to  it  the  sugar,  and 
boil  again  for  a little,  so  as  to  form  a syrup. 
There  is,  it  must  be  confessed,  a marked 
distinction,  between  the  London  and  Edin- 
burgh methods  of  preparing  syrup  of  roses, 
much  in  favour  of  the  latter’s  superior  dis- 
crimination: particularly,  as  the  damask 
rose,  besides  differing  essentially  in  it’s 
medicinal  effect,  has  it’s  odour  almost  de- 
stroyed by  drying;  while  the  red  rose  leaves 
or  petals,  on  the  contrary,  are  well  known 
to  gain  increased  fragrance  when  carefully 
dried. 

Rose  Water. 

In  the  preparation  of  rose  water,  the 
Edinburgh  Dispensatory  judiciously  selects 
the  damask  rose;  calling  it  aqua  rosae  cen- 
tifolias,  or  water  of  the  hundred-leaved  or 
damask  rose:  which  is  commonly  termed  the 
queen  of  flowers,  and  has  long  been  an 
ornament  of  our  gardens,  both  for  it’s  ele- 
gance and  fragrance.  There  are  several 
varieties  of  the  damask  rose;  known  under 
the  names  of  the  Provence  rose,  the  royal 
rose,  the  common  Dutch  hundred-leaved 
rose,  the  blush  hundred-leaved  roses,  &c. 
The  directions  for  distilling  rose  water, 
according  to  the  London  and  Edinburgh 
Dispensatories,  is  as  follows — From  six 
pounds  of  the  recent  petals,  with  as  much 
water  as  may  be  sufficient  to  prevent  em- 
pyreuma,  distil  a gallon  of  rose  water. 
Oil  of  roses,  rose  water,  and  syrup  of  roses, 
according  to  some  chemists,  may  be  made 
from  the  same  quantity  of  damask  roses. 
They  yield,  in  distillation,  a small  portion 
of  butyraceous  oil,  together  with  a wa- 
ter; both  of  which  possess  the  odour  and 
taste  of  the  roses,  and  are  greatly  esteemed 
for  the  agreeable  flavour  which  they  impart 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


to  culinary  preparations,  cordials,  &c.  and 
as  well  as  strongly  recommended  by  Hoff- 
man for  exciting  the  strength,  invigorating 
the  spirits,  and  mitigating  pain,  with  veiy 
singular  efficacy;  while  a decoction  oi  the 
leaves  or  petals,  even  after  they  have  been 
distilled,  has  a mildly  purgative  quality; 
and  forms,  on  being  mixed  with  sugar,  ail 
agreeable  laxative  syrup,  which  may  be 
given  with  advantage  to  children. 

Conserve  of  Eases. 

By  conserves,  in  general,  are  to  be  un- 
derstood any  compositions  of  recent  vege- 
table substances  beaten  up  with  sugar  into 
one  uniform  mass:  a method  introduced, 
and  in  some  cases  very  advantageously,  for 
preserving  certain  simples,  undried,  in  an 
agreeable  form,  with  the  least  possible  al- 
teration of  their  native  virtues;  which  may, 
in  this  way,  be  kept  uninjured  for  a con- 
siderable time.  By  carefully  securing  the 
mouth  of  the  containing  vessel,  the  altera- 
tion as  well  as  dissipation  of  their  active 
principles  is  generally  prevented,  and  they 
are  preserved  by  the  sugar  from  the  cor- 
ruption to  which  juicy  vegetables  would 
otherwise  be  subjected.  The  sugar  should 
be  pounded  by  itself,  and  sifted,  before 
mixing  it  with  the  vegetable  mass,  as  it 
cannot  otherwise  be  properly  incorporated. 
Rose  buds,  and  some  other  vegetables,  where 
a considerable  quantity  of  conserve  is  re- 
quired, are  prepared  for  mixing  with  sugarby 
a small  wooden  mill  contrived  for  that  pur- 
pose. To  make  conserve  of  roses — Pluck 
the  unblown  petals  of  red  rose  buds  from 
their  cups,  cutting  off  the  white  heels  ; and, 
when  thus  prepared,  beat  them  in  a marble 
mortar,  with  a wooden  pestle,  first  by  them- 
selves, and  afterward  with  three  times  the 
weight  of  flowers  in  double  refined  pow- 


301 

dered  and  sifted  sugar,  till  the  whole  be  uni- 
formly mixed,  and  keep  it  in  pots  closely 
covered  with  bladder  and  paper  for  use. 
This  is  the  common  method  : but  LaG  range 
says  that,  by  infusing  the  red  rose  leaves 
in  four  times  their  weight  of  water,  which 
is  afterward  to  be  expressed  from  them, 
they  lose-  their  bitterness',  and  arc  more 
easily  reduced  to  a pulp;  which  he  then 
mixes  with  a thick  syrup,  prepared  by  dis- 
solving the  sugar  in  the  expressed  liquor, 
and  boiling  it  down  to  the  consistence  of 
an  electuary.  Conserves,  in  general,  are 
chiefly  considered  as  auxiliaries  to  medi- 
cines of  greater  efficacy,  or  mediums  for 
uniting  them  together.  They  are  peculi- 
arly convenient  for  reducing  into  boluses, 
pills,  or  electuaries,  some  of  the  more  pon- 
derous powders,  and  other  mineral  prepara- 
tions; which  will  not  cohere  with  liquid 
or  less  consistent  matters.  Many  of  the 
fragrant  flowers,  formerly  made  into  con- 
serves, are  of  so  tender  and  delicate  a tex- 
ture as  almost  entirely  to  lose  their  peculiar 
qualities  on  being  beaten  or  bruised.  Con- 
serve of  red  rose  buds  is  medicinally  con- 
sidered as  astringent. 

Honey  of  Roses. 

The  manner  of  preparing  honey  of  roses, 
according  to  the  London  method,  is  bv  ma- 
cerating four  ounces  of  the  leaves  or  petals 
of  dried  red  rose  buds,  in  three  pints  of 
distilled  boiling  water,  for  six  hours;  then 
mixing  five  pounds  of  clarified  honey  with 
the  strained  liquor,  and  boiling  the  mix- 
ture to  the  thickness  of  a syrup.  The  Dub- 
lin Dispensatory,  with  the  above  propor- 
tions, directs  the  white  heels  to  be  cut  off 
the  petals;  and,  using  the  honey  unclari- 
fied, orders  the  scum  to  be  removed  in  boil- 
ing the  syrup.  On  these  variations,  the 
4 G 


302 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ingenious  editor  of  the  Edinburgh  Dispen- 
satory remarks,  that  “ the  Dublin  College, 
in  making  this  and  other  similar  prepara- 
tions, use  unclarified  honey,  with  the  idea, 
probably,  that  it  may  be  equally  well  clari- 
fied in  the  course  of  the  preparation  itself: 
this,”  it  is  added,  “ is  no  doubt  true;  but, 
as  we  do  not  know  what  effect  the  clarifi- 
cation may  have  on  the  active  substances 
added  to  the  honey,  we  think  that  the  use 
of  clarified  honey,  as  directed  by  the  Lon- 
don College,  is  preferable.”  Honey  of 
roses  is  not  unfrequently  used  as  a mild, 
cooling,  detergent;  particularly, in  gargles 
for  ulcerations  and  inflammations  of  the 
mouth  and  tonsils.  The  rose  buds,  for 
making  this  honey,  should  be  hastily  dried, 
that  they  may  the  better  preserve  their  as- 
tringency.  Medicated  honeys  are  of  a 
proper  consistence,  when  a small  quantity 
being  placed  to  cool  on  a plate,  and  divided 
with  the  edge  of  a spoon,  the  two  portions 
do  not  immediately  reunite. 

Clarified  Honey. 

THE  clarification  of  honey  is  effected  by 
the  following  very  simple  process — Melt 
the  honey  in  a water  bath,  and  take  off  the 
scum  as  it  rises.  The  honey  is  rendered 
, so  liquid  by  the  heat  of  the  boiling  water, 
that  the  wax  and  other  lighter  impurities 
which  it  usually  contains,  gather  on  the 
surface  in  the  form  of  a scum,  which  is 
easily  removed ; while  sand,  or  any  other 
heavier  mixture,  sinks  to  the  bottom.  Ho- 
ney, being  considered  as  peculiarly  bal- 
samic, was  formerly  much  used  in  phar- 
macy; but  chemical  experiments  having 
decided  it’s  saccharine  matter  to  be  abso- 
lutely of  the  same  nature  as  that  of  sugar, 
and  the  extraneous  matter  which  it  always 
contains  making  it  disagree  with  the  sto- 


machs of  many  individuals,  it  is  observed, 
in  the  Edinburgh  Dispensatory,  that  the 
number  of  medicated  honeys  has  been 
much  diminished,  and  their  place  in  some 
instances  supplied  by  syrups. 

Genuine  East  India  Receipt  for  preparing  the 
Celebrated  Ottar  of  Roses. 

OTTAR,  otta,  or  atyr  of  roses,  is  an  exqui- 
site essential  oil  obtained  from  the  oriental 
roses,  and  brought,  sometimes,  in  small 
quantities,  to  this  country,  from  Bengal  in 
the  East  Indies;  where  this  precious  per- 
fume is  said  to  be  sold,  when  genuine,  at 
the  price  of  twenty  guineas  and  upward 
an  ounce.  The  method  of  preparing  it  is 
thus  described — Put  into  a still  as  many  as 
possible  of  the  finest,  freshest,  and  most 
fragrant  roses  which  can  be  procured,  with 
a third  part  of  their  weight  in  filtered  wa- 
ter. Mix  the  mass  with  the  hand;  kindle 
a gentle  fire  beneath;  and,  as  soon  as  the 
liquid  becomes  hot,  lute  well  all  the  inter- 
stices, and  place  cold  water  on  the  top  of 
the  refrigeratory.  When  the  distilled  wa- 
ter comes  over,  the  heat  must  be  gradually 
diminished,  till  a sufficient  quantity  of  the 
first  runnings  be  drawn  off.  Then  add,  of 
freshwater,  a quantity  equal  in  weight  to 
that  of  the  roses  on  their  first  entering  the 
still;  and  repeat  the  same  process  as  be- 
fore, till  a due  portion  of  second  runnings 
be  also  obtained.  Pour  the  distilled  water 
into  shallow  earthen  or  tin  vessels,  like  milk 
set  for  cream,  and  let  it  stand  exposed  to 
the  air  till  next  morning;  when  the  ottar, 
or  essence,  which  will  appear  in  a conge- 
lative  state  on  the  surface,  is  to  be  carefully 
skimmed  off,  and  put  up  in  a close  stopper 
bottle.  Phe  remaining  water  should  be 
. employed  in  distilling  fresh  roses,  to  ob- 
tain more  essence ; and  even  the  dregs  are 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


503 


to  be  preserved  for  use,  as  containing  a 
perfume  of  nearly  equal  odour  with  the 
ottar  or  essence  thus  prepared  according 
to  the  genuine  East  India  receipt.  By 
this  mode  may  be  obtained  an  excellent 
ottar,  or  essence,  even  from  our  own  Eng- 
lish roses;  which,  though  by  no  means 
equal  to  the  best  imported  from  the  East 
Indies,  is  little  if  at  all  inferior  to  what  fre- 
quently passes  for  the  genuine  ottar  of 
oriental  roses,  and  even  actually  comes 
from  thence:  it  being  no  uncommon  prac- 
tice in  the  East  Indies,  to  adulterate  this 
very  valuable  perfume,  by  distilling  the 
raspings  of  sandal  wood  with  the  roses. 
This  fraud,  however,  may  be  detected  both 
by  the  smell,  and  the  greater  fluidity  of  the 
sandal  oil;  which  suffers  no  congelation, 
like  the  delicate  essence  of  roses,  on  being 
exposed  to  the  open  air.  The  genuine 
ottar  of  roses  may,  in  fact,  be  considered 
as  the  most  elegant  and  exalted  perfume  in 
vegetable  nature;  a single  drop  of  it  serv- 
ing to  impart  all  the  fragrance  of  roses 
throughout  the  most  spacious  apartment, 
and  even  an  entire  dwelling,  to  the  total 
suppression  of  every  disagreeable  odour. 

Snow  Cheese. 

Whisk  up,  one  way,  till  very  thick,  a 
quart  of  fine  fresh  cream,  two  ounces  of 
blanched  and  beaten  almonds,  a table- 
spoonful of  orange-flower  water,  and  the 
juice  of  two  large  lemons.  Skim  ofl’  the 
beaten  curd;  put  it  into  muslin;  set  the 
muslin  in  a sieve;  and,  after  leaving  it  all 
night  to  drain,  turn  the  cheese  on  a dish, 
and  serve  it  up. 

Cottage  Potatoe  Plum  Pudding. 

Boil,  peel,  and  mash,  two  pounds  of 
potatoes:  and’  beat  them  up  well,  into  a 


smooth  batter,  with  a pint  of  milk,  and  a 
couple  or  three  beaten  eggs;  adding  two 
ounces  each  of  moist  sugar,  and  Denia  or 
Malaga  raisins.  Bake  it  three  quarters  of 
an  hour  in  a moderate! y heated  oven.  By 
merely  leaving  out  the  plums,  it  makes  a 
good  plain  cottage  pudding. 

Northern  Remedy  for  Deafness,  §c. 

In  the  North  of  Europe,  where  the  ex- 
cessive cold  winds  so  frequently  affect  the 
auditory  nerves,  and  occasion  loss  of  hear- 
ing, the  following  singular  mode  of  treat- 
ment is  very  generally  adopted,  and  com- 
monly attended  with  the  most  immediate 
and  compleat  success — After  well  syring- 
ing the  ears,  so  as  to  free  them  from  the 
wax,  fifteen  drops  of  liquid  laudanum  are 
put  into  each;  and,  a cake  composed  of 
three  parts  rye  flour  and  one  part  finely 
pounded  juniper  berries,  mixed  up  with  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  vinegar,  being  made 
and  baked,  when  the  party  is  ready  for  bed, 
the  hot  cake  is  split  in  two,  and  applied 
over  each  ear,  well  covered  with  flannels. 
By  this  means,  the  head  is  kept  in  a con- 
tinued and  free  perspiration  for  several 
hours;  and,  on  the  removal  of  the  cake,  the 
hearing  is  commonly  found  fully  restored. 
To  prevent,  however,  any  ill  effect  from 
too  sudden  an  exposure  to  the  air,  the  ears, 
face,  and  head,  are  bathed  with  Riga  bal- 
sam ; but,  where  that  is  not  at  hand,  Hun- 
gary or  Lavender  water,  or  any  spirit  with 
or  without  camphor,  may  be  substituted, 
to  prevent  catching  cold:  a little  cotton 
too,  moistened  with  the  spirit,  may  be  ad- 
vantageously put  into  each  ear.  If  at  any 
time,  the  first  application  should  not  an- 
swer, a second  or  even  a third  trial  must 
be  made;  as  it  seldom  or  never  fails  finally 
to  succeed,  when  duly  persisted  in.  The 


304 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


loss  of  hearing  is  supposed  generally  to  | 
arise  from  a sort  of  fixed  rheumatism  in  : 

I 

the  auditory  organs  of  sensation ; and  pains  j 
in  the  jaws,  ears,  or  sides  of  the  face,  pro- 
ceeding in  like  manner  from  cold,  are  im-  ! 
mediately  relieved  by  the  same  application. 

Cure  for  a Sprain. 

Pur  an  ounce  of. camphor,  sliced  or 
grossly  pounded,  into  a pint  bottle;  and, 
adding  half  a pint  of  rectified  spirit  of  wine, 
nearly  fill  up  the  bottle  with  bullocks  gall. 
Let  it  stand  two  or  three  days  by  the  fire 
side,  shaking  it  frequently,  till  all  the 
camphor  be  compleatly  dissolved,  and 
keep  it  very  closely  stopped  for  use.  The 
part  affected  is  to  be  bathed  plentifully 
every  three  or  four  hours,  till  relief  be  ob- 
tained. The  respectable  communicator  of 
this  remedy  assures  us,  that  it  cured  Mr. 
Slingsby,  the  celebrated  dancer,  of  a most 
violent  sprain  which  lie  got  in  dancing 
at  the  opera  house.  This  embrocation  may 
be  hastily  prepared,  by  at  once  mixing 
common  spirit  of  wine  and  camphor  with 
an  equal  quantity  of  ox  gall. 

Orange  Sponge. 

Dissolve  two  ounces  of  isinglass  in 
about  a pint  of  water,  simmering  it  over 
the  fire  with  the  thin  rind  of  a Seville 
orange  or  lemon;  then,  straining  it  while 
quite  hot,  add  the  juice  of  five  or  six  China 
oranges,  three  or  four  Seville  oranges,  and 
a lemon,  with  powdered  loaf  sugar  to  pa- 
late. Whisk  the  whole  together  pretty 
fast,  for  at  least  an  hour  and  a half,  till  it 
looks  like  sponge,  and  then  set  it  inamould : 
the  shape  of  which  it  may  take  tolerably 
well  in  three  or  four  hours;  but  will  be 
still  more  perfectly  formed,  if  suffered  to 
remain  till  the  following  day. 


Excellent  Reel  and  While  Currant  and  Rasp- 
berry . Wine 

Strip  the  stalks  from  three  gallons  of 
red  and  two  gallons  of  white  currants,  put- 
ting the  stalks  in  one  vessel  and  the  fruit 
in  another.  Add  to  the  currants  three 
quarts  of  red  and  two  of  white  raspberries; 
after  well  bruising  the  whole  of  the  fruit, 
to  express  the  juice,  let  it  ferment  twenty- 
four  hours.  Having,  in  the  mean  time, 
poured  a quantity  of  boiling  water  over 
the  stalks  of  the  currants,  and  left  it  while 
the  juice  was  fermenting  to  impart  a grate- 
ful flavour  and  astringency  to  the  liquid, 
strain  off  after  the  rate  of  four  gallons  for 
every  five  gallons  of  the  strained  juice. 
Having  ascertained,  by  exact  measure,  the 
just  proportions  and  amount  of  the  whole, 
but  without  mixing  the  two  liquors  toge- 
ther, for  every  gallon  of  wine  to  be  made, 
put  three  pounds  and  a half  of  the  best 
moist  sugar  to  the  stalk  water;  boil  it  up 
to  a syrup;  keep  it  well  scummed;  and, 
when  cold,  mix  it  with  the  juice  which  has 
fermented,  and  put  it  into  a cask  seasoned 
with  brandy,  leaving  a small  space  to  al- 
low for  any  farther  fermentation,  and  add- 
ing two  pounds  of  loaf  sugar  with  an  ounce 
of  isinglass.  The  loaf  sugar  and  isinglass 
are  to  be  melted  over  the  fire,  in  a quart  of 
the  wine  drawn  from  the  cask;  and,  after 
getting  cold, to  be  poured  into  the  cask  mix- 
ed v\  ith  a pint  of  brandy.  Let  it  be  slackly 
bunged,  till  it  ceases  to  hiss;  and  then,  add- 
ing a pint  of  brandy  for  every  three  gallons 
of  the  wine,  drive  the  bung  tight,  and  paste 
a piece  of  brown  paper  over  it.  After 
standing  twelve  months,  bottle  it.  It  mav, 
however,  where  required,  be  tapped  in 
six  or  eight  months,  and  bottled  at  dis- 
cretion. This,  if  properly  made,  is  a most 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


305 


excellent  British  wine.  If  the  white  rasp- 
berries should  be  difficult  to  get,  the  red 
mav  do  very  well  alone;  though  the  mix- 
ture, slight  as  the  difference  may  appear, 
is  somewhat  preferable. 

Variherman’s  Art  of  prepaying  Fish  Oil,  for 

his  Cheap  and  Durable  Paints,  free  from 

any  unwholesome  Scent,  and  adapted  to  stand 

all  Weathers. 

The  whole  of  the  processes,  with  regard 
to  Mr.  Thomas  Vanherman’s  cheap  and 
durable  paints  with  fish  oil,  as  communi- 
cated to  the  Society  for  the  Encouragement 
of  Arts,  Manufactures,  and  Commerce,  in 
the  Adel  phi,  for  which  lie  was  honoured 
with  the  silver  medal  of  the  society,  and  a 
premium  of  twenty  guineas,  will  be  found 
in  this  and  the  four  following  receipts. 
The  vehicle  made  use  of  for  these  colours 
is  fish  oil;  the  preparation  of  which  is  so 
simple,  by  means  of  the  vinegar  about  to 
be  described,  that  gentlemen,  who  have 
large  concerns  to  paint,  on  reading  these 
processes  may  have  this  composition  of 
any  colour  manufactured  and  laid  on  by 
their  labourers:  and  will,  he  flatters  him- 
self, find  them  superior  to  all  others,  for 
cheapness  and  durability;  equal  to  any  in 
beauty,  and  not  subject  to  blister  or  peel 
-off  by  the  sun.  To  refine  a tun,  or  two 
hundred  and  fifty-two  gallons,  of  cod,  whale 
or  seal  oil,  thirty-two  gallons  of  vinegar 
are  to  be  thus  prepared — Put,  to  this  quan- 
tity of  good  common  vinegar,  twelvepounds 
-of  litharge,  and  twelve  pounds  of  white 
copperas  in  powder  Bung  up  the  vessel, 
and  shake  and  roll  it  well  twice  a day  for 
a week,  when  it  will  be  fit  to  put  into  a 
tun  of  whale,  cod,  or  seal  oil;  but  the 
southern  whale  oil  is  to  be  preferred,  on 
account  of  it’s  good  colour,  and  little  or 


no  smell.  After  shaking  and  mixing  all 
together,  it  may  settle  till  the  next  day; 
then  pour  off  the  clear,  which  will  be  about 
seven-eighths  of  the  whole.  To  this  clear 
part,  add  twelve  gallons  of  linseed  oil,  and 
two  gallons  of  spirit  of  turpentine.  Shake 
them  well  together:  and,  after  the  udiole 
has  settled  two  or  three  days,  it 'will  be  fit 
to  grind  wdfite  lead,  and  all  fine  colours;, 
and,  when  ground,  cannot  be  distinguished 
from  those  ground  in  linseed  oil,  unless  by 
the  superiority  of  it’s  colours.  If  the  oil 
be  wanted  only  for  coarse  purposes,  the 
linseed  od,  and  oil  of  turpentine,  may  be 
added  at  the  same  time  that  the  prepared 
vinegar  is  put  in;  and,  being  well  shaken 
up,  will  be  fit  for  immediate  use  without 
standing  to  settle.  The  vinegar  is  to  dis- 
solve the  litharge;  and  the  copper  accele- 
rates the  dissolution,  and  strengthens  the 
drying  quality.  The  residue,  or  bottom, 
when  settled,  by  the  addition  of  half  it’s 
quantity  of  fresh  lime  water,  forms  an  ex- 
cellent oil  for  mixing  with  all  the  coarse 
paints  to  preverse  outside  work.  All  co- 
lours ground  in  this  prepared  fish  oil,  and 
used  for  inside  work,  must  be  thinned  with 
linseed  oil  and  oil  of  turpentine. 

Incorporated  Oil. 

The  prepared  fish  oil,  when  mixed  with 
lime  water,  is  called  incorporated  oil. 

White  Paint. 

Grind  any  quantity  of  white  lead  with 
a moderate  proportion  of  the  prepared  fish 
oil;  then  thin  it  with  linseed  oil,  and  it 
will  be  found  to  surpass  any  common 
white  paint  hitherto  made  use  of  both  for 
resisting  all  weathers  and  retaining  it’s 
whiteness. 

4 II 


306 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Method  of  preparing  matchless  Cheap  and 
Impenetrable  Green  Paints,  Lead  Colour, 
‘Stone  Colour,  Brown  Reel,  Chocolate,  Light 
Brown,  Yellow,  Blade,  $c.  as  well  for  In- 
terned ets  External  Works. 

Subdued  Green  Paint — Pour  six  gal- 
lons of  fresh  lime  water  into  a large  tub; 
throw  in  a hundred  weight  of  whitening, 
stir  it  well  round,  let  it  settle  for  about  an 
hour,  and  then  stir  it  again:  next  mix  well 
a hundred  weight  of  finely  sitted  road  dirt, 
thirty  pounds  of  blue  black,  and  twenty- 
four  pounds  of  powdered  yellow  ochre; 
all  which  being  tolerably  blended,  take 
it  out  of  the  tub,  put  it  on  a large  board 
or  platform,  and  mix  and  work  it  up  with  a 
labourer’s  shovel  after  the  same  manner  as 
mortar.  Having,  in  the  mean  time,  ground 
twenty  pounds  of  wet  blue  in  three  gal- 
lons of  the  residue  mixed  with  lime  water 
to  some  incorporated  oil,  for  it  will  not 
grind  or  mix  with  any  other  oil,  add  it  to 
the  mass,  and  afterward  begin  to  thin  the 
whole  with  the  incorporated  oil,  in  the 
proportion  of  one  quart  to  every  eight 
pounds;  then  add  linseed  oil  in  the  same 
proportion,  when  it  will  be  ready  to  put 
into  casks  for  use.  These  quantities  pro- 
duce three  hundred  and  sixty-eight  pounds 
of  subdued  green  paint,  with  every  re- 
quisite quality  of  beauty,  durability,  and 
cheapness.  The  expence  of  this  composi- 
tion is  scarcely  one  penny  a pound,  till  it 
receives  the  addition  of  incorporated' and 
linseed  oils,  when  it  does  not  exceed  two 
pence  half-penny.  From  experiments  made, 
it  appears  that  fine  sand  will  not  answer 
the  purposes  of  road  dirt  in  paints;  but 
that  the  dry  dirt,  or  dust,  collected  in  high- 
ways much  travelled  on  by  horses  and 
carriages,  and  afterward  finely  sifted,  is 


the  article  recommended  as  possessing  the 
properties  required.  Lead  Colour — Mix 
together  five  gallons  of  lime  water,  a hun- 
dred weight  of  whitening,  half  a hundred 
of  finely  sifted  road  dirt,  and  two  pounds 


weight  of  white  lead,  first  ground  and 
blended  with  two  gallons  and  a half  of  the 
prepared  fish  oil;  then  thin  the  whole  with 
two  gallons  each  of  linseed  oil  and  the  in- 
corporated oil;  and,  it  will  produce  two 
hundred  and  fifty-six  pounds  of  lead  colour- 
ed paint  fit  for  use,  at  less  then  two  pence 
a pound.  For  garden  doors,  and  other 
work  liable  to  be  in  constant  wear,  or  sub- 
ject to  any  friction,  a little  spirit  of  turpen- 
tine may  be  added  to  the  paint  while  lay- 
ing on,  which  will  have  the  desired  effect. 
Bright  Green  Paint — Mix  a hundred 
weight  of  yellow  ochre  in  powder,  a hun- 
dred and  a half  of  road  dust,  a hundred 
weight  of  wet  blue  previously  ground  with 
incorporated  oil,  ten  pounds  of  blue  black, 
six  gallons  of  lime  water,  four  gallons  of 
prepared  fish  oil,  and  seven  and  a half  gal- 
lons each  of  incorporated  oil  and  linseed 
oil.  This  makes  five  hundred  and  ninety- 
two  pounds  of  an  excellent  bright  green 
paint,  at  an  expence  stated  not  to  exceed 
three  pence  farthing  a pound  ready  to  lay 
on,  though  the  ingenious  inventor  chal- 
lenges any  colourman  or  painter  to  pro- 
duce a green  equal  to  it  for  eighteen  pence. 
After  painting,  the  colour  left  in  the  pot 
should  be  covered  with  water,  to  prevent 
it  from  skinning;  and  the  brushes,  as 
usual,  be  cleaned  with  the  painting  knife, 
and  kept  under  water.  A brighter  green 
colour  may  be  formed  by  omitting  the  blue 
black;  a lighter  green,  by  adding  ten 
pounds  of  ground  white  lead ; and  a variety 
of  other  shades,  by  varying  the  proportions 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


307 


of  blue  and  yellow.  Stone  Colour — Mix 
four  gallonsof  lime  water,  a hundred  weight 
of  whitening,  a quarter  of  a hundred  weight 
of  ground  white  lead,  half  a hundred  weight 
of  road  dust,  two  gallons  of  prepared  fish 
oil,  and  three  and  a half  gallons  each  of 
the  incorporated  oil  and  linseed  oil.  This 
will  produce  two  hundred  and  ninety-three 
pounds  of  stone  colour  paint  fit  for  use. 
Brown  Red  Paint — Mix  eight  gallons 
of  lime  water,  a hundred  weight  of  Spanish 
brown  in  powder,  two  hundred  weight  of 
road  dust,  and  four  gallons  each  of  pre- 
pared fish  oil,  incorporated  oil,  and  linseed 
oil.  This  will  produce  five  hundred  and 
one  pounds  of  a most  excellent  brown  red 
paint,  at  scarcely  one  penny  a pound. 
Chocolate  Colour  Paint  is  obtained 
by  adding  blue  black  in  powder,  or  lamp 
black,  till  the  colour  is  to  the  mixer’s  mind ; 
and  aLlGHT  Brown, by  adding,  inlikeman- 
ner,  ground  white  lead,  by  which  is  always 
to  be  understood  white  lead  ground  in  oil. 
Yellow  Paint  is  prepared  with  yellow 
ochre  in  powder,  in  the  same  proportion  as 
the  Spanish  brown  ; Black  Paint,  in  the 
same  proportion,  with  blue  black  or  lamp 
black.  The  expence  of  the  above  paints,  as 
estimated  in  the  year  1804,  only  serves  as  a 
guide  to  their  excessive  cheapness,  com- 
pared with  most  other  preparations  for  the 
same  purposes,  without  affording  any  per- 
manent and  precise  standard  of  prices. 

Bleached  Linseed  Oil. 

The  process  of  bleaching  or  whitening 
linseed  oil  is  thus  described  by  Mr.  Van- 
lierman — Take  any  quantity  of  linseed  oil ; 
and,  to  every  gallon,  add  two  ounces  of 
litharge.  Shake  it  up  every  day,  for  four- 
teen days,  then  let  it  settle  a day  or  two. 
Pour  ofl  the  clear  into  shallow  pans  like 


dripping  pans,  first  putting  half  a pint  of 
spirit  of  turpentine  to  each  gallon;  then 
place  it  in  the  sun;  and,  in  three  days,  it 
will  be  as  white  as  nut  oil.  This  oil,  even 
before  it  is  bleached,  and  without  the  tur- 
pentine, is  far  superior  to  the  best  boiled 
oil,  there  being  no  waste  nor  any  offen- 
sive smell. 

f anherman's  Incomparable  and  Durable  White 

Paint,  for  Inside  Work  only ; which  will 

Dry,  and  cease  to  Smell,  within  Six  Hours. 

Add,  to  a gallon  of  spirit  of  turpentine, 
two  pounds  of  frankincense.  Let  it  sim- 
mer over  a clear  fire,  till  dissolved;  then 
strain  it,  and  bottle  it  for  use.  To  a gal- 
lon of  bleached  linseed  oil,  add  a quart  of 
this  mixture,  shake  them  well  together, 
and  bottle  this  also.  Let  any  quantity  of 
white  lead  be  ground  very  fine  with  spirit 
of  turpentine;  then  add  to  it  a sufficient 
portion  of  the  last  mixture,  till  it  be  found 
fit  for  laying  on.  If,  in  working,  it  should 
grow  thick,  it  must  be  thinned  with  spirit 
of  turpentine.  This  is  wffiat  painters  call 
a flat  or  dead  white,  to  distinguish  it  from 
common  white  paint;  being  only  suitable 
for  the  very  best  internal  work,  both  on 
account  of  it’s  superior  delicacy,  and  ex- 
pence. With  regard  to  the  experienced 
utility  of  Mr.  Vanherman’s  preparations  in 
general ,W.  Hill,  Esq.  of  WestLavant  in  Sus- 
sex, architect  and  surveyor  to  his  Grace  the 
Duke  of  Richmond,  certified  to  the  Society, 
that  the  fish  oil  composition  made  use  of 
by  Mr.  Vanherman,  in  180CJ!  and  1803,  at 
Earl’s  Court,  Kensington,  under  his  cuper- 
intendance,  was  fully  equal,  if  not  superior, 
to  any  painting  done  in  the  usual  waj% 
with  linseed  oil,  white  lead,  &c.  “ I have, 
also,-”  adds  this  gentleman,  writing  to  Mr. 
Vanherman,  in  February  1805,  “ the  high- 


308 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


est  opinion  ofyour  coarse  composition  and 
fish  oil,  made  use  of  on  the  out-buildings, 
fences,  &c.  of  the  above  premises:  the 
great  body  and  hard  surface  it  holds  out, 
must  be  of  the  utmost  preservation  to  all 
timbers,  and  fences,  exposed  to  open  air 
and  all  weathers.  It  must,  likewise,  be  of 
the  greatest  service  cn  plastered  stucco, 
external  walls,  & c.”  When  it  is  reflected 
that,  besides  the  cheapness  and  durability 
of  these  paints,  they  are  in  general  unat- 
tended by  any  ill  scent  while  using,  and 


for  our  strongly  recommending  to  univer- 
sal attention  what  so  powerfully*  plead  for 
themselves. 

French  General  Method  of  making  Coulis , or 
Cullis. 

THOSE  stock  sauces,  or  thick  gravies, 
called  coulises,  or  cullises,  forming  grand 
auxiliaries  in  most  made  dishes,  it  cannot  be 
improper  to  give  the  best  French  method  of 
preparing  them.  Coulis  bourgeoise,  which 
may  be  translated  common  city  or  univer- 
sal cullis,  is  at  Paris  thus  made — Put  into 
a stewpan  some  small  slices  of  bacon,  or 
bam,  with  sufficient  fillet  of  veal  for  the 
quantity  of  cullis  required;  adding,  for 
every  pound  of  meat,  a gill  of  water,  with 
onions,  turnips,  &e.  at  discretion.  Set  it, 
closely  covered,  over  a gentle  fire,  that  the  j 
meat  may  have  time  to  yield  it’s  gravy:  j 
then  increase  the  heat,  till  the  flesh  almost  j 
adheres  to  the  stewpan;  and,  shortly  after,  j 
lower  the  fire,  that  it  may  again  simmer  slow- 
ly. Take  out  the  meat  and  vegetables,  and 
put  plenty  of  flour  and  butter  into  astewpan, 
moistened  with  a little  hot  broth;  stirring 
it  over  the  fire,  till  it  has  a fine  brown  co- 
lour: then,  again  putting  in  the  meat,  let 
it  stew  tw'o  hours  longer  over  a very  slow 


fire,  frequently  taking  off  the  scum  ; and, 
when  done,  strain  it  through  a sieve,  and 
keep  it  for  use.  Cullis  should,  when  well 
made,  be  of  a fine  cinnamon  colour,  nei- 
ther too  thick  nor  too  thin,  and  quite  free 
from  any  of  that  ill  scent  which  is  so  often 
occasioned  by  burning  at  the  bottom.  As 
any  failure  in  making  a good  cullis  proves 
fatal  to  the  whole  dish,  it  is  necessary  that 
the  cook  should  prepare  it  with  the  utmost 
skill  and  caution.  Every  sort  of  cullis  is, 
in  France,  made  exactly  after  this  manner; 
the  name  only  being  changed,  according 
to  the  kind  of  meat  used  for  the  occasion: 
but,  whatever  cullis  be  made,  veal  must 
constantly  form  a part  of  the  preparation. 

Simple  Mode  of  drawing  all  Sorts  of  Gravy, 
in  France . 

The  French  mode  of  drawing  all  sorts 
of  gravy  is  as  follows — Put  a little  bacon 
at  the  bottom  of  a stewpan;  and,  over  it, 
some  slices  of  onion,  with  the  beef,  veal, 
or  other  meat,  from  which  the  gravy  is  in- 
tended to  be  drawn.  Stew  the  whole  over 
a slow  fire,  till  it  sticks  to  the  bottom  of  the 
stewpan,  but  without  burning:  then  add  a 
little  broth;  and,  after  it  lias  boiled  half  an 
hour,  strain  off  the  gravy,  when  it  will  be 
ready  for  use. 

Excellent  English  Cullis. 

Put  equal  quantities  of  sliced  veal  and 
ham,  with  or  without  the  whole  or  part  of 
an  old  fowl,  into  a stewpan,  laying  slices 
of  fat  ham  or  good  bacon  at  the  bottom; 
with  celery,  turnips,  onions  or  shallots,  a 
faggot  of  sweet  herbs,  a little  lemon  peel, 
a few  bay  leaves  and  blades  of  mace,  some 
mushrooms,  and  u hole  black  pepper.  Set 
it  on  a stove  or  moderate  fire,  with  either 
; stock,  gravy,  broth,  or  even  water,  suflici- 


30.9 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ent  just  to  cover  the  whole ; and  let  it  draw 
down  till  it  appears  of  a light  brown  colour, 
but  be  careful  not  to  let  it  burn.  When 
it  begins  to  smell,  add  a sufficient  quantity 
of  stock  again  to  cover  it;  and,  as  it  boils, 
skim  off  all  the  fat.  Then,  preparing  a 
passing  of  flour  and  butter,  by  melting  in 
a stevvpan  about  an  ounce  of  butter  for 
each  pint  of  cullis,  dredging  flour  sufficient 
to  dry  it  up,  and  stirring  it  well  with  a 
Avooden  spoon,  add  the  cullis,  a little  at  a 
time,  to  bring  it  to  a proper  thickness; 
season  it  to  palate  with  salt  and  Cayenne 
pepper;  and,  straining  it  through  a sieve, 
put  a spoon  into  it,  stir  it  up  to  make  it 
smooth,  and  keep  it  for  use.  It  will,  even 
in  summer,  remain  perfectly  good  three  or 
four  days;  in  winter,  more  than  a week. 
Some,  on  straining  the  cullis,  put  to  it  a 
little  sauce  liquid  of  colour;  but  this,  if  the 
cullis  be  well  made,  is  not  often  necessary : 
indeed,  where  requisite,  for  particular 
dishes,  it  may  at  any  time  be  added. 

Sauce  Liquid  of  Colour. 

This  article  is  thus  easily  prepared — In 
a saucepan  quite  free  from  grease,  put  a 
gill  of  water,  with  a quarter  of  pound  of 
the  best  moist  sugar;  set  it  over  a slow  fire, 
and  keep  it  stirred  with  a wooden  spoon, 
as  stirring  with  metal  always  injures  the 
tin,  till  the  sugar  is  burnt  of  a good  colour: 
then,  adding  half  a pint  more  water,  let  it 
boil  up,  take  off  the  scum,  strain  the  liquid, 
and  keep  it  closely  covered  for  use.  Where 
a pleasing  colour  is  required  in  sauces,  this 
will  often  be  found  a very  convenient  ar- 
ticle. 

Bechamel,  vulgarly  called  Benshamelle. 

The  name  of  this  very  useful  sauce  has 
been  sadly  corrupted  in  our  best  kitchens. 


Some  English  cooks,  indeed,  call  it  beshe- 
mell,  which  is  not  far  wrong,  but  most 
of  them  corrupt  it  into  benshamelle : the 
true  French  name  is  bechamel,  and  it  de- 
notes little  more  than  being  a stiff  white 
sauce,  somewhat  in  the  nature  of  cream, 
but  considerably  thicker,  and  even  ap- 
proaching to  a batter.  In  fact,  if  common 
veal  stock  be  boiled,  scummed,  thickened 
with  flour  and  water,  or  a piece  of  butter 
and  flour;  have  more  veal  stock  added,  be 
boiled  longer,  strained,  and  have  a suffici- 
ent quantity  of  cream  to  render  it  entirely 
white,  and  of  the  consistency  of  a light  bat- 
ter; then  just  simmered  together, but  not  suf- 
fered to  boil  above  a minute  or  two,  which 
Avould  injure  the  colour;  this  will  constitute 
a genuine  bechamel.  As  bechamel  enters 
into  the  composition  of  most  white  made 
dishes,  it  is  extensively  useful,  and  indis- 
pensably necessary,  wherever  there  is  much 
practice  in  the  culinary  arts. 

While  Fricassee  of  Chickens. 

Cut  a chicken  or  two  into  neat  pieces, 
take  away  the  thigh  bones,  and  put  the 
flesh,  in  a stewpan  of  cold  water,  over  the  fire 
to  blanch.  On  it’s  coming  to  a boil,  take  it 
off,  throw  the  pieces  into  cold  water;  and, 
putting  the  trimmings  of  the  chicken  into  a 
stewpan,  with  a little  lean  ham,  a couple  of 
blades  of  mace,  an  onion  or  two,  or  some 
shallots,  stuck  with  a few  cloves,  a bunch  of 
sweet  herbs,  and  nearly  a pint  of  water, 
let  them  boil  for  about  an  hour.  Havin<r, 
in  the  mean  time,  drained  the  pieces  of 
chicken  dry,  place  them  in  a stewpan; 
and,  straining  off  the  liquor,  put  it  to  them, 
with  a little  fresh  butter,  and  let  them  stew 
gently,  till  tolerably  well  done.  Some  also 
add  butter,  mushrooms,  egg  balls,  pieces 
of  artichoke  bottoms,  &c.  Then,  reducing 
4 I 


310 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  liquor,  or  stock,  in  which  the  chicken  | 
was  stewed,  and  taking  out  the  onion  and 
spices,  add  to  it  some  bechamel:  or,  not 
having  any  made,  put  a bit  of  butter  into  a 
stevvpan;  and,  when  melted,  add  a little 
flour  and  the  stock  from  the  chicken,  with 
as  much  cream  as  will  render  it  a good 
white.  Simmer  the  whole  together  a short 
time;  and,  just  before  taking  it  up,  put  to 
it  a squeeze  or  two  of  lemon,  with  a little 
sugar,  and  half  a tea-spoonful  of  garlic 
vinegar.  Some,  instead  of  bechamel,  add 
to  the  reduced  stock  a leason,  or  liaison, 
made  with  two  or  three  eggs.  It  may  be 
served  up  garnished  with  slices  of  lemon. 

White  Fricassee  of  Babbits,  with  Onions. 

Cut  up  a rabbit  or  two  like  the  chickens, 
making  three  neat  pieces  of  the  back;  and, 
in  blanchingthem,  on  theircoming  to  a boil, 
wash  them  in  several  waters, carefully  take 
off  all  such  skin  as  would  give  them  a dirty 
appearance,  and  neatly  trim  every  ragged 
part.  Then,  if  intended  to  be  served  up 
without  onion  sauce,  they  may  be  dressed 
in  all  respects  the  same  as  the  white  fricas- 
see of  chickens  : but,  where  they  are  to  be 
accompanied  by  onion  sauce,  the  following 
is  far  the  best  process — Having  covered 
the  bottom  of  a stevvpan  with  slices  of  fat 
bacon  or  ham,  place  over  them  the  pieces 
of  blanched  and  trimmed  rabbit,  covered 
well  with  slices  of  lemon,  in  a pint 
and  a half  of  veal  stock  or  broth,  and  put 
a layer  of  fat  bacon  or  ham  on  the  top  with 
paper  over  it.  Let  the  whole  stew  very 
gently,  on  a stove  or  slow  fire,  for  nearly 
three  quarters  of  an  hour.  In  the  mean 
time,  peel  a dozen  or  more  large  onions, 
boil  them  up,  pour  off  the  liquor,  put 
cold  water  to  them,  boil  them  up  a second 
time,  and  instantly  throw  them  into  cold 


water:  next  pull  off  the  outsides,  put  'he 
onions  into  fresh  cold  water,  and  stew 
them  till  quite  tender;  rub  them  through 
a tammy,  put  them  into  a stevvpan,  over 
the  fire,  with  about  half  a pint  of  bechamel ; 
or  two  ounces  of  butter,  a table-spoonful 
of  Hour,  half  a pint  of  cream,  and  a little 
salt,  continually  stirring  the  whole  till 
it  boils.  Then,  taking  up  the  rabbit,  and 
placing  the  pieces  on  a cloth  to  dry  up  the 
fat,  put  them  on  a dish,  with  the  sauce  over 
them,  and  send  it  to  table  quite  hot.  The 
above  excellent  method  of  making  onion 
sauce  may  be  advantageously  adopted  on 
other  occasions,  where  it  is  desirable  to 
have  it  delicately  prepared. 

Fricassee  of  Rabbit,  with  Mushrooms. 

Dress  the  pieces  of  rabbit  exactly  in 
the  same  manner  as  for  onion  sauce;  but, 
instead  of  the  onion  sauce,  thus  prepare 
a pottle  of  fresh  mushrooms — Clean  them 
with  a knife,  throw  them  into  water,  and 
put  them  in  a stevvpan  with  two  ounces  of 
fresh  butter,  and  alittle  lemon  juice  andsalt. 
Cover  them  closely  over  with  paper,  set 
them  on  a very  slow  fire,  and  let  them  stew 
gently  for  above  an  hour.  Then,  skim- 
ming the  butter  from  the  liquid,  put  it 
into  another  stewpan  placed  over  the  fire, 
stirring  in  a table-spoonful  of  flour  for  a 
few  minutes;  and  add  the  liquor,  both  from 
the  mushrooms  and  from  the  rabbits,  with 
a little  cream,  and  also  some  veal  stock  if 
necessary.  Let  it  boil  a few  minutes,  keep- 
ing it  well  stirred  the  whole  time;  then 
strain  it,  and  put  it  to  the  mushrooms  with 
a very  little  sugar,  and  pepper  and  salt  to 
palate.  Dispose  the  rabbit  on  a dish,  pour 
the  mushrooms  over,  and  garnish  with  any 
fancy  article.  A fricassee  of  chickens  with 
mushrooms  may  also  be  thus  prepared. 


311 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Brown  Fricassee  of  Chickens  or  Babbits. 

After  cutting  the  chickens  or  rabbits 
into  pieces,  in  the  same  manner  as  for 
white  fricassee,  fry  them  in  the  purest  lard 
till  they  are  of  a fine  light  brown  colour: 
drain  them  dry  with  a cloth;  and,  putting 
them  into  astevvpan,  with  blanched  truffles 
and  morells,  some  good  stock,  gravy,  or 
cullis,  and  a few  button  mushrooms,  egg 
balls,  &c.  let  them  stew  gently  till  suffici- 
ently done,  season  to  palate,  and  serve 
them  up  quite  hot.  If  surrounded  by  fried 
oysters,  they  make  a most  excellent  dish. 

Fricassees  of  Lamb,  Veal,  8$c. 

THESE  may  be  prepared,  either  white  or 
brown,  exactly  in  the  same  way  as  the  rab- 
bits and  chickens;  blanching  or  frying  the 
veal  or  lamb  cutlets,  cut  in  neat  pieces, 
without  bone,  and  freed  from  any  disagree- 
able appearance  of  skin,  &c.  so  as  to  be 
perfectly  delicate.  When  oysters  are  out 
of  season,  the  brown  fricassees  may  be 
served  up  with  a garnish  of  sliced  lemon 
and  beet  root;  or,  indeed,  as  on  most  other 
occasions,  garnished  according  to  taste  and 
convenience:  these  must  also  be  guides  in 
any  alterations,  additions,  and  omissions, 
of  the  several  ingredients  which  compose 
all  made  dishes. 

Calf's  or  Bullock’s  Heart. 

THESE  may  be  either  roasted  or  baked, 
for  which  they  are  alike  prepared,  by  be- 
ing well  washed,  wiped  dry,  and  stuffed 
with  the  same  forcemeat  as  fillet  of  veal, 
Ike.  If  roasted,  a piece  of  veal  caul  should 
be  tied  over  the  top  ; and,  letting  the  spit 
turn  gently  till  about  the  last  eight  or  ten 
minutes,  finish  it  very  quick,  frothing  it 
with  flour  and  butter,  and  serving  it  up  on 


a hot  water  dish,  in  a cullis  sauce,  with  a 
little  butter  and  ketchup.  Some  currant 
jelly  sauce  may  also  be  sent  to  table  in  a 
small  bason  or  tureen.  When  baked,  it  is 
to  be  served  up  in  the  same  manner. 
Sheep’s  hearts,  stuffed  and  roasted,  are  also  ‘ 
equally  good.  A fine  ox  or  bullock’s  heart, 
thus  dressed,  makes  a cheap,  excellent,  and 
substantial  family  dish. 

Bice  Soup. 

Boil  a quarter  of  a pound  of  rice  in  a 
gallon  of  veal  broth;  and,  when  it  is  quite 
tender,  make  the  following  leason — Beat 
up  the  yolks  of  four  eggs  in  a bason,  with 
a pint  of  cold  boiled  cream,  adding  a little 
at  a time;  and,  straining  it  through  a hair 
sieve,  put  to  it  two  table-spoonfuls  of  be- 
chamel. Then  take  the  soup  off  the  fire, 
and  put  the  leason  to  it;  stirring  it  all  the 
time,  till  thoroughly  incorporated:  after 
which,  set  it  again  over  the  fire,  never  ceas- 
ing to  stir  it,  as  the  eggs  will  otherwise  cur- 
dle, till  it  begins  to  boil, when  it  must  be  im- 
mediately taken  up.  A good  family  rice  soup 
may  be  made  with  the  liquor  of  a knuckle  of 
veal,  and  two  ounces  of  rice  first  swelled  in 
milk;  thickening  the  soup  with  a little  flour 
and  butter,  and  seasoning  it  to  palate. 

Excellent  Scotch  Haggess. 

BLANCH,  and  chop  very  fine,  the  heart, 
lights,  and  some  of  the  chitterlings,  of 
a calf;  add  a pound  of  finely  chopped  beef 
or  veal  suet,  with  the  crumb  of  some  French 
bread  soaked  in  cream,  a little  beaten  spice 
or  allspice,  and  a pound  of  raisins  chopped 
and  stoned,  half  a pound  of  currants,  half 
a glass  of  brandy  or  a glass  of  white  wine, 
and  a sufficient  quantity  of  flour  or  fine 
oatmeal,  with  two  or  three  eggs,  to  make 
it  of  a proper  consistence.  Mix  the  whole 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


312 

well  together,  put  it  into  a well  cleansed 
calf’s  bag,  tie  it  up  tightly,  boil  it  about 
two  hours  and  a half,  and  dish  it  up  in  the 
hag.  It  may  he  prepared  so  as  to  prove 
very  good  in  a much  plainer  way,  by 
leaving  out  all  the  richer  articles;  and,  if 
prepared  with  the  entrails  of  asheep,  instead 
of  a calf,  lessening  the  proportions  ac- 
cordingly, will  he  little  if  at  all  inferior. 
It  is,  indeed,  most  frequently  so  made,  in 
Scotland,  where  it  is  deservedly  an  esteem- 
ed dish,  with  the  heart,  lights,  kc.  only. 

Salt  Herrings  u la  Bruxelloise. 

Tills,  at  present,  is  a fashionable  dish  at 
Paris;  and  is  thus  recommended  and  de- 
scribed by,  perhaps,  the  most  scientific 
culinary  writer  in  Europe.  It  is  to  be 
lamented,  he  observes,  with  his  usual  vi- 
vacity of  remark,  that  salt  herrings  do  not, 
in  general,  enjoy  a sufficiently  good  re- 
putation to  be  admitted  at  the  tables  of 
the  opulent;  and,  that  the  vanity  of  rich 
persons  lias  exiled  them  to  the  kitchens  of 
the  vulgar:  for,  if  this  food  be  not  the  most 
salutary,  if  by  it’s  principles  of  acridity  it 
agrees  only  with  very  robust  stomachs,  we 
are  still  convinced  that  it  redeems,  with 
more  than  one  good  quality,  the  inconveni- 
ences attached  to  it’s  preparation.  It  re- 
stores the  lost  appetite,  and  acts  power- 
fully on  the  organs  of  taste;  as  a prepara- 
tory, it  disposes  the  stomach  to  do  honour 
to  the  entertainment ; cut  in  small  pieces, 
and  mixed  with  a sallad,  it  gives  an  ad- 
mirable relish,  particularly  to  corn  sallad 
and  beet  root,  which  are  naturally  too  mild 
and  sweet.  In  short  it  is,  on  several  oc- 
casions, when  taken  with  moderation,  much 
too  serviceable  to  deserve  banishment.  It 
has,  moreover,  one  excellent  virtue,  and  of 
which  our  vintners  feel  sensibly  all  the 


worth;  it  excites  a most  ardent  thirst,  and 
renders  us  at  the  same  time  but  little  nice 
with  regard  to  the  quality  of  the  wine  we 
drink.  From  all  this  may  be  concluded 
that,  in  spite  of  it’s  defects,  the  salt  her- 
ring, like  many  a deserving  person,  pos- 
sesses more  merit  than  reputation.  There 
is,  however,  a method  of  obtaining  from 
it  an  excellent  dish;  in  which  it’s  best 
qualities  are  assisted,  and  it’s  ill  effects 
lessened  and  destroyed.  This  dish  is  at 
all  times  extremely  good ; and  also  so 
easily  managed,  that  every  amateur  may 
give  himself  the  pleasure  of  preparing  it  at 
his  own  fire  side,  and  make  it  his  mornino- 
meal  on  the  day  when,  being  invited  to 
a grand  dinner,  he  is  desirous  of  possess- 
ing a more  than  ordinary  appetite — Double 
a large  sheet  of  very  strong  Dutch  paper, 
and  form  it  into  a case  capable  of  contain- 
ing eight  of  the  finest  salt  herrings;  and 
butter  it  very  well  all  over,  both  within  and 
without.  Cut  off  the  heads  and  tails  of  the 
herrings,  skin  them,  and  take  away  the 
back  bone;  and,  when  they  are  thus  pre- 
pared, cut  them  longitudinally  in  two,  form, 
ing  a couple  of  fillets  with  each  herring. 
Place  them,  side  by  side,  in  the  case;  and, 
between  all  the  fillets,  put  pieces  of  fresh 
butter  mingled  with  fine  herbs,  mushrooms 
cut  in  very  small  dice,  parsley,  shallots, 
and  a clove  of  garlic,  all  chopped  very  fine, 
seasoned  with  long  pepper,  and  adding  a 
little  oil.  Sprinkle  the  w hole  with  crumbs 
of  French  bread;  and  put  the  bag  on  a 
gridiron,  over  a clear  fire,  taking  all  possi- 
ble precaution  not  to  burn  the  paper:  for 
the  better  prevention  of  which,  it  is  so  ne- 
cessary that  a strong  w rapper  paper  be 
selected,  that  it  be  employed  double,  and 
be  thoroughly  buttered  all  over.  When  the 
herrings  are  dressed,  take  them  off  the  fire. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


and  serve  them  up  in  their  case,  with  the  | 
expressed  juice  of  a large  lemon,  If  this 
small  dish  be  carefully  cooked,  it  is  a most 
delicious  food.  Salt  herrings  are  prepared 
in  this  manner  at  Brussels;  whence  the 
receipt  was  taken  to  Paris  by  a celebrated 
performer  of  French  comedy,  named  Dub- 
lin, who  long  resided  there,  and  has  since 
improved  the  original.  This  preparation 
is,  therefore,  generally  called,  at  Paris, 
barengs  saurs  a.  la  Dublin,  We  advise 
our  honourable  readers  themselves  to  try 
the  experiment,  in  some  of  those  leisure 
moments  when  the  imagination  loves  to 
create  for  the  stomach  some  new  enjoy- 
ment, and  we  dare  believe  that  they  will 
consider  it  as  an  act  of  no  little  kindness 
to  have  thus  given  them  the  entire  process, 
We  protest,  that  we  have  the  receipt  from 
the  intelligent  author  himself,  a man  of 
genuine  genius;  and  that  it  would  in  vain 
be  sought  for  in  all  books  of  cookery  what- 
ever. It  is,  absolutely,  a new  and  original 
article  j and  ought,  in  strictness,  to  be 
placed  in  the  list  of  new  discoveries;  more 
particularly,  those  of  Paris.  This  curious 
article  is  almost  literally  translated  from 
the  celebrated  Almanack  des  Gourmands 
for  the  year  180G;  an  annual  work  of  won- 
derful wit,  genius,  and  ability,  to  which 
we  are  indebted  for  much  information  as 
well  as  amusement.  In  the  mean  time,  we 
seize  gladly  any  opportunity  of  rendering 
the  herring  a more  favourite  food  in  Eng- 
land, where  it  has  in  no  sense  the  reputa- 
tion which  it  merits. 

Fine  Rice  Cake, 

Beat  up  the  yolks  of  ten  eggs  with  the 
grated  rind  of  a lemon ; and,  adding  half 
a pound  of  powdered  loaf  sugar,  whisk  them 
well  till  they  are  thoroughly  incorporated. 


313 

Then  beat  up  all  the  whites  of  the  eggs  to 
froth,  and  add  that  also,  whisking  the  whole 
well  together.  Mix  in  with  it,  by  a little 
at  a time,  half  a pound  of  rice  flour;  and, 
when  well  united,  with  or  without  a little 
mace,  and  a glass  of  brandy,  wine,  or 
orange-flower  water,  butter  a paper  for  a 
pan  or  hoop,  put  the  mixture  in  a little 
more  than  three  parts  full  that  the  cake 
may  have  room  enough  to  rise,  and  hake 
it  in  a brisk  but  not  a scorching  oven. 

Rich  Pound  Cake. 

Mix  up  lightly  a pound  each  of  fresh 
butter  and  powdered  loaf  sugar,  with  a 
little  finely  pounded  mace,  cinnamon,  nut- 
meg, or  cloves;  then,  having  beaten  apart 
the  yolks  and  the  whites  of  eight  eggs, 
add  the  yolks  first,  and  then  the  whisked 
whites,  with  a pound  of  sifted  and  dried 
flour,  a few  carraway  seeds,  some  candied 
orange  peel  cat  in  slices,  and  a glass  of 
white  wine.  Mix  the  whole  well  together 
as  lightly  as  possible ; and  bake  it,  in  a 
buttered  pan  or  hoop,  for  a full  hour.  This 
rich  pound  cake  is  frequently  made  with 
the  addition  of  a few  nicely  washed  and 
picked  currants.  Good  common  pound 
cake  may  be  prepared  after  the  same  man- 
ner, with  a quarter  of  a pound  less  both  of 
butter  and  of  sugar,  and  other  discretional 
diminutions  or  total  omissions  of  the  richer 
articles. 

Famous  American  Receipt  for  the  Rheu- 
matism. 

BLEND,  by  bruising  together,  two  cloves 
of  garlic  and  a dram  of  gum  ammoniac; 
and,  mixing  up  the  mass  with  a little  water, 
make  it  into  two  or  three  boluses,  and  swal- 
low one  every  night  and  morning.  Drink, 
while  takingthis  remedy,  a very  strongsassa- 
4 K 


314 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


fras  tea,  having  the  tea-pot  constantly  filled 
withchips.  This  is  generally  found  to  banish 
the  rheumatism,  and  even  contractions  of 
the  joints,  after  taking  it  a few  days.  It.  J 
has  long  been  famous  in  America;  where, 
it  has  been  affirmed,  a hundred  pounds 
were,  a few  years  back,  given  for  this  re- 
ceipt. 

Infallible  Negro  Remedy  for  the  Rheumalism. 

The  natives  of  the  coast  of  Guinea  sel- 
dom use  any  other  remedy  for  the  rheuma- 
tism than  rubbing  frequently  the  parts  af- 
fected with  a mixture  of  Cayenne  pepper 
and  strong  spirits,  which  they  consider  as 
quite  infallible. 


Curious  Composition  for  Roofs  of  Houses,  as 
communicated  by  the  Royal  Society  of 
Sweden. 


it  charcoal  very  finely  pounded;  constantly 
stirring  them,  till  the  whole  be  reduced  to 
the  state  of  mortar.  Spread  it  on  the 
boarded  covering,  with  a broad  wooden 
trowel,  to  the  thickness  of  the  fourth  or 
fifth  part  of  an  inch;  and  it  will  become 
too  hard  and  durable,  for  either  the  cold 
or  heat  of  that  climate,  or  even  of  our’s,  to 
affect  it.  With  this  composition,  the  pea- 
sants of  Sweden  cover  their  houses ; and, 
though  of  such  a combustible  nature,  it  is 
much  less  liable  to  accidents  from  fire  than 
thatch.  This  composition  may,  certainly, 
be  applied  to  many  useful  purposes. 

Delicious  Brandades  dc  Merluche,  or  Langue- 
doc Ragout  of  Salt -Fish. 

The  ingenious  Frenchman  who  has 
taught  us  to  make  an  excellent  dish  with 
pickled  herrings,  by  dressing  them  a la 
Bruxelloise,  at  present  instructs  us  in  the 


art  of  preparing,  with  still  greater  delicacy, 
salted  cod,  &c.  commonly  called  by  the 
| general  name  of  salt- fish.  We  consider 
both  these  articles,  however  lightly  they 
may  be  regarded,  as  capable  of  producing 
very  serious  service  to  our  fisheries.  We 
shall  give  nearly  the  literal  meaning  of 
|.  this  pleasing  writer — Among  the  provin- 
i cial  ragouts  in  most  distinguished  favour 
at  Paris,  are  the  brandades  of  salt-fish.  A 
restaurateur  of  the  Palais  Royal  is  well 
known  to  have  made  his  fortune  by  his 
method  of  preparing  them;  and  he  is 
: still  every  day  visited  by  crowds,  because 
he  has  the  reputation  of  dressing  them 
excellently.  As  most  of  our  readers  will 
probably  be  glad  to  know  how  they  may 
successfully  prepare  this  southern  ra- 
gout, the  receipt  for  which  is  not  to  be 
found  in  any  collection  whatever,  we  can- 
not do  better  than  to  insert  it  here;  giving 
it  as  it  was  communicated  to  us  in  a village 
of  Languedoc,  which  enjoys  a reputation, 
for  this  very  article,  at  once  brilliant  and 
merited.  The  singular  name  of  brandade, 
given  to  this  preparation,  though  not  found 
in  any  dictionary,  is  derived,  doubtless, 
from  the  old  French  verb  brandir;  which 
signifies  stirring,  agitating,  or  shaking,  pow- 
erfully and  for  a long  time:  and  this  action, 
almost  continual,  is  in  fact  indispensable, 
to  render  the  ragout  all  that  it  ought  to  be: 
it  is  this  which,  above  every  thing,  causes 
the  making  it  to  be  difficult,  and  which  pro- 
bably hinders  it’s  being  adopted  in  our 
kitchens;  for,  whatever  much  exercises  the 
patience,  is  not  to  the  taste  of  our  cooks. 
The  motion  which  they  give  to  the  stew- 
pan,  on  this  occasion,  is  a motion  of  a par- 
ticular kind.  It  forms  a sort  of  study,  and 
requires  a great  deal  of  dexterity.  How- 
ever that  be,  this  is  the  receipt  for  the  bran- 


FAMILY  IlECEIPT-BOOK. 


315 


dades — Soak;  for  twenty-four  hours,  a fine 
piece  of  salt-fish,  to  take  out  the  excess  of 
salt,  and  to  soften  it.  Put  it  over  the  fire 
in  sufficient  water,  carefully  taking  it  off 
the  moment  it  commences  boiling.  Put 
butter,  oil,  parsley,  and  garlic,  into  a stew- 
pan,  and  place  it  over  a gentle  fire.  In 
the  mean  time,  skin  the  fish,  and  divide  it 
into  small  bits:  then  put  the  pieces  into  the 
stewpan,  and  add,  from  time  to  time,  more 
oil,  butter,  or  milk,  as  the  whole  is  perceived 
to  thicken.  Shake,  for  a long  time,  the 
stewpan  over  the  fire;  so  as  to  render  the 
salt-fish,  as  it  were,  reduced  to  a species  of 
cream.  If  wished  to  be  quite  green,  sub- 
stitute pounded  spinach  for  the  parsley. 
This  receipt  is  very  simple;  but  we  do  not 
cease  to  repeat,  the  perfection  of  the  bran- 
dades  depends,  above  all,  on  the  proper 
motion’s  being  impressed  and  continued 
with  the  stewpan  for  a very  long  time;  and 
that  this,  alone,  can  effect  the  extreme  di- 
vision or  disunion  of  all  the  parts  of  this 
naturally  tough  fish,  and  metamorphose  it 
into  a sort  of  cream.  It  must  not,  in  fact, 
cease  to  be  dexterously  shaken;  or,  instead 
of  a brandade,  it  will  become  a bechamel. 
For-tfie  rest,  a brandade  well  made  forms  a 
delicious  ragout;  and,  though  salt-fish  be  of 
a very  indigestible  nature,  it  becomes, 
when  thus  prepared,  of  extremely  light 
digestion. 

* Soups  in  General,  with  the  Genuine  Paris  Re- 
ceipt for  making  the  famous  Camerani  Soup. 

The  valuable  receipt  for  preparing  this 
famous  soup,  held  in  such  high  estimation 
at  Paris,  is  derived  from  the  same  excel- 
lent source  as  the  preceding  article;  intro- 
duced by  some  admirable  observations  on 
soups  in  general,  which  we  shall  also  pre- 
serve. Soup,  says  this  admired  writer,  is 


t a dinner,  what  the  portico  or  peristyle 
is  to  an  edifice:  this  means,  that  it  is  not 
only  the  first  part,  but  that  it  ought  to  ex- 
hibit a combination  so  formed  or  fabricated 
as  to  convey  a just  idea  of  the  feast,  much 
in  the  sarrte  manner  as  the  overture  of  a 
comic  opera  should  announce  the  stile, 
character,  and  sentiment,  of  the  whole 
piece.  Thus,  if  the  dinner  be  frugal,  and 
composed  merely  of  ordinary  food,  such 
as  roasted,  broiled,  or  boiled  meats,  the 
soup  ought  to  be  common  citizen’s  soup: 
and,  though  these  plain  soups  may  be 
thought  the  mere  a,  b,  c,  or  alphabet,  as 
the  French  term  it,  of  an  able  cook,  they 
are  more  rarely  good  than  might  be  ima- 
gined; because  a natural  soup,  to  be  well 
made,  requires  a care,  a patience,  and  a 
perpetual  vigilance,  of  which  few  persons 
are  capable,  but  of  which  good  housewives 
are  often  more  susceptible  than  professed 
men  cooks.  Where,  however,  the  dinner  is 
founded  in  the  grand  principles  of  the  art, 
the  soup  ought  to  partake  of  them,  and  give 
a foretaste  of  the  science  and  great  ability 
of  the  artist.  It  should,  accordingly,  be 
more  or  less  compound ; such  as  soup  Julian, 
jambe  de  bois.  Jacobin,  Italian,  Turkish, 
&c.  and,  if  for  meagre  days,  crayfish  soup, 
pike  soup,  oj'ster  soup  &c.  Soups  are, 
also,  to  be  suitably  prepared  with  part- 
ridges, pidgeons,  game,  poultry,  and  fish, 
of  all  sorts;  as  well  as  with  truffles,  morells, 
macaroni,  vermicelli,  &c.  Ten  volumes 
would  not  suffice,  to  contain  the  receipts 
for  making  all  the  soups  known  in  France. 
We  shall,  now,  therefore,  confine  ourselves 
to  that  of  the  Camerani  soup;  which  is  not 
found  in  any  book,  though  eagerly  enquired 
for  by  numerous  amateurs — Procure,  then, 
the  finest  macaroni,  the  most  excellent  Par- 
masan  cheese,  the  newest  fresh  butter,  and 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


116 

about  two  dozen  livers  of  the  fattest  fowls  $ 
with  celery,  cabbage,  carrots,  parsnips, 
turnips,  leeks,  sweet  herbs,  &c,  Begin  by 
mincing  small  the  livers,  and  vegetable 
articles,  and  warming  them  in  a stewpan 
with  butter.  In  the  mean  time,  blanch 
the  macaroni,  drain  it  well,  and  season  it 
with  finely  beaten  pepper  and  spices, 
Take  now,  the  dish,  or  tureen,  in  which 
the  soup,  when  made,  is  to  be  placed  on  the 
table,  and  which  must  also  bear  the  fire, 
and  deposit  at  it’s  bottom  a layer  of  rnoca- 
roni;  above  that,  a layer  of  the  minced 
liver  and  vegetables;  and,  lastly,  a layer 
of  grated  Parmasan:  then,  begin  again  in 
the  same  order,  and  elevate  the  respective 
layers  which  compose  this  superstructure 
to  the  edge  of  the  dish  or  tureen.  Place  it 
over  a gentle  fire,  and  let  the  whole  sim- 
mer together  for  a reasonable  time.  This 
soup  is  the  invention  of  Monsieur  Game- 
rani,  one  of  the  most  erudite  gourmands  in 
France,  who  frequently  regales  with  it  his 
friends,  It  is,  indeed,  a delicious  soup,  lie- 
verting,  again,  to  soups  in  general,  we  shall 
finish  with  remarking  that  the  best  and 
most  wholesome  soup  is  obtained  from  the 
freshest  meat,  those  parts  of  it  being  selected 
which  afford  the  most  and  richest  succu- 
lence, We  rarely  eat  fine  soups  made  in 
great  kitchens;  because  they  there  every 
moment  plunder  the  soup  kettle  to  moisten 
their  ragouts,  and  augment  the  mischief  by 
adding  more  water.  In  smaller  establish- 
ments, on  the  contrary,  the  kettle  or  pot 
over  the  fire  constitutes  the  principal  ob= 
ject,  or  that  which  engages  the  chief  care 
and  attention.  A good  soup  is  the  dinner  of 
the  poor ; and  it  is  an  enjoyment  which, 
among  several  others,  particularly  such  as 
relate  to  health,  they  are  often  envied  by 
persons  of  the  greatest  opulence. 


| Curious  German  Method  of  making  Onions 
grow  to  a vet'i/  large  Site, 

Let  some  of  the  largest  and  soundest 
onions  be  placed,  and  kept  all  the  winter, 
in  a very  warm  situation,  near  an  oven, 
so  as  to  get  extremely  dry,  At  the  begin- 
ning of  spring,  lay  them  in  the  earth;  and 
they  will  not  shoot  up  green,  but  grow  to 
I such  a size  as  frequently  to  weigh  more 
' than  a pound. 

Celebrated  Provence  Rccultcs, 

We  eat,  at  Paris,  says  our  old  French 
friend,  man v more  or  less  agreeable  caseous 
! preparations;  and,  confining  ourselves 
only  to  those  which  are  edulcorated  with 
sugar,  there  are  few  winter  deserts  where 
we  do  not  find  a cheese  of  Viri,  or  admire 
■ a whipped  cream  cheese,  glazed  or  beau- 
tifully streaked  with  different  colours,  from 
the  hands  of  Madame  Lambert;  but  the 
amateurs  of  these  species  of  dairy  delicacies, 
and,  above  all,  the  Provencals,  who  are  al- 
ways very  numerous  at  Paris,  and  even 
there  mostly  .contrive  to  make  their  for- 
tunes, regret  exceedingly,  that  they  can- 
not find  what  are  in  Provence  called  re- 
cuites;  a composition  truly  delicious,  and 
of  which  nothing  can  afford  an  idea  to  those 
whohavenevertasted  it.  We  have,  therefore, 
spared  no  pains  in  procuring,  from  Provence, 
the  genuine  receipt  for  preparing  these  re- 
cuites  in  ail  their  native  purity.  In  that 
country,  the  recuites  are  made  with  the  milk 
of  goats,  because  they  do  not  there  breed 
cows;  but  as,  at  Paris,  cows  are  far  more 
common  than  goats,  we  are  of  opinion  that 
the  recuites  cannot  fail  to  be  rendered 
still  better  with  their  milk;  which  is  richer, 
more  unctuous,  more  nourishing,  and  much 
wholesomer,  than  all  others.  Sheep’s  milk, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


317 


so  very  common  in  many  countries,  must  j 
be  excluded  from  this  composition;  be- 
cause the  recuites  it  produced  would  be  j 
hard,  of  a yellow  colour,  and  want  that  de-  | 
licacy  which  constitutes  the  charm  of  those  : 
which  are  prepared  with  the  milk  of  goats  j 
or  cows.  Before  the  recuites  can  be  made  i 
it  is  necessary  to  make  the  curd  or  cheese: 
recuite,  in  fact,  signifying  that  the  article, 
which  in  the  present  case  is  curd  or  cheese, 
undergoes  a repetition  or  excess  of  pro- 
cess; just  as  biscuit,  originally  derived 
from  the  French  biscuite,  is  a sort  of  bread 
or  cake  prepared  by  twice  baking.  To 
obtain  the  curd,  a quantity  of  milk  pro- 
portioned to  the  number  of  recuites  want- 
ed, must  be  put  into  a proper  vessel,  with 
a third  part  as  much  lukewarm  water.  In 
very  hot  weather,  they  reduce  this  third 
to  a fourth;  and  there  are  even  persons 
who  only  add  an  eight  portion  of  warm 
water,  observing  that  too  great  a quantity 
would  render  the  curd  or  cheese  tough  and 
hard.  This  being  regulated,  they  put  in 
as  much  rennet,  first  soaked  in  water,  as  is 
necessary  to  curdle  the  milk.  When  the  : 
milk  is  turned,  they  beat  it  well,  to  make 
the  curd  or  thick  part  sink;  and  pour  into 
another  vessel,  or  pot,  well  scalded,  the 
liquid  part  or  whey,  which  the  French  in 
general  call  small  milk,  but  the  Provencals 
name  it  gaspo.  The  pot  containing 
this  whey  is  then  placed  over  the  fire;  tak- 
ing care  that  the  fuel  surrounds  the  pot 
instead  of  being  beneath  it,  that  being  a 
necessary  precaution  to  prevent  it’s  boil- 
ing. It  must  be  continually  scummed; 
and  have  the  small  flakes  of  curd  which  still 
arise  from  the  whey  taken  carefully  out. 
As  soon  as  the  whey  becomes  too  hot  for 
a finger  to  bear,  pour  in  a small  quantity 
of  cold  milk.  Some  put  only  a twentieth 


part  water,  others  an  eighth,  to  the  whey  ; 
this  serves  only  to  prove,  that  the  propor- 
tions are  not  slrictlv  determined.  When 
the  mixture  appears  ready  to  boil,  a sub- 
stance is  seen  to  rise,  and  to  separate: 
when,  without  a moment’s  delay,  it  must 
be  poured  hastily  from  one  pot  or  vessel 
to  the  other,  and  returned  back  again;  after 
which,  it  is  to  be  taken  from  the  fire,  and 
left  to  effect  it’s  own  natural  separa- 
tion of  the  thick  and  liquid  parts  of  this 
composition.  There  should  be  an  inclined 
board  placed  near  the  pot,  having  grooves 
all  along  it,  in  which  are  placed  small  vases 
or  basons,  called  in  the  Provencal  dialect 
faisselos,  and  in  which  they  put,  with  a 
spoon  or  a skimmer,  the  thick  matter  which 
forms  the  recuite.  These  basons  are  made 
in  the  form  of  deep  saucers,  each  being 
pierced  at  the  bottom  with  five  small  holes, 
by  which  the  recuite  is  drained.  The  li- 
quid runs  along  the  grooves  of  the  inclined 
board,  into  a pan  placed  at  it’s  extremity. 
This  liquor  serves  for  the  pigs,  who  are  ex- 
cessively fond  of  it.  When  the  curds  get 
cold,  taking  in  one  hand  a dish  or  plate, 
and  in  the  other  one  of  the  basons,  each  of 
which  basons  contains  a recuite,  they  turn 
it  down  on  the  dish,  and  blow  through  the 
holes  at  the  bottom  of  the  bason,  so  that 
the  recuite  instantly  detaches  itself,  and 
falls  on  the  dish.  Each  dish'  commonly 
contains  from  seven  to  eight  recuites;  so 
that  two  such  dishes  may  be  sufficient 
for  a desert.  They  are  eaten  with  pow- 
dered loaf  sugar.  The  little  recuite  basons, 
commonly  used,  are  about  two  inches  dia- 
meter to  one  in  depth.  In  some  parts  of 
Provence,  they  substitute  small  osier  baskets 
made  of  a conical  form  ; but  earthenware 
is  nicer,  smoother,  and  more  easily  kept 
clean.  Such  is  the  Provence  method  of 
\ I. 


31 S 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


making  reeuites  in  nil  their  genuine  sini-  |j 
plicitv:  it  is  ensv  to  perceive,  that  they 
may  he  rendered  still  better,  by  flavouring 
lliem  with  some  agreeable  odours;  such 
as  the  rose,  vanilla,  orange-flowers,  &c. 
This  is  a hint  left  to  the  consideration  of 
the  skilful  in  this  branch  of  the  edible  arts. 

Plan  for  a Farmer’s  Orchard. 

In  consequence  of  a reward  offered  by 
the  Agricultural  Society,  for  the  best  me- 
thod of  planting  orchards  suitable  to  the 
accommodation  of  farmers,  Sec.  in  0799, 
Mr.  David  Anderson,  of  Great  Driffield, 
in  the  county  of  Suffolk,  communicated 
the  following  plan,  for  which  he  was  re- 
warded with  the  silver  medal.  This  gen- 
tleman begins  with  observing,  that  orchard 
planting  has  of  late  been  greatly  neglected 
in  the  wolds,  which  occasions  a general 
scarcity  of  winter  fruit  in  that  district. 
Some  being  convinced  of  this,  have  planted 
orchards;  but,  either  through  want  of  skill  j 
in  the  planter,  or  want  of  after  care  and  ! 
management  in  the  occupier,  several  of 
those  orchards  have  not  succeeded.  This 
lias  caused  a false  prejudice  to  prevail,  that 
the  soil  and  air  of  the  wolds  are  unfavour- 
able to  fruit;  but  Mr.  Anderson  asserts 
the  contrary,  both  from  observation  and 
experience.  This  must  appear  to  a demon- 
stration, when  it  is  considered  that  few 
wold  towns  can  be  passed  through,  with- 
out seeing  some  fine  old  fruit  trees  standing 
testimonies  pf  the  good  husbandry  of  our 
forefathers,  and  of  the  congeniality  of  the 
air  and  soil  to  fruit  trees.  Some  wold  towns 
have  even  been  famous  for  fruit ; and,  where 
fruit  trees  have  once  succeeded,  they  will, 
it  is  believed,  with  equal  good  manage- 
ment, succeed  again.  He  concludes,  there- 
fore, that  the  present  scarcity  of  fruit  is 


occasioned  bv  neglect  of  planting;  and  of 
properly  preparing  the  ground,  and  ma- 
naging the  orchard,  while  the  trees  are 
young.  It  does  not  appear  to  be  of  so 
much  moment  whether  the  soil  be  on  a 
j chalk,  clay,  or  gravel  ; as  we  see  fruit  trees 
thrive  equally  well  on  all  three:  for  in- 
stance, on  chalk,  at  Langtoft,  Foxholes, 
and  A\  old  Newton;  on  clay,  at  Harpham, 
Lowthrop,  Nafferton,  Emswell,  Little  Drif- 
field, Sunderlandwick,  Cranswick,  and 
Skerne;  and  on  gravel,  at  Kilham  and 
Great  Driffield.  A wet  bottom,  and  poor 
soil,  seem  the  only  places  where  fruit  trees 
cannot  thrive.  Apples  best  deserve  cul- 
tivating, as  they  abide  w hen  most  other 
fruits  are  over.  Pears,  plums,  cherries,  &c. 
may  be  intermixed,  for  variety  and  summer 
use,  as  the  owner  pleases;  for  they  will  an- 
swer on  any  soil,  indiscriminately,  vvhere- 
ever  apple  trees  will  thrive.  The  method 
of  planting  and  managing  an  orchard,  is 
this — Let  a piece  of  ground  be  marked  out, 
of  an  extent  and  figure  at  the  discretion  of 
the  owner:  observing,  that  it  lies  dry;  and 
that  it  will,  if  situated  so  as  to  incline  to 
the  south,  or  a little  to  the  west,  be  so 
much  the  better.  Should  it  be  on  a level, 
or  inclined  to  the  north  or  east,  there 
ought  to  be  two  or  three  rows  of  Scotch 
firs,  or  some  other  hardy  trees,  planted 
tolerably  thick,  to  break  the  north  and  east 
winds,  which  are  often  so  prevalent  in  the 
spring.  Let  the  place  be  well  fenced  round, 
so  as  to  prevent  even  hares  and  rabbits 
from  entering,  for  they  are  very  destruc- 
tive to  young  orchards.  "Whether  the 
ground  be  sward  or  tillage,  let  it  be  well 
trenched  over,  fifteen  or  eighteen  inches 
deep;  putting  all  the  top  sod  or  soil  to  the 
bottom,  and  at  the  same  time  mixing  a good 
quantity  of  well  rotted  fold  or  yard  dung 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  319 


in  the  trench,  and  gathering  out  all  large 
stones,  roots,  and  rubbish.  The  whole 
piece  being  thus  prepared,  proceed  to 
plant:  but,  if  the  ground  be  stiff,  and  full 
of  weeds,  roots,  &c.  it  will  be  better  to  have 
a crop  of  potatoes,  or  peas,  beans,  &c.  the 
first  year;  which  will  smother  the  weeds, 
meliorate  the  soil,  and  prepare  it  for  re- 
ceiving the  trees  in  the  autumn,  which  is 
invariably  to  be  considered  as  the  best 
season  for  planting  fruit  trees.  The  trees 
should  be  clear  of  moss  or  canker,  of  free 
growth,  with  good  roots,  fee.  If  it  be  a 
very  exposed  spot,  trees  of  four  feet  stem, 
or  half  standards  six  feet  stem,  will  answer 
best.  Let  the  trees  be  planted  eight  yards 
row  from  row,  and  six  yards  one  from 
another  in  the  row.  This  distance  in  the 
rows  may  appear,  to  some,  inadequate  to  the 
spread  of  an  apple  tree.  It  is  granted  that, 
if  all  the  trees  are  apples,  all  thrive  well, 
and  all  grow  to  equal  maturity,  they  may 
some  day  stand  rather  too  thick:  but,  even 
apple  trees  do  not  spread  alike;  and,  if 
there  be  any  other  fruits  intermixed,  such 
as  plums,  cherries,  &c.  these  seldom  spread 
very  wide.  Some,  also,  may  die.  Should 
they,  at  the  end  of  thirty  or  forty  years, 
be  found  too  thick,  it  would  be  better  then 
to  cut  a few  of  the  least  valuable  ones  down, 
and  thus  afford  the  others  room,  than  leave 
them  to  stand  too  thin  till  that  time;  for 
it  is  judged  advantageous  to  have  them 
thick  while  young,  as  they  shelter  one  ano- 
ther and  help  each  other  up.  The  plant- 
ing being  finished,  put  a little  long  litter 
round  the  root  of  every  tree:  this  will  pre- 
serve them  from  frost  the  first  winter,  and 
from  drought  the  succeeding  spring.  Young 
trees,  like  young  animals,  require  most 
nourishment  and  care  in  their  infancy  and 
youth;  thereforej  in  order  to  encourage  a 


young  orchard,  let  the  ground  be  kept  in  a 
state  of  cultivation  for  ten,  twelve,  or  four- 
teen years;  this  will  keep  the  ground  open, 
and  greatly  promote  the  growth  of  the 
young  trees.  By  this  means,  also,  the 
ground  may  be  kept  clear  of  weeds;  which 
should  be  particularly  attended  to,  as  they 
are  great  impoverishers.  Useful  crops  of 
vegetables  may  be  obtained,  in  the  intervals 
between  the  rows;  observing  never  to  plant 
any  thing  nearer  than  five  or  six  feet  from 
the  trees.  Let  the  ground,  too,  be  enriched 
annually  w ith  a good  quantity  of  manure, 
that  the  early  and  vigorous  growth  of  the 
trees  may  be  well  supported,  till  at  the  age 
of  ten,  twelve,  or  fourteen  years.  With  the 
above  treatment,  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  they  will  be  so  well  established  as  to 
require  very  little  future  care;  and,  as  the 
roots  and  tops  of  the  trees  will  now  occupy 
most  of  the  ground,  it  may  be  sown  down 
with  grass  seeds,  and  henceforward  used 
as  an  early  paddock  for  calves,  lambs,  &c. 
The  orchard  will  now  begin  to  make  such 
returns  of  fruit  as  abundantly  to  com- 
pensate the  owner  for  all  his  expence  and 
trouble  in  past  years. 

Carrot  Pic,  as  made  in  Germany. 

Clean  and  scrape  some  fine  and  fresh 
carrots,  cut  them  in  lengths,  of  about  an 
inch  and  a half  each,  slice  these  pieces  lon- 
gitudinally about  a quarterof  an  inch  thick, 
and  then  into  small  square  lengths.  Fry 
them  well  in  butter,  sweeten  them  to  palate, 
sprinkle  a very  small  quantity  of  salt,  and 
add  some  grated  or  thinlypared  lemon  rind, 
cinnamon,  cloves,  and  mace,  but  no  sort  of 
pepper.  Put  it  into  a good  crust,  in  the  same 
manner  as  fruit  pie;  and,  setting  it  in  a 
moderate  oven,  when  the  crust  is  done, 
the  inside  wall  be  also  quite  ready. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


320 


Shining  German  Blacking. 

Break  in  small  pieces  a cake  of  white 
wax,  and  put  it  in  a tin  tube,  or  any  earthen 
vessel,  &c.  Pour  over  it  as  much  oil  of  tur- 
pentine as  will  quite  cover  it,  and  leave  it  for 
twenty-four  hours  closely  covered  up.  In 

this  time,  the  wax  will  be  found  dissolved 

* 

to  a paste;  which  is  then  to  be  mixed  with 
as  much  real  ivory  black  in  fine  powder 
as  is  necessary  to  give  the  entire  compo- 
sition a very  black  colour.  When  it  is 
wanted  for  use,  take  a little  of  it  out  on  the 
point  of  a knife,  and  rub  it  into  the  leather 
of  the  boots,  shoes,  &c.  with  a brush; 
which  will  cause  the  etherial  spirit  of  the 
oil  to  evaporate,  leaving  the  wax  on  the 
surface  of  the  leather  quite  firm,  black,  and 
glossy.  Should  the  composition  get  dry, 
it  may  be  at  any  time  moistened  by  stirring 
in  a little  fresh  oil  of  turpentine. 


I 


Spirit  of  Soap,  for  Shaving. 


POUND  an  ounce  of  Venice,  Castille,  or 
any  other  fine  soap,  with  about  a quarter 
of  an  ounce  of  salt  of  tartar,  in  a marble 
mortar;  to  which,  by  degrees,  add  half  a I 
pint  of  lavender  water.  Incorporate  the 
whole  well  together,  filter  it,  and  keep  the 
liquid  in  bottles  closely  stopped.  When 
wanted  for  use,  let  a few  drops  fall  into  a 
spoonful  of  water,  and  beat  the  mixture 
to  a lather,  which  will  be  found  far  supe- 
rior for  shaving  to  any  unprepared  soap, 
{'his  spirit  or  essence  of  soap  is  much  used 
on  the  continent;  particularly,  in  France, 
Italy,  and  Germany. 


Dr.  Ratcliff ts  Celebrated  Remedy  fur  a 
Whooping  Cough. 

Take  two  ounces  each  of  conserve  of 
roses,  raisins  of  the  sun  stoned,  brown  su- 


gar-candy, and  two  pennyworth  of  spirits 
of  sulphur;  beat  them  up  into  a conserve, 
and  take  about  a tea-spoonful  morning  and 
evening. 

Sir  Hans  Sloane’s  Famous  Liniment  for  Sore 
Eyes. 

Though  this  valuable  receipt  is  best 
known  by  the  name  of  Sir  Mans  Sloane’s, 
who  first  made  it  public,  it  was  purchased 
by  that  eminent  physician  of  a person 
who  had  it  from  Dr.  Rugeley,  the  original 
inventor.  The  linimentum  opthalmicum, 
commonly  called  Sir  Hans  Sloane’s  lini- 
ment for  sore  eyes,  is  thus  directed  to  be 
made — Take  an  ounce  of  prepared  tutty, 
two  scruples  of  prepared  lapis  haematites, 
twelve  grains  of  the  best  prepared  aloes, 
and  four  grains  of  prepared  pearl.  Put 
them  into  a marble  mortar,  and  rub  them 
very  carefully,  by  means  of  a marble  pestle, 
with  a sufficient  quantity  of  viper’s  grease 
or  fat,  to  make  a liniment.  This  liniment 
should  be  used  daily,  either  in  the  morn- 
ing or  evening,  or  even  both.  It  is  to  be 
applied  with  a small  hair  pencil,  the  eye 
at  the  same  time  winking  or  a little  opened. 
Sir  Hans  Sloane  informs  us,  that  the  method 
which  best  succeeded  with  him  in  facilitat- 
ing the  efficacious  use  of  this  liniment,  was 
bleeding  and  blistering  the  neck  and  be- 
hind the  ears,  in  order  to  draw  off  the 
humours  from  the  eyes;  and,  afterward, 
according  to  the  degree  of  the  inflamma- 
tion, or  acrimony  of  the  juices,  to  make 
a drain,  by  issues  between  the  shoulders, 
or  a perpetual  blister.  Washing  the  eyes, 
also,  with  spring  water,  this  celebrated 
physician  preferred  to  any  spirituous  lo- 
tion, whether  simple  or  compound.  The 
best  inward  medicines,  he  adds,  are  con- 
serve of  rosemary  flowers;  anti-epileptic 


I 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


321 


powders,  such  as  the  pulvis-  ad  guttetam, 
betony,  sage,  rosemary,  eyebright,  wild 
valerian  root,  castor,  &c.  washed  down 
with  a tea  made  of  the  same  ingredients. 
Also,  drops  of  compound  spirit  of  laven- 
der, and  sal  volatile  oleostim.  If  the  in- 
flammation returns,  drawing  about  six 
ounces  of  blood  from  the  temples  by 
leeches,  or  cupping  between  the  shoul- 
ders, is  very  proper.  If  a lurking  inter- 
mittent fever  affect  the  eyes,  anti  render 
the  disorder  obstinate,  it  should  be  previ- 
ously taken  off  by  a proper  use  of  the 
bark,  more  effectually  to  perform  the  cure. 
Sir  Hans  Sloane  says,  that  this  medicine 
has  cured  many  persons  whose  eyes  were 
covered  with  opake  films  and  cicatrices  left 
by  inflammations  and  apostems  of  the  cor. 
nea:  which,  though  they  happen  to  persons 
of  all  conditions,  are  more  common  among 
the  poorer  sort  of  people;  many  of  whom, 
though  so  totally  deprived  of  sight  as  to  be 
at  first  under  the  necessity  of  being  led  to 
him,  after  some  time,  could  perfectly  well 
find  their  way  without  a guide.  It  is  not 
only  beneficial  in  the  case  already  noticed, 
but  also  wherever  there  is  an  excessive 
shooting  pain  in  the  eyes:  and  Sir  Hans 
particularly  mentions  the  case  of  a lady 
who,  for  this  disorder,  had  taken  about 
fifty  drops  of  laudanum  thrice  in  twenty- 
four  hours;  but,  that  she,  as  well  as  many 
others,  had  been  relieved  by  this  medicine, 
without  the  use  of  any  opiate. 

Gmnan  Birdlime,  and  Method  of  rising  it. 

In  Germany,  to  save  the  extreme  trou- 
ble attendant  on  making  birdlime  with 
misletoe,  which  requires  such  excessive 
washing;  and  is,  indeed,  difficult  to  collect 
in  any  considerable  quantity,  though  for- 
merly alone  used  there  for  this  purpose. 


they  now  universally  prepare  it  in  the  fol- 
lowing easy  and  unexpensive  manner — 
Pour  a quart  of  linseed  oil  into  a new  pip- 
kin large  enough  to  contain  about  double 
the  quantity,  and  set  it  on  the  fire  to  boil. 
On  it’s  boiling,  take  the  pipkin  immediately 
off,  and  set  the  oil  on  fire  with  a match. 
The  oil,  at  first,  blazes  with  a blue  flame; 
but,  by  degrees,  it  burns  quite  clear.  In 
this  state,  let  it  continue  to  burn  from  an 
hour  and  a half  to  two  hours,  when  it  will 
be  about  half  consumed.  Dip,  in  the 
meanwhile,  from  time  to  time,  a piece  of 
lath,  or  other  wood,  in  the  burning  oil; 
and,  leaving  it  a little  to  cool,  try  it’s  state 
of  tenacity  or  stickiness,  with  the  fingers, 
to  see  how  it  draws  in  threads.  When  it 
has  at  last  become  sufficiently  viscous, 
close  the  pipkin  with  a cover,  tying  a cloth 
round  to  keep  it  fast;  and,  the  flame  being 
extinguished,  put  the  birdlime,  when  cold, 
in  pots.  For  the  purpose  of  using  it, 
cut  twigs  of  birch,  either  from  the  tree  or 
a common  birch  broom;  and,  putting  some 
of  this  birdlime  in  a piece  of  oil-cloth,  roll 
up  in  it  the  twigs,  turning  them  well  about 
that  they  may  get  thoroughly  limed : then 
lay  them  by,  to  be  at  any  time  in  readiness 
for  catching  birds.  These  limed  twigs  are 
generally  thus  used — Stick  a long  stake  in 
the  ground ; and,  with  a knife,  cut  small 
slivers  as  far  as  the  first  stroke  of  so  many 
notches,  nearly  the  whole  length  of  the 
stake;  bending  down  the  parts  or  slivers 
cut,  so  as  to  render  them  capable  of  each 
receiving  and  sustaining  the  unlimed  end 
of  one  of  the  twigs,  where  they  are  to  be 
placed  and  balanced  in  such  a manner  as 
to  remain  loose,  and  fall  easily  off  the 
ledge  or  sliver  on  which  they  are  thus 
stationed.  When,  therefore,  a bird,  how- 
ever small,  perches  on  one  of  these  twigs, 
4 M 


322 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


it  immediately  drops  to  the  ground,  and 
the  bird  falls  with  it.  The  moment  a bird 
is  thus  entangled,  it  must  be  immediately 
seized ; as,  in  attempting  to  free  itself  by 
the  use  of  it’s  beak,  the  deleterious  effect 
of  this  German  birdlime  would  otherwise 
soon  prove  fatal  to  the  bird.  On  this  ac- 
count, too,  any  feathers  which  this  bird- 
lime has  smeared  must  be  carefully  pluck- 
ed out,  or  the  same  ill  consequence  will 
result  from  it’s  endeavours  to  clean  itself. 
Though  this  be  the  common  way  of  using 
birdlime  in  Germany,  it  is,  as  in  other 
countries,  occasionally  made  use  of  after  a 
great  variety  of  other  methods;  according 
to  the  fancy  of  the  respective  birdcatchers, 
and  the  local  situations,  or  the  different 
habits,  &c.  of  the  particular  species  of  birds 
sought  for  on  the  occasion. 

Art  of  discovering  whether  any  Brandy  has 
been  mixed  in  Wine. 

If  any  suspicion  arises  with  regard 
to  wine’s  artificial  strength,  the  presence 
of  brandy  may  be  ascertained  by  putting 
the  wine  in  a water  bath,  till  it  approaches 
the  temperature  of  from  two  hundred  to 
two  hundred  and  five  degrees  of  Fahren- 
heit’s thermometer;  when  the  contained 
brandy  will  get  over,  while  the  wine’s  own 
individual  spirit  remains:  for,  no  wine 
gives  out  it’s  spirit  at  a less  heat  than  boil- 
ing water  raised  to  two  hundred  and  twelve 
degrees. 

Genuine  Receipts  for  'preparing  Ward’s 
celebrated  Pill  and  Drop , §c. 

THE  very  large  fortune,  and  great  cele- 
brity, acquired  by  Mr.  Ward,  commonly 
called  Dr.  Ward,  by  the  administration  of 
a few  valuable  medicines  which  still  bear 
his  name,  will  not  fail  to  render  the  receipts 


for  preparing  them  highly  acceptable.  As 
his  celebrated  pill  and  drop  were  the  two 
first  articles  on  which  his  fame  was  found- 
ed, we  shall  begin  with  detailing  the  parti- 
culars of  their  preparation,  with  every 
other  necessary  information  respecting 
them,  from  the  account  published  by  the 
late  John  Page,  Esq.  of  Watergate  House, 
near  Chichester,  Sussex,  in  1763:  when 
this  gentleman,  to  whom  Mr.  Ward,  of 
Whitehall,  London,  had  in  his  last  illness 
bequeathed  his  book  of  medical  secrets, 
not  only  published  all  the  receipts,  for 
what  he  emphatically  called  “ the  noblest 
of  all  purposes,  the  common  good  of  man- 
kind;” but,  also, in  the  most  liberal  manner, 
directed  any  profit  arising  from  the  sale  of 
all  Mr.  Ward’s  medicines,  to  those  two  ex- 
cellent charitable  institutions,  the  Asylum 
for  the  Support  of  Female  Orphans,  and 
the  Magdalen  for  the  Protection  of  Peni- 
tent Prostitutes.  The  preparation  of  Ward’s 
pill  and  drop,  as  these  medicines  are  deno- 
minated, is  as  follows — Take  Ward’s  glass 
of  antimony,  prepared  as  will  hereafter  be 
directed;  and,  after  pounding  it  in  a clean 
iron  mortar,  sift  it  through  a fine  lawn 
sdeve,  and  grind  or  levigate  it,  on  a smooth 
marble  stone,  to  an  impalpable  powder; 
take,  also,  dragon’s  blood,  dried  and  pow- 
dered. To  four  ounces  of  this  levigated 
glass  of  antimony,  put  an  ounce  of  the 
dragon’s  blood:  grind  them  very  u'ell  to- 
gether; and,  with  good  sack  or  rich  moun- 
tain wine,  make  them  into  a mass  for  pills 
of  about  a grain  and  a half  each,  w hich  is  a 
full  dose  for  a man  or  woman.  The  drop, 
as.it  is  singularly  named,  is  made  by  put- 
ting about  half  an  ounce  of  Ward’s  levi- 
gated glass  of  antimony  into  a quart  of  the 
richest  Malaga  mountain,  or  sack;  shaking 
them  W' ell  together,  and  letting  them  stand 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


323 


two  or  three  days  to  settle  and  grow  clear: 
then  pour  it  off  gently,  that  it  may  be  quite 
fine.  The  full  dose,  half  an  ounce,  is  for 
a man  or  woman:  but  it  will  be  best  to  be- 
gin with  the  half,  or  two-thirds;  according 
to  age,  or  the  strength  of  constitution. 
This  pill,  generally  denominated  Ward’s 
red  pill,  is  to  be  bruised,  and  taken  on  an 
empty  stomach,  in  any  small  liquid.  It  some- 
times works  upward,  and  sometimes  down- 
ward, according  to  the  nature  and  seat  of  the 
disorder.  It  is,  in  such  cases,  proper  to  drink 
a small  quantity  of  balm  or  sage  tea,  &c. 
after  each  motion:  and,  if  it  prove  sudorific, 
the  party  should  be  kept  warm,  and  have 
the  perspiration  encouraged  by  drink- 
ing the  same  or  other  diluting  liquors. 
Milk,  fruit,  and  vegetables  in  general, should 
be  avoided  on  the  day  of  taking  this  pill. 
It  has  been  administered  with  great  success 
in  cases  where  the  stomach  and  bowels 
are  foul ; where  the  passages  are  obstructed ; 
and,  particularly,  in  inveterate  rheumatic 
disorders.  The  drop,  commonly  called 
Ward’s  emetic  or  sack  drop,  though  not 
with  strict  propriety,  yet  probably  with 
some  reserved  reason,  is  found,  as  a vomit, 
to  cleanse  the  stomach  more  effectually 
than  those  usually  given,  without  occasion- 
ing any  uncommon  violence.  When  sick- 
ness comes  on,  about  half  a pint  of  warm 
water  or  thin  water  gruel  should  be  drank; 
the  same  quantity  being  repeated  every 
time  it  operates,  which  is  seldom  more  than 
six  times.  This  has  been  also  commonly 
given  in  disorders  occasioned  by  foulness 
of  the  stomach,  and  indigestion;  and, 
though  it  generally  acts  as  an  emetic,  it 
proves  sometimes,  like  the  pill,  a cathar- 
tic also.  Both  medicines  make  the  patient 
sick,  very  much  like  sea  sickness,  for  a short 
time  belore  the  discharge  upward ; if  the 


stomach  be  loaded  with  a great  quantity  of 
very  foul  matter,  but  not  otherwise.  It 
seems  to  be  the  nature  of  antimony,  when 
thus  prepared,  to  work  safely  on  vicious 
humours  in  the  body;  to  carry  them  off', 
by  proper  channels;  and,  in  some  degree, 
if  not  totally,  to  remove  obstructions, 
wherever  it  meets  with  them:  but,  if  it 
neither  meets  with  obstructions  to  remove, 
nor  bad  humours  to  work  on,  it  quietly 
passes  through  the  body,  without  giving 
it  the  smallest  disturbance.  For  these  rea- 
sons, both  the  pill  and  drop,  particularly 
the  former,  have  frequently  cured  persons 
of  complaints  very  different  in  their  nature, 
by  as  different  though  proper  operations  for 
the  respective  purposes.  There  are  few 
medicines  which  will  so  well  bear  change 
of  climate,  with  the  damps  and  closeness  of 
a ship  in  long  voyages,  as  these  pills;  and 
there  are,  perhaps,  still  fewer  remedies  appli- 
cable to  so  many  disorders,  which  are  also 
equally  safe,  powerful,  and  cheap. 

Ward's  Art  of  preparing  Glass  of  Antimony , 
for  his  Pill  and  Drop. 

The  manner  of  preparing  glass  of  anti- 
mony for  Ward’s  celebrated  pill  and  drop, 
forms  an  interesting  article  in  chemistry, 
most  of  the  glass  of  antimony  used  in  this 
kingdom  being  prepared  abroad  by  an 
erroneous  process,  and  probably  not  with 
pure  antimony.  The  following  is  the  true 
method — Procure  some  of  the  finest  and 
purest  crude  antimony;  that  which  ap- 
pears in  long  shining  needles,  and  is  the 
easiest  powdered,  being  considered  the 
best,  as  most  tree  from  metallic  and  other 
heterogenous  bodies:  when  this  has  been 
tolerably  well  pounded,  place  on  the  naked 
lire  an  earthen  unglazed  pan  or  pipkin, 
which,  will  hold  three  or  four  quarts,  and 


324 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


put  into  it  ten  or  twelve  ounces  of  the  pul-  I 
vcrized  antimony;  stirring  it  continually 
with  an  iron  spatula,  am!  increasing  the 
fire  till  it.  sends  forth  white  fumes  and  a 
flame  like  burning  brimstone.  Continue  I 
that  degree  of  fire,  as  well  as  the  stirring,  ! 
till  it  no  longer  burns  or  fumes,  but  is  be- 
come a grey  or  ash-coloured  powder.  If 
it  should  melt,  and  run  into  lumps,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  operation,  it  must  be 
taken  out,  again  pounded,  then  returned, 
and  again  stirred  as  before  till  it  be  tho- 
roughly calcined.  Four  ounces  more  of 
the  crude  antimony  is  now  to  be  added; 
proceeding  as  before,  and  continuing  to 
repeat  the  process  till  a sufficient  quantity 
has  been  prepared.  By  this  mode,  the  anti- 
mony is  calcined  with  much  less  labour  and 
time  than  in  the  usual  way  of  doing  the 
whole  together;  for,  by  putting  the  crude 
antimony  to  that  which  is  already  calcined, 
it’s  melting  will  be  prevented,  and  the 
fumes  fly  off  much  sooner.  These  fumes, 
even  thus  lessened,  would  be  injurious  to 
the  operator,  if  the  business  were  not  done 
in  an  open  chimney.  In  a clean  crucible, 
holding  about  a quart,  next  put  about  two 
pounds  of  the  calcined  antimony;  and,  set- 
ting it  in  a melting  furnace,  make  a gra- 
dual fire  beneath.  Put  coals  nearly  to  the 
top  of  the  crucible;  and  keep  it  in  a mode- 
rate fusion,  sometimes  stirring  it  about 
with  an  iron  rod.  Care  must  be  taken,  that 
the  fire  be  not  too  violent  while  the  matter  is 
in  fusion;  or  it  will  liquify  it  to  such  a de- 
gree, and  render  it  so  subtle,  that  it  will 
all  run  through  the  pores  of  the  crucible 
into  the  ash-hole,  not  leaving  a single  drop 
or  grain  behind.  When  the  matter  which 
adheres  to  the  rod  is  found  to  be  transpa- 
rent and  bright,  which  will  happen  about 
half  an  hour  after  it  is  in  fusion  if  a pro- 


per degree  of  fire  has  been  kept  up,  pour 
the  vitrified  matter  on  a smooth  piece  ot 
marble,  previously  well  dried,  and  heated 
as  hot  as  the  hand  can  possibly  bear,  lest 
the  hot  matter  should  break  it;  round  this 
marble,  an  iron  curb  should  also  be  fixed, 
rising  half  or  three  quarters  of  an  inch 
above  it’s  surface,  to  prevent  the  matter 
from  running  off.  If  more  calcined  matter 
be  left,  put  the  crucible  again  into  the  fire, 
and  proceed  as  before  till  the  whole  be  vi- 
trified and  poured  in  like  manner  on  the 
marble.  If  the  crucible  be  good,  and  the 
fire  moderately  governed,  the  same  cruci- 
ble may  be  used  five  or  six  times.  Thus 
will  be  produced  a fair  and  pure  glass  of 
antimony,  of  a light  red  colour.  It  is  to  be 
observed  that,  if  the  crucible  were  to  be  kept 
covered  during  the  time  of  it’s  fusion,  both 
the  vitrification  would  be  hindered,  and 
the  glass  made  less  pure,  by  preventing 
the  remaining  combustible  parts  of  the  an- 
timony from  flying  off.  Common  glass  of 
antimony,  as  sold  at  the  shops,  though 
reckoned  a very  rough  medicine,  is  pre- 
scribed in  dispensatories  from  two  to  eight 
grains.  It  differs,  however,  very  essentially, 
from  what  is  made  by  this  process:  be- 
ing a less  bright  red,  much  harder,  and 
more  harsh  and  gritty  in  the  pulverization 
and  levigation.  The  common  glass  of 
antimony,  too,  where  prescribed,  has  in 
general  been  only  powdered  and  sifted; 
which  does  not  reduce  it  to  a hundredth 
part  the  fineness  which  it  obtains  by  the  due 
levigation  directed  to  be  performed  in  the 
preparation  of  Ward’s  pill  and  drop.  It 
is  well  known  to  every  chemist,  that  se- 
veral rough  bodies  may  be  rendered  soft 
and  smooth  by  trituration;  and  that  even 
corrosive  mercury,  by  repeated  operations, 
is  so  changed  from  a violent  poison  to  a 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


325 


safe  medicine  as  to  be  frequently  prescribed 
for  children.  In  short,  the  pill  and  drop 
would  be  safe  and  very  efficacious  medi- 
cines, with  the  glass  of  antimony  thus  pre- 
pared, without  it’s  being  rendered  still  more 
soft  and  smooth,  as  it  undoubtedly  is  in 
the  pill,  by  the  grinding  and  incorporation 
of  the  vitrified  antimony  with  that  balsamic 
gum  the  dragon’s  blood.  In  fact,  glass 
of  antimony,  when  thus  prepared,  and 
given  in  proper  quantities,  will  often  prove 
a remedy  in  cases  which  might  baffle  the 
skill  of  the  ablest  physician. 

Ward’s  Genuine  White  Drop,  for  the 
Scurvy,  Sic. 

The  true  receipt  for  making  this  power- 
ful antiscorbutic  medicine  is  as  follows — Put 
any  quantity  of  aqua  fortis,  purposely  pre- 
pared in  the  manner  which  will  hereafter 
be  described,  into  a large  bolt-head,  with 
a long  neck,  but  not  above  a quarter  part 
full:  then,  to  sixteen  ounces  of  this  aqua 
fortis  in  the  bolt-head,  put  seven  ounces 
of  the  purest  and  finest  sal  ammoniac,  in 
which  there  is  not  the  least  acid  salt  or 
lime,  by  half  an  ounce  at  a time;  immedi- 
ately stopping  the  mouth  of  the  bolt-head 
till  the  fermentation  be  over,  but  leaving  a 
small  vent  to  prevent  the  wind  caused  by 
the  violent  fermentation  from  bursting  the 
glass.  When  all  the  sal  ammoniac  is  in,  let 
it  stand  two  or  three  hours,  till  the  fumes 
are  settled.  Put  it,  now,  into  a smaller 
bolt-head,  half  full,  and  set  it  in  a mode- 
rate sand  heat;  when  it  is  warm,  add  four 
ounces  of  the  finest  quicksilver  to  each 
pound  of  sixteen  ounces  of  the  solution, 
and  let  it  stand  in  that  heat  till  all  the  quick- 
silver be  dissolved.  A little  increase  the 
fire,  and  put  in  a small  quantity  more  of 
quicksilver;  thus  letting  it  dissolve,  by 


gentle  additions,  as  much  as  it  will.  When 
it  will  no  more  dissolve,  take  it  out  of  the 
bolt-head,  and  put  it  into  an  open  glass 
vessel,  or  a large  white  stone  bowl : Mr, 
White,  the  chemist  who  originally  prepared 
it,  usually  cut  off,  for  this  purpose,  a large 
glass  body  in  the  middle.  Set  it  in  a mode- 
rate sand  heat,  and  let  it  evaporate  till  a 
pellicle  or  skin  comes  over  the  top  of  it; 
then  take  it  from  the  fire,  and  let  it  stand 
in  a cool  place  to  congeal.  The  greatest 
care  must  here  be  taken,  not  to  have  the 
heat  too  great  during  the  evaporation,  or 
too  long  continued;  in  either  of  which 
cases,  it  would  coagulate,  and  mix  the  cor- 
rosive oil,  which  will  be  directed  to  be 
poured  off  after  it’s  congealment,  with  the 
fine  pure  salt,  and  entirely  spoil  the  medi- 
cine. After  the  preparation,  thus  carefully 
managed,  has  stood  a sufficient  time,  pour 
off  the  heavy  liquor,  or  oil,  which  still  re- 
mains uncongealed,  and  let  it  drain  till  no 
more  will  drop  from  it.  Put  the  remain- 
ing salt  into  a glass  body;  and,  to  every 
pound  of  sixteen  ounces,  put  three  pounds 
of  the  finest  rose  water,  stopping  the  moutlL 
of  the  body  by  tying  over  it  a piece  of 
doubled  brown  paper.  Lastly,  set  it  again 
in  the  sand  heat;  and  make  an  indifferently 
hot  fire,  till  all  the  salt  be  dissolved,  which 
it  usually  is  in  twenty-four  hours,  forming 
the  genuine  white  drop,  commonly  called 
Dr.  Ward’s  white  drop.  Of  this  medicine, 
two  drops  only  are  to  be  taken  by  a grown 
person,  in  a small  glass  of  water,  every 
morning  fasting,  or  at  night  on  going  to 
rest,  for  two  or  three  days  together;  then, 
omitting  it  for  the  same  number  of  days  as  it 
was  taken,  proceed  as  before  till  the  bottle, 
usually  containing  about  a third  part  of  an 
ounce,  be  finished.  The  white  drop  seldom 
operates  visibly;  except  that,  in  some  con- 
A N 


526 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


stitutions,  it  occasions  one  or  two  motions. 
In  fact,  though  a most  potent  medicine, 
it  is  rendered  so  extremely  mild  by  the  pe- 
culiar process  it  undergoes  in  it’s  prepara- 
tion, as  not  to  be  in  the  smallest  degree 
dangerous;  this  must  be  abundantly  mani- 
fest to  every  one  who  considers  that,  in 
the  prescribed  dose  of  two  drops,  usually 
the  largest  quantity  taken  in  twenty-four 
hours,  there  cannot,  in  fact,  be  quite  half 
a grain  of  mercury.  This  white  drop  is 
esteemed  a most  efficacious  remedy  in  all 
the  several  stages  of  scrophula,  even  where 
the  patients  have  been  supposed  to  derive 
their  disorders  from  the  parents.  “ These 
drops,”  says  Mr.  Page,  “ are,  perhaps, 
the  greatest  known  antiscorbutic,  and  best 
purifier  of  the  blood;  so  that  I cannot  help 
flattering  myself  with  a hope,  that  they 
v/ould  be  a great  preservative  against  that 
fatal  distemper  which  destroys,  everv  year, 
so  many  of  our  brave  seamen,  and  often 
occasions  national  losses  and  disappoint- 
ments in  the  most  important  undertakings. 
The  method  I would  propose  is,”  adds 
this  most  disinterested  and  generous  gen- 
tleman, “ that  they  would  be  given  to  the 
seamen,  under  proper  directions,  from  the 
time  of  their  sailing  on  long  voyages:  and 
I heartily  wish  some  experiments  of  this 
kind  may  be  made  of  them;  as  I am  per- 
suaded, that  they  may  be  tried  without  the 
least  hazard,  at  an  expence  too  trifling  to 
be  mentioned  as  any  objection.  If  they 
prove  successful,  and  answer  the  end  here- 
by proposed  and  hoped  for,  it  will  be  happy 
for  the  public;  for  the  valuable  individuals; 
and  for  me,  who  have  presumed  to  recom- 
mend the  experiment.”  Mr.  Page  hopes 
the  gentlemen  of  the  faculty  will  not  en- 
deavour to  discourage  the  taking  of  what 
will  cost  so  little  and  do  so  much  good. 


Process  for  mailing  excellent  Aqua  Fortis, 

‘particularly  suited  to  the  Composition  of 

Ward’s  White  Drop. 

That  very  ingenious  chemist,  Mr.  John 
White,  who  carried  on  the  great  vitriol 
works  at  Twickenham  for  Mr.  Ward,  and 
was  employed  by  him  in  other  chemical 
preparations,  observes,  in  his  attestations 
of  these  receipts  as  first  published  by  Mr. 
Page,  that  he  had  never  been  able  to  pro- 
cure any  aqua  fortis  proper  for  making 
the  white  drop,  but  what  he  made  himself. 
He  has,  therefore,  thus  set  down  a true  and 
full  process  for  making  it — Pound  and 
bruise  fourteen  pounds  of  the  cleanest  cop- 
peras into  a rough  powder:  then  dry  it, 
with  a very  gentle  heat;  spreading  it  thin 
till  it  becomes  a dry  and  subtle  powder, 
to  appearance  like  quick  lime,  only  much 
whiter.  Great  care  must  be  taken,  at  the 
beginning  of  the  drying,  that  the  heat  be 
very  moderate ; otherwise  it  will  melt, 
shut  up  the  pores  of  the  copperas,  and 
greatly  injure  the  future  operation.  When 
the  copperas  is  become  properly  dry  and 
subtle,  which  may  be  effected  in  about  six 
or  seven  days,  weigh  it  carefully,  and  take 
an  equal  quantity  of  good  and  clean  rough 
nitre,  or  saltpetre,  which  should  also  be 
tolerably  dry:  pound  the  nitre  and  dried 
copperas  together,  and  sift  them  through 
an  indifferently  fine  hair  sieve;  then  put 
them  into  a large  glass  retort,  coated  at  the 
bottom,  and  set  it  in  a sand  furnace.  Let 
not  the  retort  be  above  an  inch  from  the 
bottom  and  sides  of  tlie  sand  pan.  Fix  on 
a very  large  receiver,  and  lute  it;  but 
leave  a small  vent  hole  in  the  joint,  by  stick- 
ing in  the  point  of  a small  skewer,  to  let 
out  the  wind  which  will  issue  from  the  mat- 
ter at  the  first  making  of  the  fire;  by  draw- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


327 


mg  it  out,  and  putting  it  in,  as  there  may  be 
occasion,  to  prevent  the  retort  or  receiver’s 
bursting.  Make  a gentle  fire  for  the  first 
three  or  four  hours;  then  increase  it  gra- 
dually for  four  hours  longer,  till  the  iron 
pan  be  red  at  bottom.  Continue  the  fire 
for  about  thirty  hours,  then  let  it  out;  and, 
when  all  is  cool,  it  will  prove  a most  pow- 
erful aqua  fortis.  Put  it  into  a bottle,  and 
stop  it  close ; letting  it  stand  six  or  eight 
days,  the  longer  the  better,  to  digest  itself. 
Put  this  aqua  fortis  into  a glass  retort,  mak- 
ing it  about  half  or  two  thirds  full;  set  it 
in  a sand  heat,  and  fix  on  a not  very  large 
receiver.  Make  an  indifferent  fire,  till  all 
the  aqua  fortis  is  come  over  into  the  re- 
ceiver; leaving  behind  only  a brown  red- 
dish earth,  which  was  forced  over,  by  the 
violence  of  the  fire,  in  the  first  distillation. 
Thus  will  be  obtained  a most  strong  and 
pure  aqua  fortis. 

Ward’s  Sweating  Powders , for  the  Rheuma- 
tism, 8gc. 

It  seems  evident,  that  Mr.  Ward  relied 
greatly  on  sudorifics  for  the  cure  of  rheu- 
matism, and  all  other  painful  diseases  oc- 
casioned by  obstructed  perspiration;  a 
practice  which  is  highly  rational, ^with  due 
regard  to  the  subsequent  danger  of  taking- 
cold,  as  well  as  avoiding  any  unnecessary 
excess  of  this  salutary  evacuation.  That 
failure  of  a compleat  restoration  to  health, 
w hich  a very  little  want  of  prudent  cau- 
tion in  the  patient  and  attendants  must 
always  necessarily  occasion,  gave  rise,  it  is 
probable,  to  the  different  modifications  of 
these  sweating  powders,  which  are  of  two 
descriptions  ; as  well  as  to  a third  sudorific 
remedy,  named  Ward’s  liquid  sweat,  and 
which  will  also  be  hereafter  described.  But 
the  sweating  powders,  distinguished  by  the 


i adjuncts  number  one,  and  number  two, 
must  be  our  first  objects  of  regard.  They 
are  both  prepared  in  the  manner  about  to 
be  described.  Ward’s  sweating  powder 
number  one,  according  to  his  book  be- 
queathed to  Mr.  Page,  is  thus  prepared — 
“ Take  ipecacuanha,  liquorice,  and  opium, 
each  an  ounce.  Nitre,  and  vitriolated  tar- 
tar, each  four  ounces.  Fulminate.  Beat 
them  in  a mortar,  with  the  opium.  Sift 
through  a fine  sieve,  to  the  ipecacuanha 
and  liquorice.  Mix  well,  by  sifting.  The 
dose,  from  twenty  to  forty  grains.”  Mr. 
Wh  ite  observes,  on  this  receipt,  that  it  ap- 
pears, at  the  very  first  view,  Mr.  Ward 
must  have  made  a mistake,  in  ordering 
nitre  and  vitriolated  tartar  to  be  fulminated 
together,  as  vitriolated  tartar  will  not  fulmi- 
nate with  nitre;  he  apprehends,  therefore, 
that  the  manner  in  which  these  ingredients 
are  to  be  prepared  must  necessarily  be  as 
follows — Take  four  ounces  each  of  refined 
nitre  and  vitriolated  tartar;  and  rub  them 
together,  in  a mortar,  to  a powder,  Set  a 
crucible,  not  of  the  blue  sort,  in  the  fire; 
and,  when  it  begins  to  get  red,  put  in  about 
half  the  nitre  and  tartar,  stirring  it  together 
with  an  iron  rod : care  must,  however,  be 
taken,  to  avoid  the  red  fumes  which  will 
arise,  as  they  are  very  noxious.  When  the 
red  fumes  cease,  put  in  the  remainder  of 
the  matter;  stirring  it  as  before,  till  no 
more  fumes  arise.  Then  pour  it  out  into 
an  iron  mortar;  and,  when  cool,  put  to  it 
an  ounce  each  of  opium,  ipecacuanha,  and 
liquorice  powder:  and,  after  pounding 

them,  and  sifting  them  through  a fine  lawn 
sieve,  spread  the  mixed  powders  thin  on 
white  stone  dishes,  and  set  them  in  a cool 
place  for  about  twTo  days;  mixing  them 
well  together,  and  again  spreading  them, 
twice  a day.  Lastly,  dry  them  before  thf 


328 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


fire,  or  in  some  gentle  heat.  The  ipeca- 
cuanha must  not  be  of  the  tough  woody 
sort,  but  such  as  will  break  easily.  Mr. 
Page  says,  he  believes  this  receipt,  taken 
from  Mr.  Ward’s  book,  to  be  his  first  man- 
ner of  making  the  sweating  powder,  and 
what  lie  continued  to  give  some  years; 
for  that  gentleman  well  remembers  his 
saying  to  him,  when  he  once  mentioned 
what  sensations  he  had  experienced  dur- 
ing it’s  operation,  that  there  was  opium 
and  ipecacuanha  in  it.  The  sweating  pow- 
der number  two  is  thus  directed  to  be 
prepared — Take  common  tartar,  and  re- 
fined nitre,  each  one  pound  of  sixteen 
ounces;  and  fulminate  them  together  in  a 
crucible  or  iron  pot,  which  will  reduce 
them  to  about  fifteen  ounces.  Add, to  these, 
six  ounces  each  of  white  hellebore,  and 
iiq  uorice  powder;  with  five  ounces  of 
opium.  Powder  all  together,,  sift  them 
through  a fine  lawn  sieve,  and  spread  them 
thin  on  white  stone  dishes,  &c.  as  direc- 
ted for  the  sweating  powder  number  one. 
The  dose  of  this  powder  is  from  twenty- 
five  to  fifty  grains:  for  Mr.  Ward,  it  is  to 
be  observed,  advised  such  of  his  patients 
as  had  never  taken  any  of  his  sweats,  to 
begin  with  half  a paper  only,  containing 
the  full  dose;  and  to  increase  the  quantity, 
or  not,  according  to  it’s  operation,  or  the 
age  and  strength  of  the  patient.  These 
sweating  powders,  Mr.  Page  remarks,  from 
what  he  has  seen  and  felt,  are  in  his  opinion 
the  most  excellent  of  all  sweats  for  remov- 
ing rheumatic  and  other  pains  occasioned 
by  obstructions.  They  generally  raise  plen- 
tiful perspirations:  the  patient  drinking, 
now  and  then,  something  warm;  such  as 
white  wine  whey,  balm,  tea,  & c.  They  do 
not  fatigue  the  body,  nor  exhaustthe  spirits. 
Instead  of  being  restless,  as  is  commonly 


the  case  in  a sweat,  all  those  who  can  bear 
opiates  find  themselves  comfortably  at  ease 
during  the  sweat:  those  with  whom  opiates 
do  not  perfectly  agree,  need  not  be  afraid 
of  the  first  of  these  sweats,  or  the  powder 
number  one;  “for,”  says  Mr.  Page,  “though 
I cannot  bear  even  Venice  treacle,  or  dia- 
codium,  on  account  of  their  narcotic  qua- 
lity, yet  I have  taken  these  powders  with- 
out finding  that  inconvenience.  This,  I 
am  told,  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  correct- 
ing ingredients,  and  the  manner  of  prepar- 
ing and  compounding  them.  I have  seen 
one  of  these  sweats  restorealimb  rendered 
almost  useless  by  a paralytic  disorder; 
and,  in  rheumatic  cases,  cures  performed 
where  the  use  of  all  the  limbs  had  been 
quite  taken  away.  Mr.  Ward  always  ad- 
vised those  -who  took  these  and  all  other 
sweats,  to  put  themselves  rather  between 
blankets  than  sheets;  which  I have  expe- 
rienced to  be  the  most  agreeable  way,  not- 
withstanding a little  prejudice  against  try- 
ing the  experiment.  I am  of  opinion  that 
Mr.  Ward  had,  in  some  degree,  departed 
from  his  first  manner  of  making  these  pow- 
ders, and  made  them  according  to  the  lat- 
ter receipt.”  The  first  powder,  or  number 
one,  however,  Mr.  Page  seems  to  think 
most  proper  for  those  who  do  not  find 
opiates  agree  with  them,  as  was  his  own 
case;  and  the  latter,  or  number  two,  for 
such  as  they  do  agree  w ith.  Both  sorts  of 
these  powders  are  to  be  taken  in  any  1h 
quid,  on  going  to  bed:  beginning  with 
half  the  respectively  prescribed  dose;  and, 
if  it  fail  to  raise  a proper  sweat,  taking 
three  quarters,  or  the  whole  dose,  next 
night.  The  sweating  is  to  be  encouraged, 
by  lying  as  still  as  possible,  and  keeping 
warm.  The  doses  may  be  repeated  every 
night,  at  discretion,  for  as  long  a time  as 


329 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


shall  seem  necessary,  or  as  they  agree  with 
the  constitution.  In  some  very  stubborn 
rheumatic  cases,  and  other  long  settled 
pains  in  the  limbs,  the  red  pill,  Mr.  Page 
says,  has  been  found  to  answer  better  than 
even  these  powders. 

Ward's  famous  Paste  for  the  Fistula,  Piles,  fyc. 

The  genuine  receipt  for  making  this 
paste,  commonly  called  Ward’s  fistula 
paste,  is  thus  described  and  attested  by 
Mr.  D’Osterman;  another  ingenious  che- 
mist, who  was  for  several  years  consulted 
and  employed  by  Mr.  Ward,  and  wholly 
prepared  several  of  his  medicines — Take 
a pound  of  elecampane  root,  three  pounds 
of  fennel  seeds,  and  one  pound  of  black 
pepper;  pound  these  articles  separately, 
and  sift  them  through  a fine  sieve.  Melt 
together  two  pounds  each  of  best  moist  or 
Lisbon  sugar,  and  fine  unadulterated  ho- 
ney, over  a gentle  fire;  scumming  it  con- 
tinually, till  it  becomes  as  bright  as  amber. 
When  cool,  mix  and  knead  it  with  the  pow- 
der, so  as  to  form  a soft  paste.  This  paste, 
which  has  been  found  a specific  remedy 
for  the  fistula,  piles,  &c.  is  to  be  taken  in 
doses  the  size  of  a nutmeg,  every  morning, 
noon,  and  night;  drinking,  after  each,  a 
glass  of  water,  white  wine,  or  wine  and 
water.  The  receipt  for  making  this  paste 
stands  somewhat  dilferent  in  Mr.  Ward’s 
book:  double  the  quantity  of  elecampane 
being  there  directed  to  be  used;  and  clari- 
fied honey  alone,  instead  of  honey  and 
sugar  clarified  together.  Mr.  Page,  there- 
fore, supposes  that  Mr.  Ward,  when  he 
entered  his  receipt,  mistook  the  quantity 
of  elecampane:  being  assured,  and  con- 
vinced, that  Mr.  D’Osterman  always  pre- 
pared this  paste  for  him  in  the  manner  he 
/sold  it,  and  that  he  never  sold  any  but 


of  Mr.  D’Osterman’s  preparing,  as  it  was 
an  article  that  he  had  not  used  many  years. 
Mr.  D’Osterman  also  affirms,  that  he 
never  put  a greater  quantity  of  elecam- 
pane iuto  the  paste  than  is  mentioned  in 
this  receipt;  and  that  the  addition  of  the 
sugar  was  made  in  order  to  preserve  the 
paste  from  turning  mouldy,  as  it  is  other- 
wise apt  to  do.  Mr.  Page  gives  the  fol- 
lowing remarkable  instance  of  the  won- 
derful efficacy  of  this  paste  for  that  dread- 
ful complaint  a fistula — “ It  is  not  above 
twelve  years,  since  Mr.  Ward  first  made 
use  of  this  fistula  paste;  and  it  has  hap- 
pened, that  only  one  of  my  acquaintance 
has  been  afflicted  with  this  terrible  com- 
plaint. He  was  under  sentence  for  cut- 
ting; and  would  have  been  cut,  had  not  a 
sudden  and  severe  frost  hindered  the  opera- 
tion. The  gentleman,  in  the  meantime, 
hearing  that  I had  spoken  of  Mr.  Ward’s 
paste,  which  cured  many  of  this  distemper 
even  when  the  operation  had  failed,  sent 
to  enquire  of  me  if  what  he  had  heard 
was  true,  and  whether  I thought  he  had 
any  chance  of  being  relieved  by  Mr.  Ward, 
without  undergoing  so  painful  an  opera- 
tion, at  a time  when  he  had  a hectic  fever, 
and  was  on  the  whole  very  ill.  Hav- 
ing a confidence  in  what  I had  heard  of 
the  cures  made  by  Mr.  Ward,  with  this 
paste;  I dispatched  the  gentleman’s  ser- 
vant to  London,  with  a letter  to  Mr.  Ward, 
and  the  gentleman’s  case  drawn  up  in  writ- 
ing by  his  surgeon.  Mr.  Ward  sent  down 
a pound  ball  of  this  paste;  directing  him  to 
take  the  size  of  a nutmeg  two  or  three 
times  a day.  He  did  so:  and,  in  less  than 
three  weeks,  his  feverish  disorder  left  him; 
his  appetite  returned;  and,  in  about  three 
months,  he  was  perfectly  cured  of  his  fis- 
tula, without  any  visible  operation,  or  tak- 
4 O 


330 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ing  any  other  medicine,  to  the  great  sur- 
prise of  his  surgeon.  However,  Mr.  Ward 
ordered  him  to  take  another  ball,  to  con- 
firm the  cure  j which  he  did,  at  proper  in- 
tervals, and  has  had  no  return  of  his  disor- 
der, that  I have  heard  of,  though  some 
years  have  passed,  and  the  gentleman  lives 
within  a few  miles  of  my  house  in  the 
country." 

Ward’s  Celebrated  Liquid  Sweat. 

This  was  also  a very  popular  medicine, 
entirely  prepared  by  Mr.  D’Osterman  in 
the  following  manner  — Put  a gallon  of 
good  spirit  of  wine,  and  a gallon  of  good 
white  wine,  into  a strong  bottle;  add- 
ing half  a pound  of  good  saffron,  four 
ounces  of  good  cinnamon,  two  ounces  of 
salt  of  tartar,  and  one  ounce  of  good  opium 
cut  into  small  bits.  Stop  the  bottle  close, 
and  set  it  within  the  air  of  the  fire  for 
eight  days,  shaking  the  bottle  three  or  four 
times  every  day ; then,  filter  it  through  fil- 
tering paper.  The  dose  is  from  thirty  to 
sixty  drops,  in  a glass  of  good  white  wine. 
This  liquid  sweat  was  found  to  answer, 
with  some  particular  constitutions,  and  in 
certain  cases,  particularly  for  removing 
pains,  even  better  than  either  of  the  sweat- 
ing powders.  The  patient  must  lie  be- 
tween the  blankets,  and  encourage  the 
sweat  by  now  and  then  drinking  some 
warm  whey  or  herb  tea,  &c.  taking  care 
not  to  catch  cold  by  going  out  too  soon 
afterward.  This,  indeed,  ought  to  be  a 
general  rule  after  sudorifics  of  all  descrip- 
tions. 

Ward’s  Famous  Dropsy  Purging  Powder . 

The  receipt  for  this  famous  powder,  as 
it  stands  in  the  book  bequeathed  to  Mr. 
Page,  is  thus  described — Take  four 


ounces  each  of  jalap,  cream  of  tartar,  and 
Florentine  iris;  make  them  into  a fine 
powder,  separately,  and  mix  them  well." 
Mr.  Page,  however,  was  assured  by  Mr. 
D’Osterman,  that  the  powder  which  Mr. 
Ward  gave  with  such  great  success  in  drop- 
sical cases,  particularly  of  late  years,  was 
prepared  by  him  in  the  following  man- 
ner— Take  a pound  of  jalap  in  powder,  a 
pound  of  cream  of  tartar,  and  an  ounce  of 
Armenian  bole  in  fine  powder.  Mix  them 
well  together.  The  dose  is  from  thirty  to 
forty  grains,  in  broth  or  warm  beer,  two 
or  three  days  together,  or  oftener  if  neces- 
sary. This  must  be  repeated  at  proper 
intervals,  as  the  case  may  require.  This 
remedy  seldom  fails  in  the  watery  or 
windy  dropsy,  provided  the  patient  has 
not  been  tapped.  As  Mr.  Page  was  also 
informed,  by  a person  skilful  in  pharmacy, 
that  the  latter  is  the  softer  and  smoother 
medicine,  he  candidly  acknowledged  that 
he  made  no  scruple  of  giving  it  the  pre- 
ference. “ I have  heard,"  says  this  gen- 
tleman, “ so  much  of  Mr.  Ward’s  success 
in  this  distemper,  and  of  the  efficacy  of 
these  powders,  that  I have  not  the  smallest 
doubt  of  their  merit." 

Weird’s  Essence  for  the  Head  Ache , and  other 
violent  Pains. 

Though  Mr.  Ward  performed  many 
cures  with  this  essence,  he  never  sold  any ; 
and  Mr.  Page  says,  he  refused  to  give  any 
of  it  even  to  him,  though  he  once  cured 
him  with  it  of  the  head-ache.  He  after- 
ward told  Mr.  Page,  that  he  had  entirely 
removed  a pain  long  settled  in  the  upper 
joint  of  his  late  majesty,  George  the  Se- 
cond’s thumb,  when  many  other  remedies 
had  been  tried  without  effect,  in  the  same 
manner  as  he  cured  Mr,  Page’s  head-ache. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


331 


The  receipt  for  making  this  essence,  ns  it 
stands  in  Mr.  Ward’s  book,  is  as  follows — 
“ Spirit  of  wine,  four  ounces;  camphor, 
two  ounces;  volatile  spirit  of  camphor, 
two  ounces.  Mix  well,  and  apply  with 
the  hand.”  Mr.  Page,  however,  being  as- 
sured by  Mr.  D’Osterman,  that  the  essence 
long  used  by  Mr.  Ward  to  remove  pains 
in  the  head,  side,  &c.  by  outward  applica- 
tion, was  prepared  and  delivered  by  him, 
from  time  to  time,  to  Mr.  Ward,  at  a cer- 
tain price,  gives  the  preference  to  what  is 
thus  described  and  attested  by  Mr.  D’Os- 
terman— Put  two  pounds  of  true  French 
spirit  of  wine  into  a large  strong  bottle; 
and  add  two  ounces  of  roche  all  urn  in  very 
fine  powder,  four  ounces  of  camphor  cut 
very  small,  half  an  ounce  of  essence  of  le- 
mon, and  four  ounces  of  the  strongest  vola- 
tile spirit  of  sal  ammoniac.  Stop  the  bot- 
tle quite  close,  and  shake  it  three  or  four 
times  a day  for  five  or  six  days.  The  me- 
thod of  using  it  is,  to  rub  the  hand  with  a 
little  of  it,  and  hold  it  hard  on  the  part  af- 
fected till  it  be  quite  dry.  If  the  pain  be 
not  quite  relieved,  repeat  it  twice  or  three 
times.  This  essence,  plentifully  applied 
as  above  directed,  will  very  often  remove 
local  pains  of  almost  all  descriptions.  Mr. 
Page  says  that,  though  there  are  a great 
many  more  receipts,  of  various  kinds,  in 
Dr.  Ward’s  book,  he  has  thought  it  best 
to  confine  himself  to  such  as  are  justly 
esteemed  the  principal,  the  most  effica- 
cious, most  known,  and  best  understood; 
all  of  which  we  have  here  faithfully  given 
in  succession,  and  doubt  not  that  they  will 
be  generally  considered  as  some  of  the 
most  valuable  medicinal  preparations  in  our 
whole  collection.  The  Asylum  and  Mag- 
dalen charities  have  them  prepared  for  sale 
at  a very  moderate  price. 


German  Furniture  Gloss,  or  Polishing  Wax 
for  Mahogany,  $c. 

Cut  in  small  pieces  a quarter  of  a pound 
of  yellow  wax;  and,  melting  it  in  a pip- 
kin, add  an  ounce  of  well  pounded  colo- 
phony, which  is  a black  resin  or  turpentine 
boiled  in  water  and  afterward  dried.  The 
wax  and  colophony  being  both  melted, 
pour  in,  by  degrees,  quite  warm,  two 
ounces  of  oil  or  spirit  of  turpentine.  When 
the  whole  is  thoroughly  mixed,  pour  it  into 
a tin  or  earthen  pot,  and  keep  it  covered 
for  use.  The  method  of  applying  it  to  the 
furniture,  which  must  be  first  well  dusted 
and  cleaned,  is  by  spreading  a little  of 
thiscomposition  on  a pieceof  woollen  cloth, 
and  well  rubbing  the  wood  with  it;  and, 
in  a few  days,  the  gloss  will  be  as  firm 
and  fast  as  varnish. 

Excellent  Apple  and  other  Fruit  Fritters. 

Pare  about  a dozen  of  the  finest  apples; 
and,  cutting  them  into  thick  slices,  without 
any  of  the  core,  soak  them  for  two  or  three 
hours  in  good  mountain  or  raisin  wine, 
or  brandy  and  orange-flower  water,  with 
a little  sugar,  and  some  lemon  peel.  Then 
make  a batter,  with  about  three  ounces  of 
sifted  flour,  a gill  of  cream  or  new  milk, 
the  wine  and  sugar  from  the  apples,  and 
four  eggs.  When  the  whole  of  the  batter 
is  well  beaten  up  together,  put  in  the  slices 
of  apple;  and,  melting  some  fine  lard,  or 
fresh  butter,  in  a stewpan,  take  the  pieces 
out  singly  with  a fork,  fry  them  till  they 
are  of  a fine  light  brown  colour,  put  them 
on  the  back  of  a sieve  to  drain  away  the 
fat,  and  dish  them  up  when  dry  with  sifted 
loaf  sugar.  They  are  sometimes  glazed, 
by  holding  over  them  a hot  salamander  till 
the  sugar  be  melted.  A little  pounded 


332 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


cinnamon,  with  or  without  powdered  loaf 
sugar,  may  be  served  up  with  the  fritters 
on  a separate  plate,  or  in  a cup  or  bason. 
They  may  be  garnished  with  slices  of  Se- 
ville orange.  Peach,  apricot,  pear,  and 
even  orange  fritters,  are  made  in  a similar 
way;  halving,  instead  of  slicing,  these 
fruits  in  general,  as  may  also  be  done  with 
the  apples  if  they  are  not  very  large,  and 
dividing  the  oranges  into  quarters,  previ- 
ously to  dipping  them  in  the  batter.  Frit- 
ters are  likewise  readily  made  with  the 
respective  jams  or  marmalades  of  the  dif- 
ferent fruits;  by  enveloping  small  pieces 
in  the  batter,  and  frying  them  after  the 
same  manner  as  the  slices  of  apples,  &c. 
To  be  glazed  with  fine  sugar  and  a sala- 
mander. 

Elegant  Dish,  called  a Charlotte. 

This  curious  article,  which  seems  to 
have  been  named  in  compliment  to  her 
present  majesty.  Queen  Charlotte,  is  thus 
directed  to  be  prepared — Line  a well  but- 
tered mould  with  thin  slices  of  fine  French 
or  English  bread  about  five  inches  wide, 
and  in  length  the  depth  of  the  mould, 
dipped  in  warm  clarified  butter.  Place  one 
piece  of  the  bread  half  over  the  other; 
put  another  piece  at  the  bottom  of  the 
mould,  cut  to  it’s  exact  size,  and  dipped 
in  the  same  manner;  and  brush  all  well 
over  with  egg,  when  properly  fitted  in, 
that  it  may  adhere  compactly  together 
after  being  baked.  Fill  up  the  mould  with 
a marmalade  of  apples:  made  by  boiling 
them  in  a little  water  with  cinnamon,  cloves, 
and  lemon-peel;  rubbing  them  through  a 
hair  sieve;  putting  the  pulp  in  a small 
preserving  pan,  sufficiently  sweetened  with 
powdered  loaf  sugar,  to  boil  about  ten 
minutes,  carefully  stirred  all  the  time  that 


it  may  not  stick  to  the  bottom.  If  too 
flat,  by  keeping  or  otherwise,  sharpen 
it  with  a little  lemon  juice.  The  mould 
being  filled  up  with  this  marmalade,  cover 
it  in  with  tart  paste;  bake  it  for  three 
quarters  of  an  hour,  in  a slow  oven;  and, 
turning  it  out  of  the  mould,  send  it  to  table 
in  a suitable  dish. 

French  Mutton  and  Veal  Pics  d la  Perigord. 

These  famous  pies  are  thus  made — Take 
a quarter  of  a peck  of  flour,  a pound  and 
a quarter  of  butter,  and  about  an  ounce 
of  salt ; cut  the  butter  into  bits,  and  mix 
it  well  with  the  flour,  adding  water  at 
discretion.  Knead  it  into  a good  paste, 
and  let  it  remain  turn  hours  and  a half 
before  using  it,  that  it  may  have  time  to 
rise.  In  the  mean  time,  having  cut  a 
loin  of  mutton  into  chops,  leaving  only 
the  bone  which  marks  each  chop,  or  par- 
boiled the  brisket  part  of  a breast  of  veal, 
which  parboiling  constitutes  the  sole  dif- 
ference in  preparing  these  two  sorts  of  pies, 
cover  the  bottom  of  the  dish  with  paste 
about  the  thickness  of  a crown  piece,  and 
arrange  on  it  the  pieces  of  mutton  or  veal, 
with  salt,  pepper,  mixed  spices,  and  peeled 
truffles,  placed  between.  Cover  them  with 
slices  of  bacon,  spread  over  the  whole 
butter  about  the  thickness  of  half-a-crown, 
and  close  up  the  pie  with  a sheet  of  the 
same  paste  as  the  bottom.  Then,  beat  up 
the  white  of  an  egg;  and,  with  a feather 
or  small  brush,  glaze  the  outside.  Set  it 
in  the  oven,  for  at  least  two  hours ; and, 
when  baked,  raise  the  upper  crust,  take 
out  the  bacon,  skim  off  the  fat,  pour  into 
i the  pie  a good  cullis  mixed  with  a glass  of 
, white  wine,  replace  the  top,  and  serve  up 
the  mutton  or  veal  Perigord  pie.  All 
| sorts  of  pies  may  be  made  in  a similar 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


333 


manner,  with  rabbits,  hares,  woodcocks, 
and  wild  fowl,  &c.  in  general:  cutting  up 
the  rabbits,  and  breaking  their  bones ; 
boning  the  hares,  and  using  only  the  mej! 
for  the  pie,  the  bones  being  made  into  a civet ; 
and  quartering  woodcocks,  and  putting 
their  minced  entrails,  with  some  bacon  also 
minced,  at  the  bottom  of  the  pie.  If,  in- 
stead of  cullis,  a good  ragout  of  veal  sweet- 
breads and  mushrooms,  or  a ragout  of 
truffles  cut  in  bits,  be  put  in  after  taking 
off  the  fat,  the  pie  will  eat  still  better. 
When  served  up,  squeeze  in  the  juice  of  a 
Seville  orange.  The  ragouts  may  be  thus 
made — Stir  a little  flour  and  butter  in  a 
stewpan  over  the  fire,  till  it  be  of  a fine 
cinnamon  colour;  moisten  it  with  a gill  of 
white  wine,  in  some  soup  meagre  or  warm  i 
water;  adding  mushrooms,  a bunch  of 
parsley,  sweet  herbs,  pepper,  spices,  and  j 
a little  salt.  When  the  whole  has  boiled 
half  an  hour,  skim  it;  and  introduce  the 
parboiled  sweetbreads,  or  the  truffles  cut 
in  hits.  Let  them  stew  till  enough  done, 
and  then  put  the  ragout  into  the  pie.  A 
clove  of  garlic  may  be  boiled  with  the 
herbs  and  spices,  where  that  flavour  is  not 
disrelished.  The  famous  Perigord  pies, 
imported  from  France,  are  always  made  of  j 
game,  and  chiefly  of  partridges,  in  stand- 
ing crusts. 

Salmis  in  General , v&ith  the  Genuine  Receipt 
for  the  Celebrated  Bernarcline  Salmi. 

In  British  cookery,  we  find  the  salmi 
confined  almost  wholly  to  woodcocks; 
though,  in  fact,  this  method  of  preparation 
is  equally  applicable  to  nearly  every  spe- 
cies of  game,  and  may  be  adopted  with 
advantage  for  several  other  articles.  A 
almi  may  be  defined,  generally,  as  a sort 
of  highly  seasoned  ragout  of  any  under- 


done game,  poultry,  &c.  of  one  descrip- 
tion; somew  hat  in  the  same  manner  as  a 
medley  or  mixture  of  different  sorts  of 
provisions  in  a single  ragout,  likewise 

highly  seasoned,  is  denominated  a salmi- 

• 

gondi.  In  a more  limited  and  refined  sense, 
a salmi  is  to  be  considered  as  a dish  pre- 
pared at  table,  over  a lamp  of  spirits,  by  an 
amateur  artist,  with  whatever  partially 
dressed  viand,  generally  game,  may  be 
selected  for  the  purpose.  A common  salmi 
is  prepared  as  follows,  in  the  kitchen — Cut 
the  flesh,  of  whatever  kind,  into  neat  pieces, 
and  put  them  in  a stewpan.  Then  pound- 
ing the  trimmings,  with  any  stuffing,  &c. 
in  a marble  mortar,  put  them  into  another 
stewpan  with  some  cullis,  stock,  or  gravy, 
a few  shallots,  and  a little  red  wine.  Boil 
them  half  an  hour;  strain  the  liquor  off,  to 
a passing  of  flour  and  butter;  squeeze  in 
lemon  or  Seville  orange  juice,  with  pepper 
and  salt,  to  palate;  let  the  ingredients 
boil  ten  minutes;  and,  straining  the  liquid 
to  the  pieces  of  salmi  in  the  first  stewpan, 
let  it  stew  gently  by  the  side  of  the  stove, 
but  not  boil,  till  sufficiently  done.  It  is 
generally  served  up,  in  France,  garnished 
with  crusts  of  fried  bread ; but,  in  England, 
with  sippets  of  fried  bread  strewed  over 
the  salmi,  which  is  sent  to  table  in.  a hot 
deep  dish.  After  this  manner  may  be 
dressed  all  sorts  of  game,  wild  fowl,  poul- 
try, and  even  larks;  as  well  as  veal,  lamb, 
&c.  pounding  the  heads,  pinions,  &e.  of 
small  birds,  to  assist  the  flavour  of  the  salmi. 
Having  thus  described  salmis  in  general, 
with  the  best  common  process  for  prepar- 
ing them,  we  shall  now,  from  the  celebrated. 
Almanack  des  Gourmands,  translate  the 
very  curious  receipt  for  preparing  a salmi 
of  the  highest  order,  called  in  Paris  tha 
Bernardme  Salmi.  This  choice  receipt,; 
4 P 


FAMJ RY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


r t u 

K*t 

the  lively  editor  assures  us,  wag  given  to 
him  by  the  principal  of  an  abbey  of  Ber- 
nardines,  being  the  only  good  thing  of 
which  the  revolution  had  not  complcatly 
despoiled  him,  Having  formerly  announced, 
that  we  possessed  this  receipt,  and  that  wo 
reserved  the  knowledge  of  it  for  our  most 
intimate  friends j these  phrases  have  given 
rise  to  a vast  number  of  letters,  the  writers 
of  which,  though  perfect  strangers,  have 
not  been  at  all  sparing  either  of  protesta- 
tions, supplications,  or  cajoleries,  to  per- 
suade us  that  they  were  among  the  number 
of  our  very  best  friends;  and  thus  endea- 
voured to  obtain  of  us,  under  that  charac- 
ter, the  formula  of  the  Bernardine  salmi. 
We  have  hitherto  resisted  their  intreaties, 
and  not  communicated  to  any  one  this  in- 
comparable receipt,  However,  that  there 
may  be,  on  this  head,  no  jealousy;  and 
persuaded,  as  we  are,  that  the  author  of  a 
book  which  has  enjoyed  considerable  suc- 
cess, has  no  better  friend  than  the  public; 
we  have,  at  length,  resolved  no  longer  to 
detain  it  from  our  readers,  Happy,  if  those 
gourmands  who  may  profit  by  it’s  use, 
pay  some  tribute  of  gratitude  to  the  me- 
mory of  Don  Claudian,  Procurator  of  the 
abbey  of  Haute  Seille,  who  was  the  iriven- 
tor.  It  would,  indeed,  be  deceptive,  to 
arrange  this  salmi  in  the  list  of  those 
scientific  and  difficult  preparations  which 
appertain  to  consummate  artists  in  cookery, 
and  who  can  alone  form  culinary  combi- 
nations with  all  their  most  exalted  splendor; 
such  preparations,  indeed,  are  the  exclu- 
sive right  of  the  grand  masters  of  the  art. 
It  is  in  the  kitchen,  only,  that  they  ought 
to  receive  their  existence:  the  amateur 
should  commence  with  them  his  first  ac- 
quaintance on  the  table;  and,  even  there, 
touch  them  solely  with  the  tongue  and 


the  palate,  The  Bernardino  salmi  is  not 
announced  with  3uch  lofty  pretensions.  It 
is  one  of  those  amiable  and  facile  composi- 
tions, of  which  the  table  is  the  cradle: 
which  is  prepared  even  in  the  midst  of  the 
festival,  and  beneath  the  eye  of  the  com- 
pany; who  relish  it  the  better  for  having 
been  attentive  witnesses  of  the  whole  pro- 
cess, and  thus  all  feeling  individually  dis- 
posed to  regard  it  us  partly  their  own  per- 
formance. It  is,  in  general,  with  the  pro- 
ductions of  the  kitchen,  as  with  the  laws; 
we  must  not  see  how  they  are  made,  if 
we  would  wish  constantly  to  find  t hem  good. 
This  salmi,  on  the  contrary,  need  neither 
shun  the  sight,  nor  the  delicacy,  of  the 
beholders;  and  the  neatness  which  pre- 
sides over  it’s  preparation,  constitutes  by 
no  means  the  least  of  those  charms  which 
render  it  so  greatly  distinguished.  It  is 
alike  applicable  to  all  species  of  what  the 
| French  call  black  game,  and  of  cold  blood  ; 
whether  from  the  plains,  forests,  fens,  or 
mountains.  This  sufficiently  indicates, 
that  we  may  introduce  the  melancholy  hare, 
the  partridge,  wild  or  domesticated  geese, 
ducks  vagrant  or  civilised — in  plain  En- 
glish, wild  or  tame — woodcocks  and  snipes, 
widgeons,  teals,  lapwings,  and  plovers; 
with,  in  general,  all  those  aquatic  birds 
which  nature  seems  to  have  rendered  am- 
phibious, only  to  afford  gourmands  double 
means  of  approaching  and  seizing  them. 
This  salmi,  which  received  it’s  birth  in  a 
country  abounding  with  woodcocks,  issued 
from  the  brain  of  the  procurator  of  an 
abbey  of  Bernardines,  renowned  for  the 
excellent  fare  with  which  they  regaled 
amateurs.  He  was  often  invited,  for  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  him  prepare  this  deli- 
cacy ; and,  though  he  operated  before  every 
body,  no  person  could  ever  arrive  at  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK 


33-5 


excellence  of  his  performance,  AH  the 
salmis  which  were  attempted  to  be  made 
in  the  same  manner,  were  only  frigid 
copies  of  an  excellent  original,  or  distorted 
counterfeits  of  a work  the  most  perfect  of 
it’s  kind.  This  respectable  Bernardine, 
the  memory  of  whom  will  to  us  ever  be 
precious,  conceived  a friendship  for  the 
author  of  this  work;  as  if  he  had  foreseen 
the  services  which  he  was  one  day  to  ren- 
der the  alimentary  art.  In  the  course  of 
this  amity,  he  was  pleased  to  impart  the 
means  of  enabling  him  to  operate  like  him- 
self; with  the  sole  condition,  that  he  should 
not  make  any  salmi  within  the  range  of 
twenty  leagues  from  the  Abbey  of  Haute 
Seille.  It  is,  then,  after  having  performed 
under  the  very  eye  of  Don  Claudian,  and 
guided  by  his  experienced  hand,  that  the 
author  has  succeeded  in  seizing  his  man- 
ner, so  as  to  have  even  rendered  him  jea- 
lous, if  it  were  possible  for  a true  gour- 
mand ever  to  be  so  of  any  thing  but  the 
progressive  perfection  of  his  art.  We  have 
said,  that  this  composition  is  applicable  to 
all  sorts  of  black  game;  let  us  here  take 
woodcocks  and  snipes  for  our  example:  it 
will  be  easy  to  apply  the  same  process  to 
other  birds;  and,  with  regard  to  propor- 
tions, they  must  be  regulated  by  the  num- 
ber and  size  of  the  pieces — Take  three 
woodcocks,  or  four  snipes,  roasted  on  a 
spit,  but  underdone.  Divide  them  accord- 
ing to  the  customary  rules  of  the  art  of 
carving;  then  cut  in  two  the  wings,  the 
legs,  the  breast,  and  the  rump:  put  the 
pieces,  as  they  are  thus  ready,  on  a plate. 
In  the  dish  on  which  they  were  cut  up, 
and  which  ought  to  be  of  silver,  bruise 
the  livers  and  entrails  of  the  birds  ; squeeze 
over  them  the  juice  of  four  lemons  quite 
clear,  and  the  yellow  rind  of  one  grated 


or  cut  very  small.  Arrange  the  parts  cut 
up  on  the  dish,  season  them  with  a little 
basket  salt,  and  with  all  the  richest  spices  in 
fine  powder;  or.  instead  of  these  spices} 
nicely  pounded  long  or  Cayenne  pepper 
j and  nutmeg:  adding  two  spoonfuls  of  the 
choicest  French  mustard,  prepared  with 
odorous  vinegar,  &c.  and  half  a glass  of 
white  wine.  Place  the  dish  over  a chaf- 
fing-dish  or  lamp  with  lighted  spirits,  and 
stir  the  whole  continually,  so  as  for  each 
morsel  to  be  penetrated  by  the  seasoning 
without  any  of  the  pieces  either  adhering 
to  each  other  or  to  the  dish.  The  greatest 
care  must  be  taken  to  prevent  it’s  ebulli- 
tion, or  boiling  ; but,  when  it  approaches 
that  height,  pour  over  it  a few  small  streams 
of  the  purest  virgin  oil:  then,  diminishing 
the  flame,  continue  stirring  for  a few  mo- 
ments ; take  off  the  dish ; and  immediately 
serve  it  round,  without  farther  ceremony, 
as  this  salmi  should  be  eaten  very  hot. 
It  is  absolutely  necessary  to  use  a fork  on 
the  occasion,  through  fear  of  devouring 
one’s  own  fingers,  if  they  should  have  hap- 
pened to  touch  the  sauce  ! After  this  true 
French  hyperbole,  which  we  have  faith- 
fully translated,  we  shall  only  add,  that  this 
singular  writer  strongly  recommends  an 
alliance  of  the  Bernadine  salmi,  hitherto 
confined  chiefly  to  what  the  French  call 
black  game,  with  the  family  of  turkey  polts ; 
from  which  union,  he  seems  persuaded,  it 
must  necessarily  acquire  new  glory. 

Real  German  Soar  Crout. 

Though  this  article  is,  in  England,  con* 
stantly  called  sour  crout,  the  genuine  Ger- 
man name,  sauer  kraut,  by  no  means  im- 
plies that  it  is  an  acid.  Sauer,  in  fact, 
signifies  salt;  and  kraut,  cabbage:  but, 
from  the  somewhat  similarity  of  sound,  the 


336 


FAMILY  11ECEIPT-BOOK. 


English  word  sour  has  been  adopted,  in- 
stead of  salt ; and,  what  is  of  still  more  im- 
portance, in  endeavouring  to  justify  this 
appellation,  the  article  is  here  rendered  | 
acid  as  well  as  the  name,  by  attempts  to 
make  it  with  vinegar,  which  in  Germany 
never  enters  the  composition.  It  would,  ; 
perhaps,  be  difficult  entirely  to  destroy  an  1 
error  so  deeply  rooted ; but,  surely,  we  ! 
may  be  permitted  to  suggest,  that  it  ought?  ! 
at  least,  to  be  called  saltcrout,  should  our  | 
refined  ears  happen  to  revolt  at  some  imagin-  j 
ed  vulgarity  of  sound  in  the  plain  literal 
translation  of  salted  cabbage.  In  the  mean 
time,  it  is  not  to  be  denied,  that  this  cab-„ 
bage  becomes  slightly  acidulated  by  the 
fermentation  which  it  experiences;  though 
insufficiently  so,  to  predominate  over  the 
saline  flavour  from  which  it  derives  it’s  j 
true  original  name.  The  genuine  method  j 
of  preparing,  in  Germany,  what  we  must, 
to  be  generally  understood,  still  errone-  1 
ously  call  sour,  crout,  has  never  yet  ap- 
peared in  any  English  book  whatever:  such 
compositions,  indeed,  as  even  our  best  j 
cooks  produce  under  this  name,  are  by  no 
means  likely  ever  to  arrive  at  any  degree  j 
of  popularity;  while,  in  Germany,  aj.no ng 
all  ranks,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest, 
it  is  as  constantly  at  table  as  potatoes  are  ' 
in  England,  and  considered  to  be  still  more  i 
wholesome.  When  the  soundest  and  largest  ; 
white  cabbages  are  in  season,  vast  quan-  I 
tities  are  prepared  by  private  families,  as 
well  as  dealers,  in  the  following  manner — 
Having  trimmed  and  cleaned  the  cabbages,  j 
they  are  halved,  or  quartered,  according  to  ; 
their  respective  magnitudes,  and  then  cut 
into  tire  finest  shreds  by  means  of-  an  in- 
strument constructed  for  tins  sole  purpose.  | 
This  consists  of  a sort  of  small  table,  in 
which  is  fixed  a sharp  iron,  like  that  of  a j 


carpenter’s  plane,  or  a cucumber  cutter, 
but  from  a foot  to  eighteen  inches  in  length ; 
confined  between  two  boards  about  four 
inches  high,  to  form  a sort  of  channel  for 
working  the  cabbage  over  the  edge  by 
which  it  is  shred.  The  operation  is  per- 
| formed  by  expeditiously  and  evenly  pass- 
! ing  the  flat  part  of  the  cabbage  along  the 
surface  of  the  table;  when,  being  pressed 
over  the  slicing  or  planing  iron,  the  shreds 
are  taken  off  as  thin  as  shavings,  and  not 
larger  than  a sort  of  flat  vermicelli.  In 
this  minuteness,  which  has  never  been  re- 
garded in  any  of  our  English  sour  crout, 
consists  in  a great  degree  the  delicacy  and 
excellence  of  the  article.  As  it  is  thus 
shred,  it  falls  into  a basket  placed  for  it’s 
reception  beneath  the  table;  and,  when 
done  by  an  ingenious  person,  with  both 
hands,  and  his  whole  strength  on  the  cab- 
bage, it  is  astonishing  what  prodigious 
quantities  are  thus  finely  shred  in  a very 
few  hours.  There  are,  in  fact,  during  the 
season,  persons  who  go  from  house  to 
house, carrying  their  machines  with  them  for, 
the  purpose  of  thus  shredding  cabbages  to 
make  the  annual  provisions  of  sour  crout. 
In  this  operation,  as  in  planing  wood,  &c. 
the  iron  may  be  adjusted  to  any  required 
thinness  of  the  shreds  or  shavings  cut. 
These  shreds  of  cabbage  are  strewed  even, 
at  the  bottom  of  a hogshead  or  barrel  with, 
the  head  off,  to  the  depth  of  about  three 
inches;  over  which, are  strewed  three  or  four 
handfuls  of  salt;  and,  then,  another  like 
la_)  er,  salted  in  the  same  manner,  till  the 
vessel  be  nearly  lull.  The  head  or  cover 
of  the  vessel,  for  it  is  never  fastened,  nor 
must  it  be  quite  large  enough  for  that  pur- 
pose, is  now  put  over  the  cabbage,  and  very 
heavy  weights,  or  stones,  are  placed  above, 
to  press  it  as  closely  as  possible  together. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


After  standing  for  about  a fortnight,  the 
mass  begins  to  ferment;  and,  as  soon  as  it 
subsides,  it  is  fit  for  immediate  use,  though 
the  better  for  being  a few  months  old. 
It  should  be  kept  constant! v covered,  and 
even  pressed ; and,  when  any  is  wanted 
for  use,  it  is  best  to  take  it  from  the  under 
part,  leaving  the  top  always  the  same.  In- 
deed, when  the  liquid  floating  at  top  be- 
comes gross  and  feculent,  it  should  be  ta- 
ken off;  and,  if  necessary,  have  more  salt 
added.  Where  wanted  for  exportation, 
or  sea  store,  the  casks  containing  it  must 
be  filled  up,  and  properly  closed;  when 
it  will  long  continue  good,  and  bear  any 
climate.  It  has,  in  fact,  been  found  of  con- 
siderable efficacy  as  an  antiscorbutic,  in 
long  sea  voyages;  particularly,  by  that 
celebrated  circumnavigator,  the  late  Cap- 
tain Cook,  in  his  voyages  round  the  world, 
and  deserves  to  be  more  generally  known 
in  this  country,  and  more  commonly  used 
in  our  navy.  In  so  damp  a climate  as 
Great  Britain,  too,  a foreign  medical  wri- 
ter remarks,  we  could  not  recommend  a 
more  antiseptic  and  wholesome  dish.  The 
above  plain  way  of  making  sour  crout, 
presents  it  without  any  peculiar  taste  which 
can  possibly  excite  disgust;  but,  when 
carraway  seeds,  wild  carrot  seeds,  or  even 
coriander  seeds,  juniper  berries,  &c.  are 
mixed  with  the  salt,  as  is  commonly  the 
case  in  Germany,  there  are  few  English 
palates  by  which  it  would  be  at  first  re- 
lished; more  especially,  with  carraway 
seeds.  Even  this  most  powerfully  repul- 
sive flavour,  however,  as  it  commonly 
proves  to  those  who  taste  it  for  the  first 
time,  like  caviar,  olives,  &c.  would  soon  be 
relished,  after  a fair  trial,  even  by  the  most 
delicate  persons  who  possess  a sufficient 
degree  of  reason  to  overcome  the  prejudices 


337 

of  custom.  Coriander  seeds  well  pounded 
and  sifted,  and  moderately  strewed  over  the 
different  layers,  give  a very  agreeable  fla- 
vour; or  a few  juniper  berries,  slightly 
bruised,  which  should  be  taken  from  the 
crout  when  it  is  wanted  for  use.  The  crout, 
indeed,  is  generally  well  washed  before 
being  boiled,  stewed,  fried,  &, c.  It  is,  in 
Germany,  eaten  with  almost  every  thing, 
like  our  most  common  vegetables:  but,  in 
England,  has  chiefly  been  served  up  not 
only  ill  prepared,  but  with  absurd  medleys 
of  salt  beef,  pickled  pork,  and  sausages, 
&c.  all  at  once;  so  as  to  suit  few  appetites, 
even  of  those  by  whom  it  might  be  well 
relished  with  either  article  singly. 

Brown  and  White  Vermicelli  Soups . 

Boil  two  ounces  of  vermicelli  in  three 
quarts  of  beef  or  veal  stock,  for  about 
twenty  minutes;  skimming  it,  and  season- 
ing to  palate:  this  will  be  sufficient  for  pre- 
paring the  common  brown  vermicelli  soup* 
White  vermicelli  soup,  however,  should 
be  made  in  the  following  manner — Blanch 
two  ounces  of  vermicelli,  in  the  usual  way, 
by  putting  it  over  the  fire  in  cold  w^ater: 
and,  on  it’s  boiling  up,  strain  it  off,  and 
throw  it  into  fresh  cold  water;  for,  were 
it  suffered  to  continue  draining  in  the  sieve 
while  hot,  it  would  become  lumpy,  and  not 
again  dissolve.  After  straining  it,  when 
quite  cold,  dry  from  the  water,  boil  it  in 
three  quarts  of  veal  stock,  or  broth,  for  a 
quarter  of  an  hour;  rub  it  through  a tam- 
my; season  it  to  palate;  and  make  a lea- 
son  of  four  eggs,  and  half  a pint  of  boiled 
cream  gradually  added,  with  or  without  a 
table-spoonful  of  bechamel.  Put  the  leason 
to  the  soup,  oft' the  fire,  stirring  it  all  the 
time : then  set  it  on  the  fire  again,  to  sim- 
mer for  five  minutes;  still  continually  stir- 
4 Q 


338 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ring  it,  as  the  eggs  would  otherwise  curdle. 
This  is  a most  delicate  and  excellent  ver* 
micelli  white  soup. 

Grand  Christmas  Pic. 

It  is  common,  in  many  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, and  particularly  in  Yorkshire,  Norfolk, 
and  other  counties  famous  for  game  and 
poultry,  to  make  enormous  pies,  many  of 
which  are  sent  annually  as  Christmas  pre- 
sents to  London  friends.  The  following 
method  of  making  one  of  these  pics,  on  a 
moderate  scale,  which  may,  of  course,  be 
augmented  or  even  diminished  at  pleasure, 
has  been  very  highly  extolled,  and  is  per- 
haps difficult  to  be  surpassed  — Having 
boned  a couple  of  turkeys  and  a couple  of 
geese,  and  well  rubbed  the  insides  of  each, 
with  beaten  long  pepper,  salt,  and  a little 
mixed  and  pounded  spice,  let  them  remain 
two  or  three  days  to  be  thoroughly  pene- 
trated with  the  seasoning.  Then  prepare 
a quantity  of  good  farce,  or  forcemeat,  with 
some  raw  but  peeled  truffles,  and  about  two 
pounds  of  fine  ham  which  has  been  braised 
at  least  an  hour  and  a half;  and,  drawing 
the  two  turkeys  one  within  the  other,  stuff 
some  of  the  farce  or  forcemeat,  with  a few 
of  the  truffles  and  all  the  ham,  into  the  mid- 
dle, and  tie  the  whole  up  in  whatever  shape 
best  pleases  the  fancy.  The  geese  are  to 
be  treated  exactly  in  the  same  manner, 
only  omitting  the  ham.  Where  any  hares, 
partridges,  pheasants,  &c.  are  introduced, 
they  must  be  boned,  and  stuffed  like  the 
geese.  Put  these  articles  in  such  a brais- 
ing pan  or  stewpan  as  will  barely  contain 
them,  the  better  to  preserve  their  respec- 
tive shapes,  with  not  more  than  a quart  of 
stock,  gravy,,  or  broth,  and  let  them  gently 
simmer  over  a slow  fire,  to  set.  This  will 
take  about  half  an  hour ; and,  while  they 


stand  to  cool,  if  the  pie  has  not  been  raised 
the  preceding  day,  which  is  the  advisable 
way  where  the  pie  is  large,  as  it  will  best 
stand  the  oven,  do  it  in  the  following  man- 
ner— To  two  quarts  of  water,  put  a quar- 
ter of  a pound  of  butter,  and  set  it  to  boil. 
Then  break  into  the  centre  of  the  flour 
four  eggs,  pour  in  the  melted  butter,  and 
stir  the  whole  together  with  a spoon  till 
the  eggs  and  butter  are  perfectly  mixed. 
Work  them  up  well  with  the  flour,  for  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  or  more,  till  it  becomes  a 
stiff  paste;  then  set  it  before  the  fire  for 
about  half  an  hour  to  sweat,  and  afterward 
form  or  raise  the  pie,  in  any  shape,  of  the 
size  required.  This  being  done,  and  the 
intended  contents  cold,  lay  cutlets  of  veal, 
or  beef  steaks,  at  the  bottom;  over  them, 
a layer  of  forcemeat;  and,  above  that,  the 
turkeys,  geese,  &e.  with  forcemeat  and 
raw  truffles  peeled  between  them,  as 
well  as  all  round  the  sides  of  the  pie; 
and,  on  the  top,  spread  sheets  of  bacon. 
Cover  the  pie  in  with  paste,  and  ornament 
it  in  a bold  stile,  as  very  minute  parts  do  not 
well  stand  the  long  continued  heat  which  is 
required  for  baking  such  a pie.  It  must  not 
be  baked  till  the  morning  after  it  is  made: 
and  then,  when  the  bread  is  drawn,  be  put 
into  the  oven,  and  suffered  to  remain  eight 
hours;  after  which,  it  will  take  a day  and  a 
night  more  to  get  sufficiently  cold.  Great 
caution  must  be  used,  in  drawing  it  from  the 
oven,  to  prevent  either  bursting  or  damag- 
ing the  pie,  or  spilling  any  of  the  fat  which 
rises  to  the  top ; as  this  fat,  by  soaking  into 
the  poultry  or  game,  renders  the  flesh 
so  deliciously  mellow.  Before  these  pies 
are  sent  to  table,  it  is  common  to  take  off 
the  sheets  of  bacon,  and  supply  their  place 
with  chopped  seasoned  jelly  or  aspect; 
but,  as  this  jelly,  if  long  kept,  is  apt  to  turn 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  339 


sour,  it  may  be  best,  where  pies  are  very 
large,  to  send  the  chopped  aspect  to  table 
in  a sauce  tureen.  Small  pies  of  this  sort 
should  never  go  to  table  without  having 
chopped  aspect  put  over  them.  All  cold 
pies  whatever,  of  game,  poultry,  or  meat, 
intended  for  keeping,  may  be  made  after 
a similar  manner:  this  being,  in  fact,  a 
sort  of  grand  English  Perigord  pie;  and, 
though  a common  present  for  Christmas, 
it  forms  an  acceptable  dish  during  every 
season  of  the  year. 

Curious  German  Method  of  making  Excellent 
Green  Tea  with  Strawberry  Leaves. 

This  native  tea,  a respectable  German 
writer  roundly  asserts,  far  surpasses  all 
others  for  it’s  fine  flavour  and  good  effect. 
The  best  strawberry  plants,  for  this  pur- 
pose, are  those  which  grow  w'ild  on  the 
loftiest  hills.  The  leaves  are  to  be  gather- 
ed, with  the  flowers,  in  the  spring,  while 
they  are  young;  and  only  the  smoothest 
and  cleanest  leaves  selected,  as  they 
are  never  by  any  means  to  be  washed. 
They  must  be  dried  in  the  air,  but  not 
in  the  sun,  as  drying  them  in  the  sun 
would  diminish  their  virtues.  To  these 
leaves,  the  Germans  give  the  appearance 
of  Chinese  tea:  by  first  pinching  their 
stalks  clean  off;  then  warming  the  leaves 
over  the  fire,  rolling  them  up  in  the  hand 
while  they  remain  flexible,  and  letting  them 
dry  thus  rolled.  When  the  leaves  are 
thoroughly  dried,  the  tea  is  fit  for  use;  and, 
on  being  made  exactly  in  the  same  manner 
as  China  green  tea,  it  is  scarcely  possible 
to  discover  the  difference.  It  is  perfectly 
green,  with  the  flavour  of  fine  hyson,  and 
possesses  all  it’s  best  qualities.  Of  it’s  supe- 
rior salubrity,  there  cannot  be  the  smallest 
doubt:  and  we,  therefore,  earnestly  recom- 


mend it  to  general  attention;  as  capable, 
perhaps,  of  being  rendered  an  article  of 
very  great  national  as  well  as  individual 
importance,  by  a proper  culture  of  that 
particular  variety  of  the  wild  strawberry 
which  may  in  England  be  found  best  suited 
to  this  purpose. 

Ragout  Powder. 

Most  frugal  housewives  will  at  once 
see  the  utility  of  keeping  this  useful  pow- 
der in  their  store,  that  it  may  be  constantly 
ready  for  ragouts,  and  all  brown  dishes 
and  sauces,  to  which  it  gives  a most 
agreeable  flavour.  It  is  much  made  on 
the  Continent,  in  the  following  manner; 
and  may  be  easily  altered,  on  the  same 
principle,  to  suit  particular  purposes  or 
palates — Take  four  ounces  of  truffles,  two 
ounces  each  of  mushrooms  and  roccam- 
bole,  an  ounce  and  a half  of  morels,  and 
the  thin  rinds  of  two  Seville  oranges. 
Dry  them  all  in  a warm,  but  not  too  hot, 
place;  and,  when  quite  dried,  finely  pow- 
der them  in  a mortar,  and  pass  the  whole 
through  a hair  sieve,  that  all  may  be  alike 
fine.  Add,  to  this  sifted  powder,  a quar- 
ter of  an  ounce  each  of  cloves  and  white 
or  long  pepper;  both  pounded  equally 
fine,  and  passed  through  the  same  sieve. 
Put  the  whole  in  a bottle;  and  keep  it  well 
corked,  that  it  may  not  lose  it’s  strength 
and  fragrance. 

Hydromel , Mead,  and  Metheglin. 

, There  seems  to  be  no  well  defined  dif- 
ference, in  our  dictionaries,  between  hy- 
dromel, mead,  and  metheglin ;■  simple  hy- 
dromel, however,  is  mere  water  and  houey, 
as  the  name  hydro,  water,  and  mel,  honey, 
imports;  mead  may  be  considered  as  a 
more  compound  and  vinous  liquor,  in  which 


340 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


water  and  honey,  herbs,  flowers,  and  spices, 
are  fermented  together,  with  a somewhat 
smaller  proportion  of  water  than  the 
hydromel;  and  metheglin,  a still  richer 
composition  than  mead,  though  formed  on 
the  same  principle.  Indeed,  med  and  methe, 
being  old  British  and  German  names  for 
mead;  and  glin,  or  glyn,  for  glue;  medy- 
glyn,  the  Welsh  word  for  metheglin,  evi- 
dently implies  it  to  be  more  glutinous,  or 
richer  with  honey,  than  the  med,  methe, 
or  mead.  These  excellent  liquors  are  but 
little  drank  in  the  metropolis;  though  they 
still  preserve  their  credit  in  many  parts  of 
Wales,  as  well  as  in  the  West  of  England, 
and  all  other  places  where  much  honey  is 
produced.  Almost  every  family,  however, 
has  a different  receipt  for  making  mead  or 
metheglin,  and  hydromel  is  now  scarcely 
ever  heard  of.  White  mead  or  metheglin, 
is  the  most  common;  but  it  is  of  different 
colours,  and  sometimes  red.  From  the 
numerous  collections,  in  our  possession, 
printed  and  manuscript,  a small  and  very 
curious  volume  might  be  made  of  such 
receipts  alone:  but  it  does  not  appear,  on 
comparing  the  respective  names  they  bear, 
that  there  is  the  distinction  which  there 
ought  to  be,  between  hydromels,  meads, 
and  metheglins,  with  regard  to  the  pro- 
portion of  honey;  as  we  find  that,  with 
very  few  exceptions,  a fourth  part,  or  one 
quart  of  honey,  to  a gallon  of  water,  or  as 
much  as  will  make  it  bear  an  egg,  is  equal- 
ly directed  to  be  used,  for  preparing  the 
hydromel,  the  mead,  and  the  metheglin. 
Even  the  celebrated  Sir  Kenelm  Digby, 
who  was  a great  lover  of  this  sort  of  drink, 
and  so  curious  in  his  researches  that  he 
made  a large  collection  of  the  choicest  and 
best  receipts,  calls  the  liquor  which  he  al- 
ways directed  to  be  prepared  for  his  own  use 


mead ; notwithstanding  he  is  one  of  the  very 
few  persons  w'ho  give  a still  larger  pro- 
portion of  honey,  or  full  one  third  instead 
of  a fourth  only.  After  all,  therefore,  we 
may,  at  present,  regard  mead  and  methe- 
glin, to  say  nothing  of  hydromel,  whatever 
might  possibly  be  the  ancient  proper  dis/ 
tinctions,  as  only  different  names  for  the 
same  thing,  w'hether  locally  or  otherwise 
occasioned.  Ihe  following  receipt  and 
directions  for  making  Sir  Kenelm  Digby’s 
mead  or  metheglin,  called  by  him  white 
mead,  will  afford  a good  general  idea  of 
these  liquors;  as  well  as  one  of  the  pro- 
bably best  particular  specimens  of  these  ho- 
ney wines,  when  they  were  deservedly  more 
generally  in  vogue — Boil  a sufficient  quan- 
tity of  spring  water  three  or  four  w'alms, 
let  it  settletwenty-fourhours,  and  then  pour 
off  sixteen  gallons  of  the  clear.  In  this 
water,  boil  ten  handfuls  of  eglantine  leaves, 
five  each  of  liverwort  and  scabious,  four 
each  of  balm  and  rosemary,  two  of  bay 
leaves,  one  each  of  thyme  and  sweet  mar- 
joram, and  five  of  eringo  roots  splitted, 
if  procurable.  When  the  water  has  drawn 
out  the  virtue  of  the  herbs,  which  it  will 
do  in  half  an  hour’s  boiling,  run  it  through 
a strainer  or  sieve,  and  let  it  so  settle  that 
the  clear  may  be  poured  from  the  dregs. 
To  every  three  gallons  of  the  clear,  take 
one  of  pure  honey;  and,  with  clean  arms- 
stripped  up,  lade  it  for  two  or  three  hours, 
to  dissolve  the  honey  in  the  w'ater.  Lade 
it  thus,  twice  or  thrice  that  day;  and,  the 
next,  boil  it  very  gently,  to  make  the  scum 
rise.  Skim  it  off,  as  it  rises;  now  and 
then  pouring  in  a ladleful  of  cold  water, 
which  will  make  the  scum  better  rise. 
When  it  is  very  clear,  boil  it  more  strong- 
ly, till  it  bear  an  egg  so  high  as  for  the 
breadth  of  a groat  to  be  out  of  the  liquor. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


341 


and  great  walms  appear  in  the  middle  of 
the  kettle  or  copper,  which  boiling-  with 
great  bubbles  in  the  middle  is  a sign  of 
it’s  being  boiled  to  it’s  height.  Then  let 
it  cool,  till  it  be  lukewarm;  at  which  time, 
put  into  it  some  ale  yeast,  to  make  it  work, 
in  the  same  manner  as  for  ale.  Put  it 
into  a fit  barrel,  first  seasoned  with  some 
good  sweet  white  wine;  and  keep  the 
bung  open,  till  it  has  done  working:  fill- 
ing it  up,  in  the  mean  time,  with  some  of 
the  reserved  honey  drink  warmed,  as  it 
sinks  down  by  working  over;  and,  when 
the  fermentation  has  almost  ceased,  fasten- 
ing a linen  bag,  by  a cord  at  the  bung, 
before  driving  it  close,  containing  two 
parts  sliced  ginger,  and  one  cinnamon, 
cloves,  and  nutmegs,  with  a pebble  or 
piece  of  polished  marble  to  make  it  sink. 
Cardamom  seeds  may  be  added  to  the 
spices;  and  some  exceedingly  like  mint 
added  to  the  herbs.  If  desired  stronger, 
put  but  two  "gallons  and  a half  of  water  to 
one  of  honey.  Any  herbs  or  roots  may 
be  used,  either  for  their  taste  or  virtue, 
after  the  manner  here  set  down.  Draw 
it  off  into  bottles  a fortnight  or  three  weeks 
after  it  has  done  working;  as,  when  worked 
with  yeast,  it  otherwise  soon  becomes  stale, 
and  will  thence  grow  sour  and  dead:  but,  if 
left  to  ferment  of  itself,  in  the  sun,  without 
any  admixture  of  leaven  or  yeast,  it  may 
be  kept  long  in  the  barrel,  provided  it  be 
constantly  filled  up  to  the  top  and  very 
closely  stopped.  “ I conceive,”  says  Hart- 
man, the  celebrated  chemist,  who  first 
published  this  receipt,  and  was  long  em- 
ployed by  Sir  Kenelm  Digby,  “ that  it 
will  be  exceedingly  good  thus — Having 
a strong  honey  liquor,  of  three  parts  wa- 
ter to  one  of  honey,  well  boiled  and  scum- 
med, put  into  it,  as  soon  as  taken  from  the 


fire,  a good  handful  or  two  of  clove  gil- 
liflowers,  first  wiped  and  all  the  whites 
clipped  off,  for  every  gallon  of  liquor.  Let 
these  infuse  thirty  or  forty  hours;  then 
strain  it  from  the  flowers,  and  either  work 
it  with  the  yeast,  or  set  it  in  the  sun  to 
ferment.  When  it  has  almost  done  work- 
ing, hang  in  it,  at  the  bung,  a bag  of  like 
gilliflovvers;  which,  if  duly  dried,  I think, 
are  the  better.  I conceive,  that  bitter 
and  strong  herbs,  as  rosemary,  bays,  sweet 
marjoram,  thyme,  and  the  like,  conserve 
mead  the  better  and  longer:  but  neither 
must  these,  nor  the  clove  gilli flowers,  be 
too  much  boiled,  for  the  volatile  pure  spirit 
flies  away  very  quickly;  therefore,  rather 
infuse  them.  Beware  of  infusing  gilli- 
flowers  in  any  vessel  of  metal,  except  silver, 
for  all  other  metals  will  spoil  and  deaden 
their  colour;  glazed  earth  is,  therefore, 
the  best.”  This  will  produce  a fine  red 
colour.  The  true  art  of  making  good  mead 
or  metheglin,  is  so  judiciously  to  select  and 
proportion  the  different  herbs  and  spices, 
as  to  have  no  one  predominating  flavour. 
There  are,  perhaps,  few  persons  who  do  not 
overcharge  it  with  their  chief  favourites; 
yet  such  is  it’s  agreeable  nature,  that  there 
is  hardly  a possibility  of  making  it  very  un- 
pleasant. Dr.  Shannon  calls  mead  and 
metheglin,  taking  them  conjunctively,  an 
ancient  vinous  liquor,  made  from  honey, 
of  great  celebrity  in  the  northern  parts  of 
Europe;  observing,  that  this  pure,  whole- 
some, nutritious  liquor,  has  never  been 
sufficiently  fermented,  nor  had  time  given 
it  to  deterge  and  ameliorate  itself  by  age, 
like  other  vinous  liquors.  None  of  the 
natural  sweets,  remarks  this  scientific  gen- 
tleman, so  much  require  the  assistance  of 
tartar,  as  honey.  Had  it  been  earlier  ap- 
plied to  the  making  mead  or  methegliu*. 

4 R 


342 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


this  liquor  would  better  have  maintained 
it’s  ground  against  the  juice  of  the  grape 
than  it  has  done;  nor  is  it  improbable,  that  ■ 
it  may  yet  raise  them  into  general  estima-  j 
tion.  The  Romans  mixed  metheglin,  both 
for  flavour  and  colour,  with  the  juices  of  j 
different  fruits;  particularly,  raspberries 
and  white  currants.  They  also  made  up, 
with  it,  their  eager  or  sour  wines,  and 
more  especially  their  red  wines,  of  a pure 
quality;  which  last  they  so  highly  im- 
proved, as  to  attract  the  powerful  pane- 
gyrics of  Virgil.  It’s  use  in  making  up 
wines,  is  not  unknown  to  modern  prac- 
tice; and  we  heartily  wish,  that  no  worse 
means  were'  ever  employed.  In  the  vari- 
ous old  British  receipts  for  making  mead 
and  metheglin,  are  to  be  found  almost 
every  description  of  flowers,  herbs,  and 
roots,  remarkable  for  fragrance  of  scent, 
pleasantness  of  taste,  or  medicinal  virtue; 
but,  scarcely  ever,  any  sort  of  fruit.  The 
following  receipt,  however,  founded  on 
the  still  more  ancient  practice  of  the  Ro- 
mans, combined  with  the  advantage  of 
modern  science,  and  partly  suggested  and 
recommended  by  Dr.  Shannon,  will  pro- 
duce, if  not  an  exact  mead  or  metheglin, 
a still  better  description  of  both  red  and 
white  wine,  built  on  the  same  basis. 

Admirable  Receipt  for  making  Red  and  White 

Mead  or  Metheglin  with  Raspberries  and 

Currants. 

For  every  gallon  of  wine  to  be  made,  take- 
one  pound  and  a half  of  honey,  half  an  ounce 
of  tartar,  or  Bologna  argol,  and  three  quar- 
ters of  a pound  of  fruit.  If,  for  white  wine, 
white  argol  should  be  used,  with  white  cur- 
rants ; and,  if  for  red  wine,  red  argol,  with  red 
currants  or  raspberries.  Prepare  the  honey, 
by  mixing  it  with  as  much  water  as  will, 


when  added  to  the  juice  of  the  fruit,  allow- 
ing for  diminution  by  boiling,  &c.  make  the 
proposed  quantity  of  wine.  This  being  well 
boiled  and  clarified,  infuse  in  it  a moderate 
quantity  of  rosemary  leaves,  lavender,  and 
sweetbrier;  and,  when  they  have  remained 
two  days,  strain  it  to  the  expressed  juice 
of  the  fruit,  put  in  the  dissolved  argol,  stir 
the  whole  well  together,  and  leave  it  to 
ferment.  In  two  or  three  days,  put  it  in  a 
seasoned  barrel;  keep  filling  it  up,  as  the 
liquor  flows  over;  and,  on  it’s  ceasing  to 
work,  sink  in  it  a muslin  bag  of  Seville 
orange  and  lemon  peel,  with  cinnamon, 
cloves,  and  nutmegs,  and  closely  bung  up 
the  cask.  If  kept  for  six  months,  or  more, 
in  the  wood,  and  at  least  nine  in  bottles, 
the  wine  will  be  truly  excellent,  whether 
red  or  white.  In  a similar  way,  may  be 
made  all  sorts  of  fruit  wines,  thus  substitut- 
ing honey  for  sugar. 

Lord  Holies’ s Hydromel. 

IN  four  parts  of  spring  water,  dissolve 
one  of  honey,  or  so  much  as  to  make  the 
liquor  bear  an  egg  buoyant  the  breadth 
of  a groat;  then  boil  it  very  well,  and  let 
all  the  scum  be  taken  away.  Put  in  a small 
quantity  of  sliced  ginger;  and,  when  it 
is  tunned,  hang  as  much  more  in  a bag 
from  the  bung:  not  enough,  in  all,  to  make 
the  liquor  taste  of  ginger,  but  merely  to 
quicken  it.  There  is  nothing  else  put  in: 
yet,  in  time,  this  hydromel  works  of  itself; 
and,  after  a year,  is  good  to  drink.  This 
old  receipt,  from  Sir  Kenelm  Digby’s  col- 
lection, may  serve  to  demonstrate  what 
has  been  asserted;  that  there  is,  in  fact, lit- 
tle or  no  essential  dillerence  made  between 
hydromel,  mead,  and  metheglin.  The  dear- 
ness of  honey,  in  England,  seems  to  have 
been  one  considerable  cause  of  bringing 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


343- 


these  admirable  vinous  liquors  into  disuse; 
and  the  comparative  cheapness  of  sugar 
will  powerfully  operate  to  prevent  their 
eompleat  revival,  notwithstanding  their 
very  peculiar  excellence. 

% 

Rich  Mead  or  Metheglin,  equal  to  Foreign 
W ine. 

The  following  modern  receipt  will  pro- 
duce a mead  or  metheglin  fully  equal  to 
most  of  the  richest  and  best  foreign  wines 
— Mix  well  the  whites  of  six  eggs  in  twelve 
gallons  of  water;  and,  to  this  mixture, 
when  it  has  boiled  half  an  hour,  and  been 
well  scummed,  add  thirty-six  pounds  of 
the  finest  honey,  with  two  dozen  rinds  of 
lemons.  Let  them  boil  together  some 
little  time;  and,  on  the  liquor’s  becoming 
sufficiently  cool,  work  it  with  a little  ale 
yeast.  Put  it,  with  the  lemon  peel,  into 
a seasoned  barrel,  which  must  be  filled  up, 
as  it  flows  over,  with  some  of  the  reserved 
liquor;  and,  when  the  hissing  ceases,  drive 
the  bung  close.  After  the  wine  has  stood 
five  or  six  months,  bottle  it  off  for  use. 
If  intended  to  be  kept  several  years,  put 
in  a pound  more  honey  for  every  gallon 
of  water.  This  will  produce  a most  lus- 
cious, rich,  strong,  and  salubrious  wine; 
possessing,  largely,  all  the  best  medicinal 
virtues  of  honey. 

German  Paste  for  Larks , Sgc. 

The  superior  dexterity  and  skill  of  the 
Germans,  in  taking,  breeding,  and  edu- 
cating song  birds,  is  sufficiently  known 
throughout  Europe.  The  passion  for  keep- 
ing birds  is,  indeed,  greater  in  Germany, 
than  any  other  part  of  the  world;  and  many 
of  the  towns,  and  even  cities,  resound  all 
night  long,  during  the  spring  and  summer 
months,  with  the  dulcet  notes  of  the  night- 


ingale. At  Vienna,  and  in  many  other 
places,  families  pay  the  bird  dealers  a cer- 
tain sum  for  the  season,  to  be  supplied  with 
their  favourite  singing  birds;  which  are 
daily  visited,  fed,  cleaned,  &c.  by  the  fur- 
nisher, and  taken  back  when  they  ce?iso- 
to  be  longer  in  song.  Even  thousands 
of  canary  birds,  &c.  bred  in  Germany, 
are  every  year  brought  over  to  England 
for  sale.  These  habits  serve  to  account 
for  the  extraordinary  perfection  at  which 
the  Germans  have  in  this  respect  arrived, 
notwithstanding  the  apparent  unfavour- 
ableness of  the  climate,  which  seems  more 
successfully  opposed  by  their  use  of  stoves 
than  by  our  chearful  open  fires.  To 
facilitate  their  labours,  they  have  greatly 
simplified  the  art;  and,  among  the  rest  of 
their  improvements,  by  a very  few  judi- 
cious combinations  of  food,  contrive  to 
supply  almost  every'  description  of  birds. 
The  following  paste,  though  commonly 
called,  in  England,  German  paste  for  larks, . 
is  suitable  to  most  other  birds — Incorpo- 
rate the  meal  of  beans,  of  chick  peas,  and 
common  nuts  blanched  and  pounded  like 
almonds,  with  clarified  honey,  over  a slow 
fire,  to  granulate  the  paste.  Pass  it  through 
a coarse  sieve;  after  which,  when  quite 
cold,  make  it  up  into  rolls,  keep  it  in  a 
place  neither  too  damp  nor  too  dry,  and . 
grate  it  as  it  is  wanted. 

Delicate  Paste  for  Nightingales. 

The  following  paste  for  nightingales, 
is  from  a genuine  receipt  of  the  celebrated 
Aldrovandus — Take  two  pounds  of  fine 
chick  pea  meal,  and  one  pound  of  the 
choicest  blanched  and  pounded  sweet  al- 
monds; and  mingle  the  whole,  over  a slow 
fire,  with  five  ounces  of  fresh  butter,  in  a 
well  tinned  saucepan.  When  the  butter  is 


344 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


melted,  add  the  yolks  of  two  eggs,  with  a 
little  saffron;  and,  continually  stirring  to- 
gether the  mass  with  a spoon,  throw  in, 
from  time  to  time,  a few  spoonfuls  of  clari- 
fied honey,  till  the  mixture  has  acquired  a 
proper  consistence.  After  it  is  sufficiently 
done,  and  has  stood  a little  to  cool,  pass 
it  through  a strainer,  or  colander,  the  holes 
of  which  are  just  big  enough  to  admit 
the  largest  seeds  of  millet.  This  paste 
is  to  be  kept  in  an  earthen  or  stone  jar 
covered  with  parchment,  in  a place  rather 
moist  than  dry;  and  if,  after  all,  it  should 
ever  become  too  hard,  it  must  be  soften- 
ed, before  giving  it  to  the  birds,  with  a 
little  clarified  honey. 

Easy  German  Method  of  preparing  a Univer- 
sal Food  for  both  Hard-Beaked  and  Soft- 

Beaked  Birds. 

For  this  curious  article,  which  consists 
of  two  valuable  receipts,  we  are  indebted 
to  a modern  German  naturalist,  the  cele- 
brated Mr.  Bechstein — cc  As  much,”  says 
this  ingenious  gentleman,  “ as  I have  ever 
been  adverse  to  all  recommendations  of 
universal  remedies,  I must  on  this  occasion 
myself  recommend,  as  what  I have  expe- 
rienced from  my  childhood,  not  only  one 
general  food  for  singing  birds,  but  more : 
for  there  are,  in  fact,  two  different  foods 
for  all  sorts  of  singing  birds,  which  I can 
recommend  as  equally  universal;  and  with 
which  all  my  birds  in  cages,  and  not 
those  only  which  are  kept  for  singing,  are 
preserved  in  the  most  perfect  health.  These 
compositions  do  not  merely  recommend 
themselves  for  cheapness  and  simplicity, 
though  on  those  accounts  valuable;  but, 
chiefly,  with  those  who  have  numerous 
birds,  for  the  prodigious  saving  of  time  in 
feeding  them.  The  first  of  these  universal 


foods  is  thus  prepared — Soak  a well  baked 
stale  French  roll,  or  brick,  in  cold  water, 
till  it  becomes  thoroughly  wet:  then 

squeeze  out  the  water,  crumble  the  bread, 
moisten  it  with  milk,  and  add  a little 
coarsely  ground  barley;  or,  if  wheat  be 
thus  broken,  somewhat  more  minute  than 
semolina,  it  is  still  better.  The  other  uni- 
versal food  is  made  thus — Take  a carrot, 
which  may  be  kept  fresh,  in  sand  at  the 
bottom  of  a cellar,  the  year  round;  and 
grate  it  on  a tin  grater,  which  must  always 
be  brushed  clean  directly  after  being  used. 
Then,  sopping  a French  roll,  and  straining 
out  the  water,  mix  both  with  two  handfuls 
of  the  above  barley  grits,  or  small  wheaten 
semolina,  and  rub  them  well  together  in  a 
marble  mortar.  On  these  foods,  there  is 
nothing  more  to  remark,  than  that  they 
must  be  fresh  made  every  morning;  as, 
otherwise,  the  first  would  soon  become  sour 
and  hurt  the  birds.  For  this  reason,  I have 
a long  trough,  the  length  of  half  the  cage, 
made  of  earthenware;  which  is  not  only 
easier  and  more  effectually  cleaned  than 
wood,  but  better  preserves  the  food  from 
immediately  turning  sour.  With  this 
food,”  adds  Mr.  Bechstein,  <f  my  birds, 
of  which  I have  constantly  from  thirty  to 
forty  flying  about  in  a room,  are  all  not 
only  healthy,  but  so  well  fed  as  to  evince 
no  perceptible  ill  effect  from  their  con- 
finement. Birds  of  all  sorts,  hard  beaked 
or  soft,  feed  freely  on  this  food;  and,  in 
my  room,  may  be  seen,  at  once,  finches, 
larks,  quails,  red-tails,  golden  wrens,  cana- 
ries, &e.  feeding  at  the  same  crib  or  man- 
ger.” For  occasional  dainties,  this  gentle- 
man sometimes  throws  them  a few  bruised 
hemp  seeds,  maw  seeds,  carrot  seeds, 
crumbs  of  bread,  or  ants  eggs;  but,  he  by 
no  means  considers  it  as  necessary. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


345 


Art  of  Silvering  Looking-Glasses. 

THOUGH  a looking-glass  be  regarded  as 
the  faithful  reflector  of  truth,  it  certainly 
presents  a fallacy  in  it’s  own  silvery  as- 
pect: being,  in  fact,  like  several  other 
articles  said  to  be  silvered,  prepared  with- 
out a single  particle  of  real  silver,  properly 
so  called;  unless  we  admit  that  mercury, 
being  generally  denominated  quicksilver, 
is  entitled  to  the  name  of  silver.  Pins, 
however,  are  said  to  be  silvered,  in  which 
there  is  not  even  any  quicksilver,  they  being 
merely  boiled  with  tin  filings  in  tartar;  and 
saddlers  and  harness  makers,  ^c.  generally 
cover  their  wares,  for  common  purposes, 
with  tin  onl}7,  which  is  also  called  silvering. 
The  true  art  of  silvering  looking-glasses  is 
as  follows — On  a smooth  stone  table,  sur- 
rounded by  a rim,  is  spread  smooth  blot- 
ting paper  to  somewhat  more  than  the 
size  of  the  glass,  strewed  over  with  finely 
levigated  pure  chalk,  covered  with  a leaf 
or  leaves  of  tin  foil,  thicker  or  thinner  ac- 
cording to  the  magnitude  of  the  glass. 
Where  there  is  occasion  for  more  than 
one  leaf  of  foil,  they  must  be  joined  with 
great  exactness,  the  edge  of  one  rather 
bearing  on  the  other  than  leaving  any 
deficiency.  On  the  tin  foil  is  poured,  at 
first,  a very  small  quantity  of  quicksilver; 
which  is  gently  brushed  about,  or  distri- 
buted, uniformly  over  the  whole,  with  a 
hare’s  foot,  a little  cotton,  or  the  feathered 
part  of  a quill,  till  the  entire  surface  of 
the  tin  appears  bright  by  amalgamation. 
The  quicksilver  has,  at  this  period,  cor- 
roded only  the  upper  surface  of  the  tin; 
but,  did  the  operation,  or  rather  process, 
here  cease,  the  texture  of  the  foil  would 
soon  be  compleatly  destroyed  by  a total 
combination.  A sheet  or  piece  of  paper. 


somewhat  larger  than  the  glass,  with  the 
edges  neatly  cut,  is  then  placed  on  one  of 
the  rims  of  the  table;  and,  over  this  paper, 
the  plate  of  glass  to  be  silvered:  which  is 
now  cautiously  slided  obliquelv  onward, 
till  so  compleatly  in  contact  with  the  quick- 
silver surface  as  not  only  to  prevent  the 
interposition  of  air  bubbles,  which  would 
be  the  consequence  of  any  perpendicular 
application,  but  in  a great  measure  to 
drive  before  it  all  the  dust  and  other  im- 
purities. When  the  whole  surface  of  the 
glass  is  thus  applied  to  the  quicksilver,  the 
paper  is  gently  removed  with  the  left  hand, 
while  the  right  presses  down  the  glass 
plate;  which  is  immediately  covered  with 
thick  paper  or  cloth,  and  has  aheavy  weight 
laid  on,  so  as  to  bring  it  into  close  contact 
with  the  amalgamated  tin  foil,  and  make 
it  adhere  closely  to  the  glass.  The  super- 
fluous quicksilver  is  then  poured  off,  and 
the  glass  suffered  to  remain  undisturbed 
till  the  silvering  be  sufficiently  dry,  as  it 
generally  is  in  a day  or  two;  the  quick- 
silver between  the  glass  and  the  tin  becom- 
ing, in  that  time,  gradually  absorbed  by 
the  latter,  and  forming  a hard  amalgam, 
or  metallic  paste,  not  very  easily  injured 
or  removed,  especially  when  defended  by 
the  manner  in  which  looking-glasses  are 
commonly  framed.  They  should  not,  how- 
ever, be  too  much  exposed  to  accidents, 
or  placed  against  damp  walls:  as  a moist 
situation  will  occasion  the  quicksilver  to 
lose  it’s  tenacity;  and,  in  a short  time, 
greatly  impair  the  beauty  of  the  glass. 
Where  those  looking-glasses  with  angular 
surfaces,  called  diamond-cut,  are  wanted 
to  be  silvered,  a border  of  the  figure  of  the 
glass  must  be  formed  on  the  table,  which 
may  be  effected  by  a movable  frame;  when, 
the  paper,  leaves  of  foil,  &c,  being  brought 
4 s 


34  6 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


over  this  border,  Hie  subsequent  proceed- 
ing may  be  the  same  as  has  already  been 
described.  Great  care  must  be  taken, 
however*,  that  the  glass  be  properly  let 
down  within  the  border;  so  as  to  bear 
every  where,  both  on  the  border  and  the 
surface  of  the  table. 

Method  of  Silvering  Glass  Mirrors  and  Globes. 

TlIESE  convex  and  concave  reflecting 
glasses,  which  magnify  and  diminish  the 
objects  they  represent,  as  well  as  the  hol- 
low glass  globes,  are  respectively  denomi- 
nated, when  silvered,  convex,  concave, 
or  hollow  mirrors.  The  two  former  are 
silvered  in  the  same  manner  as  looking- 
glasses  in  general;  only  that,  instead  of 
being  done  on  a flat  table,  moulds  of  plas- 
ter of  Paris  are  formed  for  the  purpose, 
suited  to  their  respective  forms:  but,  as  no 
pressure  can  be  given  to  the  hollow  globes, 
the  plates  of  tin  foil  are  incapable  of  being 
applied,  and  the  quicksilver  is  therefore 
rendered  of  a proper  consistence  by  amal- 
gamating it  with  some  of  the  other  metal- 
lic substances.  The  following  is  the  most 
approved  method  of  silvering  these  globes, 
or  hollow  mirrors — Take  four  parts,  by 
weight,  of  quicksilver,  two  of  bismuth,  and 
one  each  of  lead  and  pure  tin.  Melt  to- 
gether the  tin  and  lead ; and,  when  they 
are  fluid,  add  the  bismuth.  That  also 
being  melted,  take  the  whole  from  the 
fire,  and  stir  in  gradually  the  quicksilver, 
a little  at  a time,  till  all  be  united.  When 
the  mass  has  become  so  cool  as  not  to  en- 
danger it’s  breakingthe  glass,  pour  it  in  the 
globe  to  be  silvered,  by  means  of  a paper 
funnel  reaching  to  the  bottom;  and  move 
the  glass  gently  about,  so  that  the  amalga- 
mated matter  may  flow  over  and  adhere 
to  every  part.  This  will  effectually  silver 


I 


the  globe;  when  the  superfluous  amalgam 
is  to  be  poured  out,  and  the  globe  kept 
still  till  it  gets  perfectly  cool.  If,  during 
this  operation,  the  mixture  should  appear 
to  set  in  the  globe,  and  not  be  sufficiently 
liquid  to  flow  about  and  cohere  with  the 
glass,  a gentle  heat  will  remedy  the  defect; 
and,  on  the  contrary,  should  the  matter 
prove  too  fluid,  and  not  possess  sufficient 
tenacity  to  fix  itself  to  the  glass,  it  must 
be  taken  out,  and  receive  an  addition  of 
bismuth,  tin,  and  lead,  by  means  of  a pro- 
per heat.  The  appearance  of  these  globes 
is  sometimes  varied,  by  using  glass  of  dif- 
ferent colours;  such  as  yellow,  blue,  green, 
purple,  &c.  which,  however,  makes  no  sort 
of  difference  with  regard  to  the  method  of 
silvering  them. 


Process  for  Distilling  a superior  Pose  Water, 
as  practised  in  France,  Italy,  and  Germany. 

Take  twenty-four  pounds  of  the  freshest 
and  finest  roses,  gathered  before  sunrise, 
those  gathered  after  the  sun  has  risen  not 
possessing  nearly  so  much  freshness  and 
powerful  fragrance ; then,  having  plucked 
the  leaves  or  petals  from  their  calices  or 
cups,  put  them  in  a stone  mortar,  pound 
them  to  a paste,  and  place  it  in  a stone 
jar  or  unglazed  earthen  vessel  carefully 
covered.  Next,  dissolving  a pound  of  rock 
salt  in  two  gallons  and  a half  of  river  wa- 
ter, dilute  the  paste  in  this  brine,  and  leave 
the  mixture  to  digest  in  the  air,  if  the 
weather  be  sufficiently  warm,  or  in  any 
other  warm  situation.  Throw  the  whole 
on  a coarse  cloth;  and,  having  well  expres- 
sed all  the  liquid,  pour  it  into  an  alembic. 
Infuse  the  leaves  with  five  quarts  of  warm 
water,  and  keep  it  in  the  same  degree  of 
heat  for  five  or  six  hours;  and,  after  leav- 
ing it  gradually  to  cool,  press  out  the  li- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


347 


quor  as  before,  add  it  to  the  rest,  and  dis- 
til it  till  a gallon  of  rose  water  be  obtained. 
Then,  changing  the  recipient,  renew  the 
distillation,  and  continue  it  as  long  as  any 
odour  remains.  This  last  liquor  is  to  be 
set  aside,  and  carefully  kept  for  use  against 
the  next  time  of  distilling.  In  the  mean 
time,  to  a quarter  of  a pint  of  rectified 
spirit  of  wine,  put  four  drops  of  the  essence 
or  essential  oil  of  cedrati,  and  four  or  five 
drops  of  essence  of  amber;  and,  mixing 
it  with  the  gallon  of  liquor  obtained  by  the 
first  distillation,  distil  it  over  again,  stir 
it  well  about,  and  let  it  stand  six  months, 
when  it  will  be  found  a most  admirable 
rose  water. 

Art  of  Dressing  Flax  so  as  to  resemble  Silk. 

This  art  of  softening  flax,  so  as  to  make 
it  resemble  silk,  is  described  to  be  thus 
practised  in  Germany — Take  one  part 
lime,  and  between  two  and  three  parts 
wood  ashes ; pour  over  them  a due  pro- 
portion of  water  to  make  a strong  and 
sharp  ley  after  they  have  stood  together 
all  night,  which  must  be  poured  off  when 
quite  clear.  Tie  handfuls  of  flax  at  both 
ends,  to  prevent  it’s  entangling;  but  let 
the  middle  of  each  be  spread  as  open  as 
possible  in  a kettle,  on  the  bottom  of  which 
has  first  been  placed  a little  straw,  with 
a cloth  over  it.  Then  put  another  cloth 
over  the  flax;  and  so  continue  covering 
each  layer  of  flax  with  a cloth,  till  the 
kettle  be  nearly  full.  Pour  over  the  whole 
the  clear  ley;  and,  after  boiling  it  for  some 
hours,  take  it  out,  and  throw  it  in  cold  wa- 
ter. This  boiling,  &o.  may  be  repeated, 
if  judged  requisite.  The  flax  must  be  each 
time  dried,  hackled,  beaten,  and  rubbed 
fine;  and,  at  length,  first  dressed  through 
a large  comb,  and  then  through  a very 


fine  one.  By  this  process,  the  flax  ac- 
quires a beautifully  bright  and  soft  thread. 
The  tow  which  is  beaten  off,  when  papered 
up  and  combed  like  cotton,  is  not  only 
used  for  many  of  the  same  purposes,  but 
makes  an  excellent  lint  for  veterinary  sur- 
geons, &c. 

Excellent  Potatoe  Cheese,  as  made  in  Germany. 

Boil,  without  peeling,  some  of  the  larg- 
est and  best  potatoes,  till  they  are  soft  but 
have  not  burst  their  skins,  as  that  would 
diminish  their  strength.  When  cold,  peel 
them  very  cleanly,  and  beat  them  with  a 
large  wooden  pestle  till  the  whole  be  one 
uniformly  fine  and  smooth  mass.  This 
potatoe  paste,  with  only  the  addition  of 
some  milk  and  rennet,  the  same  as  for 
common  cheese,  may  be  made  into  potatoe 
cheeses,  of  various  qualities.  In  none,  how- 
ever, must  it  be  prepared  very  hot,  or 
made  too  rich  of  milk,  as  it  would  then 
heave  and  burst.  Put  in  a cheese  cowl 
about  five  pounds  of  potatoe  paste,  and 
only  one  pound  of  milk  with  rennet;  add- 
ing as  much  salt,  with  carraway  and  cum- 
min seeds,  as  is  thought  proper,  the  same 
as  for  common  cheese  in  Germany,  then 
knead  it  all  together.  Or,  take  four  parts 
of  potatoe  paste,  and  two  of  milk  and  ren- 
net; or  three  parts  of  the  first,  and  two  of 
the  latter.  The  first,  which  is  cheap  and 
good,  is  chiefly  intended  for  the  poor;  the 
second,  is  very  universally  relished;  and 
the  last,  is  suited  to  the  daintiest  palates. 
All  the  three  sorts  are  to  be  thoroughly 
kneaded,  and  covered  up;  and,  being  kept 
three  or  four  days  in  winter,  but  in  sum- 
mer only  two  or  three,  are  again  to  be  well 
kneaded  together,  filled  into  the  cheese 
baskets,  or  moulds,  and  left  to  drain  dry. 
Having  thus  remained  some  time,  accord- 


348 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ing  to  the  state  of  the  weather,  these  cheeses 
are  to  be  laid  on  a board,  and  left  to  dry 
gradually  in  a gentle  warmth;  but  not 
either  in  the  heat  of  the  sun  or  that  of  an 
oven,  which  would  be  apt  to  burst  them. 
If,  notwithstanding  every  precaution,  they 
should  happen  to  burst,  they  must  be 
sprinkled  with  beer,  or  have  a little  turned 
milk,  with  some  curd  or  cream  mixed,  put 
over  them,  and  then  be  well  dried.  When 
dry,  deposit  them  in  pans  or  barrels:  at 
the  bottom  of  which,  first  strew  some  green 
chickweed,  which  in  summer  grows  plen- 
tifully in  most  gardens;  then  put  on  a 
cheese,  cover  it  with  more  chickweed,  and 
then  another  cheese,  covered  in  the  same 
manner,  till  the  vessel  be  full.  They  should 
remain  thus  for  a fortnight  or  three  weeks; 
as,  the  older  they  are,  the  better  they  be- 
come. A potatoe  cheese  of  still  superior 
delicacy,  may  be  prepared  by  using  one 
part  only  of  potatoe  paste,  with  three  parts 
milk  and  rennet,  managed  like  the  former, 
and  left  three  or  four  days  in  the  moulds. 
It  will  then  form  a layer  the  thickness  of  a 
thumb,  in  the  cheese  basket  or  mould:  and 
on  it  must  be  strewed  some  pounded  car- 
rawav  seeds  mixed  with  beaten  mace,  and 
fresh  butter  the  size  of  a walnut  be  spread 
over  with  a spoon;  next,  another  cheese; 
and,  above  this,  the  same  ingredients  as 
before.  Tims  continuing,  layer  after  layer, 
till  the  basket  or  mould  be  full ; when  it 
must,  after  remaining  a sufficient  time,  ac- 
cording to  the  state  of  the  weather,  be  ta- 
ken out,  and  placed  on  a board  to  dry 
gradually,  &c.  in  the  same  manner  as  has 
already  been  directed.  When  this  cheese 
gets  old,  it  far  surpasses  the  best  Dutch 
cheese;  as  do  the  foregoing  potatoe  cheeses 
most  cneeses  of  the  common  kind.  They 
keep  good  for  years;  never  breed  worms; 


and  are,  indeed,  the  better  for  age,  while 
they  continue  to  be  kept  in  a dry  place. 

Fine  Ebulum,  or  Rich  Elder  Berry  Beer  and 
Ale. 

This  fine  old  cordial  beverage  of  our 
ancestors,  formerly  in  high  estimation  for 
it’s  pleasantness  and  medicinal  virtues,  as 
a sovereign  remedy  of  the  most  agreeable 
nature  for  colds,  &c.  is  now  scarcely  known 
even  by  name.  We  hold  it,  however,  much 
too  good  to  be  lost;  and  are  fully  persuad- 
ed, that  all  those  who  may  give  it  a fair 
trial  will  thank  us  for  the  subjoined  ex- 
cellent receipt — To  half  a hogshead  of 
strong  beer  or  ale  wort,  take  half  a bushel 
of  picked  elder  berries,  with  half  a pint 
of  pounded  juniper  berries.  Put  in  all 
the  berries  with  the  hops;  and,  after  the 
juice  is  extracted,  proceed  with  the  rest 
of  the  brewing  in  the  usual  way.  When 
it  has  done  working,  grossly  pound,  in  a 
mortar,  a quarter  of  a pound  of  ginger, 
half  an  ounce  each  of  nutmegs  and  cinna- 
mon, a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  cloves,  and 
a dram  of  mace;  with  two  ounces  each  of 
candied  citron  peel,  eringo  roots,  and 
orange  peel,  cut  in  very  thin  slices:  then, 
putting  the  whole  in  a muslin  bag.  sink  it 
in  the  liquor,  on  bunging  it  up  close;  and, 
when  the  elder  berry  beer,  ale,  or  ebulum, 
has  stood  till  it  be  quite  fine,  bottle  it  off,  • 
and  keep  it  well  corked  for  use.  It  is  to 
be  drank,  either  hot  or  cold,  with  lumps  of 
loaf  sugar  in  the  glass.  A common  sort 
of  ebulum  may  be  made  with  merely  the 
juice  of  the  elder  berries  added  to  the  wort; 
which  is,  also,  to  be  drank  hot  or  cold  with 
sugar. 

Orange  Wine  with  Raisins. 

Pick,  and  chop  small,  a quarter  of  a 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  349 


hundred  weight  of  fine  new  Malaga  rai- 
sins; and,  having  provided  a dozen  and 
a half  of  the  largest  and  richest  Seville 
oranges,  pare  olf  the  thin  yellow  rinds  of 
a dozen,  and  put  the  raisins  and  rinds  in 
a tub  or  large* pan.  Having,  in  the  mean 
time,  boiled  eight  gallons  of  soft  water 
till  reduced  to  five,  and  suffered  it  to  stand 
a few  minutes,  pour  it  hot  on  the  rinds  and 
raisins,  stir  the  whole  well  together,  and 
let  it  rest  closely  covered  till  quite  cold. 
Stir  it  well  together  twice  a day,  for  five 
days,  carefully  covering  it  up  each  time; 
and,  on  thfe  sixth,  strain  it  through  a hair 
sieve,  pressing  the  mass  as  dry  as  possi- 
ble with  a large  spoon,  and  put  it  up  in  a 
barrel  of  a proper  size,  with  the  thinly 
pared  rinds  of  the  other  half  dozen  oranges, 
andasyrup  made  the  preceding  day  with  the 
juice  of  the  eighteen  oranges  and  a pound 
of  powdered  loaf  sugar.  Stir  the  whole 
well  together,  stop  it  close,  let  it  stand  tw  o 
months  to  clear,  and  then  bottle  it  off.  It 
will  keep  three  years,  and  prove  the  better 
for  keeping. 

Exquisite  Orange  and  Lemon  Wines,  made 
with  Honey  and  Raisins . 

THERE  is  no  difference  whatever  neces- 
sary to  be  remarked,  in  making  orange  and 
lemon  wines;  the  somewhat  larger  quan- 
tity of  sugar,  which  might  be  found  neces- 
sary for  lemon  wine,  usually  about  an 
eighth  part  more, being  sufficiently  made  up 
by  the  superior  quantity  of  juice  which 
the  same  number  of  Seville  oranges  supply. 
Both  wines  may  be  exquisitely  prepared 
by  the  following  method — To  every  gallon 
of  water,  take  two  pounds  of  honey,  one 
pound  of  Malaga  raisins,  and  a large  Se- 
ville orange,  or  lemon,  with  half  an  ounce 
of  white  argol  or  tartar.  The  honey  to  be 


clarified  in  the  usual  way;  the  tartar  to 
be  dissolved  in  sixteen  times  it’s  weight 
of  hot  water,  and  added  at  different  stages 
of  the  fermentation,  a little  at  a time,  stir- 
red in  with  the  liquor.  Both  the  orange  and 
lemon  wines,  when  thus  properly  made,  will 
be  found  truly  delicious.  They  lose,  at  a 
particular  age,  much  of  their  peculiar 
orange  and  lemon  flavour;  the  orange 
wine  approaching  the  flavour  of  berga- 
mot, and  the  lemon  that  of  citron,  as  they 
respectively  become  older.  These  wines 
may  be  made  very  good  writh  the  same 
quantity  of  sugar,  instead  of  honey,  or 
even  of  refined  molasses  deprived  of  it’s 
colour  and  empyreumatic  or  burnt  taste  ; 
but,  certainly,  honey  produces  the  richest 
and  best  wine. 

Chcddcr  Cheese-. 

The  Chedder  cheeses,  though  now' scarce- 
ly known,  were  once  extremely  popular, 
and  rivalled  in  size  even  those  of  Cheshire; 
it  has,  indeed,  often  been  necessary  for  two 
men  to  be  employed  in  setting  a Chedder 
cheese  on  the  table.  These  cheeses  derive 
their  name  from  that  of  the  place  where 
they  were  originally  made;  a town,  called 
Chedder,  near  the  city  of  Wells,  in  Somer- 
setshire. The  manner  of  making  a Ched- 
der cheese  is  this — Put  to  the  evening 
cream,  and  morning  milk,  of  twelve  cows, 
three  spoonfuls  of  rennet;  and,  when  it  is 
come,  break  it  and  whey  it.  On  it’s  being 
w;ell  wheyed,  break  it  again,  w'ork  into  the 
curd  three  pounds  of  fresh  butter,  and  put 
it  in  the  press.  Turn  it  in  the  press  very 
often,  for  an  hour  or  more;,  changing  the- 
cheese  cloths,  for  quite  clean  ones,  each 
time:  toward  the  last,  put  to  it  two  or 
three  fine  dry  cloths.  When  it  has  been 
thirty  or  forty  hours  in  the  press,  accord- 
4 T 


350 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ing  to  tlie  thickness  of  the  cheese,  take  it 
out,  wash  it  in  whey,  and  lay  it  in  cloths  to 
dry.  Afterward,  place  it  on  the  shelf,  and 
turn  it  often,  till  sufficiently  ripe  for  eating. 

Codings  on  Paper,  with  the  Art  of  preparing 

Gold  Powder,  Shell  Go!  I,  Sic.  proper  to  he 

used  in  Painting  with  Water  Colours. 

There  are  various  methods  used  for 
gilding  paper,  according  to  the  several 
purposes  intended;  hut, for  the  most  part, 
isinglass  size,  and  gum  water,  are  used  as 
the  cements,  and  the  gold  powders  are 
more  generally  employed  than  leaf  gold. 
The  gilding  proper  to  accompany  wa- 
ter colours,  may  be  either  leaf  gold  or  gold 
powder.  Leaf  gold,  which  is  necessary  in 
all  cases  where  a metalline  and  shining 
appearance  is  wanted,  may  be  laid  on  the 
designed  ground  by  means  of  either  gum 
water  or  weak  isinglass  size,  not  too  freely 
spread,  and  having  time  previously  given 
it  sufficiently  to  dry;  the  judgement  of 
which  must  be  formed,  as  in  other  kinds 
of  gildings,  by  touching  with  the  finger. 
The  management  of  the  gold,  also,  is  much 
the  same;  and,  where  a polished  appear- 
ance is  wanted,  a dog’s  tooth,  piece  of  agate, 
or  other  burnisher,  may  be  used.  In  gild- 
ing larger  surfaces,  it  will  be  advantage- 
ous to  colour  the  ground  with  gall  stone; 
and,  if  colours  are  to  be  laid  on  the  gild- 
ing, brushing  the  gold  over  with  the  gall 
of  any  beast  will  make  it  take  them  in  a 
much  more  kindly  manner.  When  gold 
powder  is  used  with  paintings  in  water 
colours,  it  is  previously  formed  into  shell 
gold;  so  called,  from  it’s  being  usually 
put  into  muscle  shells,  in  the  same  manner 
as  water  colours.  This  shell  gold  is  pre- 
pared by  tempering  the  gold  powder  with 
very  weak  gum  water;  to  which  a little 


soap  suds  being  added,  the  gold  will  more 
easily  and  freely  work.  German  gold  pow- 
ders, made  from  Dutch  gold,  and  several 
other  counterfeit  gold  powders,  are  often 
used,  and  for  very  common  articles  may 
answer  the  purpose;  but,  the  true  gold  pow- 
der is  made  in  the  following  manner — 
Grind,  on  a stone,  any  quantity  of  leaf 
gold,  with  virgin  honey,  till  the  texture  of 
the  leaves  be  perfectly  broken,  and  their 
parts  most  minutely  divided.  Put  the  mix- 
ture into  a bason  of  water;  and  stir  it  well 
about,  that  the  honey  may  dissolve,  and  the- 
gold  be  by  that  means  freed.  When  it  has- 
stood  long  enough  for  the  gold  to  subside, 
pour  off  the  water,  and  add  fresh,  till  all 
the  honey  be  compleatly  washed  away;  then- 
place  the  gold  on  paper,  and  dry  it  for  use. 

Preparation  of  Gum  Water,  and  Isinglass 

Size,  for  Painting  and  Gilding  in  Water 

Colours. 

Without  isinglass  size,  as  well  as  gum 
water,  judiciously  managed,  neither  gold, 
nor  all  sorts  of  colours,  can  be  always  pro- 
perly prepared  for  gdding  and  painting 
on  paper.  The  gum  water  should  be  thus 
made — After  powdering  three  quarters  of 
an  ounce  of  gum  Arabic,  and  a quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  gum  Senegal,  tie  them  up  in  a mus- 
lin bag ; leaving  so  much  unoccupied  room  as 
to  admit  it’s  flattened  pressure  by  the  hand. 
Having  squeezed  it  till  flat,  put  it  in  a quart 
of  hot  water:  moving  it  sometimes  about, 
and  stirring  the  water,  for  twenty-four 
hours;  when,  the  gums  being  dissolved, 
the  bag  must  be  taken  out.  Then,  divid- 
ing the  fluid  into  two  parts,  add  to  one 
half  a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  powdered 
white  sugar  candy,  and  keep  the  other  in 
it’s  pure  state;  thus,  both  a strong  and  a 
weak  gum  water,  each  proper  for  particular 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


351 


purposes,  are  readily  obtained.  The  best 
method  of  making  the  isinglass  size  is  as 
follows — Boil  half  an  ounce  of  beaten  or 
finely  shred  isinglass  in  a pint  and  a half 
of  water,  till  it  be  wholly  dissolved;  and 
strain  the  fluid,  while  hot,  through  a linen 
rag.  Divide  the  size,  like  the  gum  water, 
into  two  parts;  adding,  to  one  half,  an 
equal  quantity  of  hot  water:  thus,  a strong 
and  a weak  size  will  likewise  be  obtained. 

Gilding  proper  for  forming  Letters  of  Gold , 

and  embellishing  Manuscripts,  either  on 

Vellum,  Parchment,  or  Paper. 

The  easiest  and  neatest  method  of  form- 
ing letters  of  gold  on  paper,  and  for  orna- 
ments of  writings,  is  by  using  what  was 
formerly  called  gold  ammoniac,  and  which 
is  thus  prepared — Powder  some  gum  am- 
moniac; and  dissolve  it  in  water  which 
has  previously  been  impregnated  with  a 
little  gum  Arabic  and  juice  of  garlic. 
This  gum  will  not  so  dissolve  in  water  as 
to  form  a transparent  fluid,  but  produces  a 
milky  appearance;  from  whence  it’s  solu- 
tion is,  in  medicine,  called  lac  ammonia- 
cum,  or  ammoniac  milk.  With  a pen  or 
pencil  dipped  in  this  milk,  write  or  draw 
on  the  vellum,  parchment,  or  paper,  the 
letters  or  figures  of  the  intended  gilding; 
and,  when  dry,  or  any  time  afterward, 
breathe  on  it  till  it  be  moistened,  and  im- 
mediately lay  pieces  of  leaves  of  gold,  cut 
in  the  most  oeconomical  manner,  over  the 
parts  written  or  drawn  on  with  the  am- 
moniac milk,  pressing  them  gently  to  the 
paper  with  a ball  of  cotton  or  soft  leather. 
On  the  paper’s  becoming  dry,  which  a short 
time  or  gentle  heat  will  readily  effect,  brush 
off  with  a Soft  pencil,  or  rub  off  with  a fine 
linen  rag,  the  redundant  gold,  which  co- 
vered the  parts  between  the  lines  of  the 


drawing  or  writing;  and  the  finest  hair 
strokes  of  the  pencil  or  pen,  as  well  as  the 
broadest,  will  appear  perfectly  gold.  In 
old  manuscripts  are  often  seen  highly  or- 
namented letters  of  gold,  which  rise  con- 
siderably from  the  surface  of  the  paper  or 
vellum,  in  the  manner  of  embossed  work. 
Of  these,  some  are  less  shining,  and  others 
have  a very  high  polish:  the  one  being 
produced  by  friction,  on  a proper  body, 
with  a solid  piece  of  gold;  the  other,  by 
leaf  gold.  The  method  of  making  these 
raised  letters  by  means  of  solid  gold,  is  as 
follows — Reduce  crystal  to  powder,  tem- 
per it  with  strong  gum  water  till  it  be  of 
the  consistence  of  paste,  and  with  this 
paste  form  the  letters;  when  they  are  dry, 
rub  them  with  a piece  of  gold  of  a good 
colour,  in  the  manner  of  polishing,  and 
the  letters  will  appear  as  if  gilt  with  bur- 
nished gold.  These  letters  may  be  formed 
by  stamps:  the  embossed  figure,  either  of 
the  separate  letters,  or  of  whole  words, 
being  cut  in  brass;  and,  when  the  stamps 
are  to  be  used,  anointing  each  letter  care- 
fully with  the  end  of  a large  feather  dip- 
ped in  oil,  but  not  so  wet  as  to  leave  drops 
in  the  hollows  of  the  stamps.  Fill  these 
concave  letters,  in  the  stamps,  with  the 
above  mixtures  of  powdered  crystal,  and 
gum  water;  and,  wiping  the  other  parts 
of  them  perfectly  clean,  place  them  on  the 
paper  or  vellum,  laid  over  some  sheets  of 
paper,  taking  care  that  the  letters  may  be 
in  the  exact  position  where  they  ought  to 
be  placed,  then  strike  the  stamp  in  a per- 
pendicular direction,  but  not  too  forcibly, 
and  take  it  off  in  the  same  direction.  The 
letters  will  thus  be  left  in  their  proper  sta- 
tions, and  have  the  same  proportions  as  > 
their  archetype's' in  the  stamps.  Where 
leaf  gold  is  used  for  making  embossed  let- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


352 

ters  in  manuscripts,  the  above  composition 
is  not  proper,  but  the  following  will  ex- 
cellently supply  it’s  place — Beat  the  whites 
of eggs  to  an  oily  consistence ; then  thicken 
it  with  vermilion,  to  the  consistence  of 
paste.  Form  the  letters  with  this  paste, 
by  means  of  stamps,  in  the  manner  al- 
ready directed;  and,  when  dry,  moisten  1 
them  with  a small  pencil  dipped  in  strong 
gum  water,  which  must  not  run  beyond 
the  bounds  of  the  letters.  This  being  of  a 
proper  dryness,  to  be  judged  by  the  touch, 
cover  the  letters  with  leaf  gold,  and  press 
it  close  to  every  part  with  cotton  or  soft 
leather.  When  the  gilding  is  dry,  it  may 
be  polished  with  a dog’s  tooth,  or  any 
other  proper  burnisher. 

Art  of  Gilding  the  Edges  of  the  Leaves  of 
Books,  and  of  Paper  in  General. 

For  the  gilding  of  edges,  both  of  books 
and  writing  paper,  several  different  cements 
are  used  by  different  workmen  ; such  as 
strong  gum  water,  isinglass  size,  and  glo- 
vers size:  but,  as  the  gum  water,  and 
weaker  sizes,  are  apt  to  run  beyond  the 
edge,  and  stick  the  leaves  together,  dis- 
solved isinglass,  with  the  addition  of  a lit- 
tle proof  spirit,  a sixth  part  honey  or  sugar 
candy,  and  a third  of  bole  armoniac  well 
powdered,  is  greatly  preferable.  The  fol- 
lowing simple  composition,  however,  ap- 
pears to  be  generally  adopted — Mix  equal 
parts  of  bole  armoniac  and  sugar  candy, 
both  finely  powdered,  with  the  whites  of 
eggs  beaten  to  an  oily  consistence,  and 
the  cement  will  be  fit  for  use.  The  paper 
to  have  gilt  edges,  whether  in  quires  or 
books,  must  be  well  cut  and  polished,  and 
screwed  down  tightly  in  a press;  it  must 
then  be  brushed  over,  first,  with  the  white 
of  egg  alone,  called  glair  or  glear,  by  the 


bookbinders,  &c.  and,  when  that  is  dry, 
either  with  the  cement  last  described,  or 
any  other  solution  of  gum  or  size,  with 
the  due  proportion  of  bole  armoniac; 
after  which,  it  may  be  again  suffered  to 
dry,  and  then  be  water  polished,  by  rub- 
ing  it  with  a fine  linen  rag  slightly  mois- 
tened. Being  thus  in  a fit  state  for  re- 
ceiving the  leaf  gold,  it  is  to  be  laid  or  cut 
according  to  the  breadth,  and  pressed 
closely  down  by  a cotton  ball;  one  piece 
being  added,  over  the  edge  or  extremity 
of  the  other,  w here  the  book  or  paper  is 
large,  till  the  whole  surface  be  compleatly 
covered.  When  the  gilding  is  thoroughly 
dry  and  firm,  it  may  be  burnished  with  a. 
dog’s  tooth  or  agate. 

Gilding  and  Lettering  Books. 

The  method  of  gilding  used  by  the 
bookbinders,  for  letters  and  ornaments  on 
leather,  is  to  have  the  letters,  lines,  and 
figures,  made  use  of  cut  in  brass,  mounted 
or  fastened  in  wooden  handles ; not  by  sink- 
ing, as  in  copper  plate  engraving,  but  by 
raising  or  projection  of  the  figure  from  the 
ground,  as  in  types  and  wood  cuts  for 
letter-press  printing.  The  back,  &c.  to  be 
gilt,  being  brushed  over  with  glair,  is 
wholly  covered  by  leaf  gold ; and,  each  single 
letter  or  tool  to  be  impressed  being  heated, 
but  not  too  violently,  it  is  pressed  strongly 
by  the  hand  or  shoulder  on  the  gold,  till  the 
whole  title  or  pattern  be  finished.  The 
superfluous  gold,  not  being  fixed  by  the 
hot  tool  and  pressure,  is  readily  rubbed 
off  with  a soft  cloth,  called  the  gold  rag; 
which,  when  burnt,  is  often  found  to  con- 
tain more  than  half  an  ounce  of  gold. 
The  edges,  and  bands  across  the  backs, 
borders  inside  and  out,  &c.  are  formed  with 
circular  brass  tools,  called  rollers,  cut  to 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  55.3 


the  respective  patterns,  and  which  are  ex- 
peditiously wrought,  properly  heated,  over 
the  gold  leaf,  by  means  of  along  wooden 
handle  applied  to  the  shoulder,  and  dex- 
terously guided  by  the  hand.  The  smooth 
surfaces  of  all  these  brass  tools,  when  well 
cut,  and  not  too  much  worn,  not  only 
make  the  gold  closely  adhere  by  the  pres- 
sure and  heat,  but  communicate  a good 
polish,  if  properly  executed,  which  is  ren- 
dered highly  brilliant  by  an  agate  tooth, 
as  the  bookbinders  call  their  best  tool  for 
burnishing  gold  in  the  finishing  of  books. 
Lettering  and  gilding  require  infinite  skill 
and  address:  taste  is  necessary,  to  com- 
pose a pleasing  arrangement  of  the  nume- 
rous tools ; a correct  eye,  and  a steady  hand, 
to  direct  and  govern  their  application; 
and  the  utmost  caution  in  sufficiently  heat- 
ing the  tools  to  fix  the  gold,  without  ap- 
plying them  so  hot  as  to  burn  into  the 
leather. 

Turkish  Pilau. 

The  comparatively  small  use  which  is 
in  England  made  of  rice,  where  it  might 
be  so  cheaply  obtained  from  the  East 
Indies,  seems  to  reflects  no  very  great  cre- 
dit on  our  sagacity.  Prejudiced  against 
the  free  use  of  rice,  by  silly  notions  of  it’s 
insalubrity,  though  we  know  it  to  be  al- 
most the  sole  food  of  so  many  millions  of 
Gentoos  in  the  East  Indies,  and  to  consti- 
tute much  the  largest  portion  of  grain 
eaten  by  all  the  oriental  nations,  we  dis- 
courage it’s  importation  here;  while  it  is 
purchased  with  avidity,  and  even  cultivat- 
ed, by  several  European  nations.  In  Italy, 
particularly,  great  quantities  of  rice  are 
grown;  and  the  best  ever  eaten  at  Paris 
is  said  to  be  produced  in  Piedmont, 
being  far  superior  to  that  of  Carolina  in 


America.  That  the  French  are  not  guilty 
of  our  folly  with  regard  to  rice,  will  suf- 
ficiently appear  from  the  following  intro- 
duction to  the  account  of  the  Turkish 
pilau,  by  the  celebrated  editor  of  the  Al- 
manach  des  Gourmands — ce  Of  all  the  fari- 
naceous foods  which  divine  Providence 
has  made  the  earth  produce  for  the  very 
utmost  gratification  of  our  appetites,  rice 
is,  without  dispute,  the  best;  as  well  as  that 
which  is  most  used  in  our  kitchens,  and 
which  we  see  with  the  greatest  pleasure 
appear  on  our  tables.  It’s  moderate  price, 
it’s  nutritious  qualities,  and  it’s  dietetic 
virtues,  constitute  it  an  aliment  equally 
sought  by  the  poor  and  rich ; and  which 
accomodates  itself  to  the  stomachs  of  con- 
valescents almost  as  well  as  to  those  of 
persons  who  enjoy  all  their  digestive  facul- 
ties in  the  highest  state  of  perfection. 
Without  noticing  soups  of  rice,  which  are 
varied  to  infinitude,  both  with  flesh  and 
maigre,  it  figures  at  the  very  first,  in  many 
entrees;  and,  above  all,  in  cass  roles,  either 
composed  with  game  or  butcher’s  meat. 
It  appears,  during  winter,  in  a long  list  of 
the  most  delicious  dishes;  such  as  various 
omlets,  puddings,  custards, and  even  simply 
with  milk,  as  well  as  covered  by  carimeJ. 
The  oven,  too,  seizes  it,  to  present  it  to  us 
in  cakes,  timbals,  and  a thousand  other  de- 
licate forms.  Rice  agrees,  in  short,  with 
almost  every  stomach.  It  is  a soft  and 
nourishing  substance,  of  light  digestion; 
and  very  wholesome,  according  to  the  best 
accounts.  Cream  made  with  rice  flour 
is  given  to  the  sick,  when  they  can- 
not bear  any  solid  food,  and  it  very  gene- 
rally succeeds.  In  short,  rice  suits  every 
person,  even  when  the  stomach  is  most  im- 
paired; observing  only  to  give  it,  then,  in 
a proportionably  thinner  form  than  com- 
4 U 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


354 


mon.  All  those  who  are  subject  to  sour-  l 
vy,  or  scrophulous  affections,  rheumatism, 
coughs,  colics,  and  even  the  gout,  will  do 
well  frequently  to  use  it;  as  it  cannot  fail 
to  mitigate  their  ills,  to  lessen  their  parox- 
isms, and  even  contribute  to  their  cure. 
These  numerous  advantages,  which  ren- 
der the  use  of  rice  so  precious,  make  it 
necessary  to  assist  it’s  consumption,  and 
increase  the  variety  of  it’s  preparations. 
Not  content,  therefore,  with  our  own  na- 
tive receipts,  we  have  explored  exotic 
kitchens,  in  order  to  enlarge  the  circle  of 
our  alimentary  enjoyments  with  regard  to 
this  article.  We  know,  that  the  greater 
part  of  the  orientalists,  and  particularly 
the  Turks,  make  very  great  use  of  rice; 
it  is,  in  some  sort,  the  basis,  or  foundation, 
of  all  their  repasts,  and  they  prepare  it  in 
a thousand  different  ways.  The  method 
which  is  with  them  most  general,  and  cer- 
tainly their  best,  is  the  pilau.  It  has  often 
been  attempted  to  be  made  at  Paris;  but, 
almost  constantly,  without  success.  We 
may,  howe\er,  arrive  at  this  knowledge, 
by  conforming  ourselves  with  exactness  to 
the  following  receipt;  which  was  brought 
from  the  Levant  by  a literary  character, 
who  had  long  been  resident  there,  and 
who  has  very  readily  communicated  it  to 
us.  We  are  thus  enabled  to  make  a true 
Turkish  pilau,  either  with  the  aid  of  meat, 
or  in  maigre;  and  are  now  going  to  de- 
scribe, successively,  these  two  methods. 
To  make  it  with  the  assistance  of  meat — 
Take  a quart  of  rice  well  washed  in  warm 
water,  and  three  quarts  of  veal  stock  or 
good  broth;  and  set  it,  in  a soup  kettle, 
hermetically  covered,  over  a very  brisk 
fire.  When  it  begins  to  bod,  infuse  in  a 
bason  or  cupful  of  the  liquor  a small  quan- 
tity of  Gatinois  saffron,  and  pour  it  into 


the  soup  kettle.  Then  make  it  boil  strong- 
ly up,  keeping  the  vessel  constantly  closed. 
The  rice,  which  has  burst,  thus  hardens 
itself,  and  the  wdiole  becomes  of  a good 
consistence.  In  a short  time,  it  is  to  be 
taken  out,  and  served  up,  heaped  on  the 
dish  in  a pyramidal  form.  This  process, 
properly  conducted,  takes  only  about  an 
hour;  or,  at  farthest,  an  hour  and  a half. 
To  make  it  in  maigre,  exactly  as  the  Turks 
most  commonly  eat  it — Take,  in  the  same 
manner,  one  part  rice,  and  three  parts 
water,  in  which  dissolve  a very  little  salt. 
Boil  the  whole  in  a vessel  well  closed,  on  a 
very  powerful  fire.  When  the  rice  is  burst, 
and  done,  make  holes  with  the  handle 
of  a wooden  spoon;  and  introduce  in  these 
holes  some  good  fresh  butter,  or  melt  it  in  a 
stewpan.  The  butter,  penetrating  the  rice, 
serves  as  sauce;  it  is  scummed,  and  served 
up  m a dish.  4 he  Turks,  instead  of  our 
butter,  use  a sort  of  butter  called  manteca; 
which  is,  certainly,  not  superior  to  the  best 
in  France,  and  consequently  in  England. 
They  eat  their  pilau  with  wooden  spoons 
made  nearly  flat,  and  use  only  the  backs  of 
them  for  this  purpose.  By  precisely  following 
this  receipt,  we  may  be  certain  of  having 
the  true  Turkish  pilau;  but  we  do  not  un- 
dertake to  warrant  that  it  will  prove  a most 
excellent  ragout:  in  the  mean  time,  we 
think  that,  when  made  with  good  vea! 
stock  the  pilau  cannot  well  be  amiss.” 
Such  is  the  account  given  by  this  singular 
French  writer  of  rice  in  general,  and  of  the 
Turkish  pilau;  on  which  we  may  observe, 
that  he  has  certainly  confined  his  excess 
of  panegyric,  rather  to  the  rice,  than  to  the 
Turkish  mode  of  dressing  it.  The  Gatinois 
saffron,  used  to  colour  the  Turkish  pilau, 
is  probably  the  carthamus,  safflower,  or 
bastard  saffron;  at  least,  we  have  some- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


355 


where  seen  mentioned,  that  the  Turks  use 
that  plant  for  this  purpose. 

Excellent  Oriental  Pilau,  as  made  in  the  East 
Indies. 

The  following  method  of  making  a pilau, 
after  the  genuine  East  India  method,  will 
be  found  very  superior  to  those  of  the 
Turks,  as  described  in  the  foregoing  French 
receipts — Shake  a piece  of  fresh  butter  in 
a stewpan,  over  a clear  fire,  till  it  becomes 
brown  j then  add  some  very  finely  shred 
onion,  and  let  that  also  brown.  Put  in 
some  small  pieces  of  beef  or  mutton,  with 
water  to  cover  them ; and  stew  the  whole, 
till  it  produces  a very  rich  gravy.  Having, 
in  the  mean  time,  well  washed  some  fine 
picked  rice,  add  water  sufficient  to  cover 
that  also,  and  let  it  boil  as  quick  as  possi- 
ble. Then  put  in  a large  piece  of  butter, 
some  grated  ginger,  a little  beaten  cinna- 
mon and  mace,  and  a few  pounded  cloves. 
Keep  it  well  stirred  with  a knife,  to  pre- 
vent it’s  burning,  and  add  some  whole 
pepper.  Let  it  boil  very  dry,  and  after- 
ward strain  it.  Lastly,  having  ready  a 
boiled  fowl,  with  a piece  of  bacon,  cover 
them  over  very  high  with  the  rice;  and 
serve  up  the  pilau,  accompanied  by  three 
hard  eggs  cut  in  halves,  and  six  small  but 
whole  boiled  onions.  This  is  a grand 
pilau;  it  may  be  made  in  a plainer  way  as 
follows — For  a quart  of  rice,  boil  two 
quarts  of  water  seasoned  with  a little 
salt.  In  the  mean  time,  having  washed 
the  rice,  throw  it  into  the  boiling  water. 
Do  not  stir  it,  but  let  it  boil  till  the  water 
is  consumed,  and  no  bubbles  arise.  Then 
melt  some  butter,  without  either  water  or 
flour,  and  mix  it  with  the  rice.  Dish  it 
lightly,  and  pepper  it.  This  is  the  common 
method  in  the  East  Indies. 


Collared  Goose. 

Clrr  a goose  down  the  back,  bone  it 
compleatly,  wipe  it  very  dry,  season  it  with 
pepper,  salt,  and  allspice,  and  roll  it  toge- 
ther. Let  it  lay  twenty-four  hours;  pull 
out  all  the  strings  of  the  legs;  and  roll  up 
the  flesh  as  neatly  as  possible,  carefully 
mixing  the  fat  and  lean.  Bind  it  very 
tight;  and,  putting  it  in  cold  water,  with 
a little  salt,  let  it  boil  four  hours.  In  the 
mean  time,  having  stewed  the  bones  down, 
till  they  produce  a very  strong  jelly,  when 
the  goose  is  cut,  pour  the  jelly  over  it. 

Irish  Beef. 

Put,  to  twenty  pounds  of  beef,  an  ounce 
of  allspice;  a quarter  of  an  ounce  each  of 
mace,  cinnamon,  and  nutmeg;  and  half  an 
ounce  each  of  saltpetre  and  pepper.  Grind 
and  mix  all  these  together,  and  add  as 
much  common  salt  as  will  well  rub  the 
meat.  Put  it  in  a salting  tub  or  pan;  rub  it 
with  more  salt;  and  every  day  turn  it  in 
the  pickle,  and  rub  it  with  the  seasoning 
that  settles.  When  it  has  been  a month 
in  pickle,  take  out  the  bone,  and  boil  the 
meat  in  it’s  own  liquor  with  the  addition 
of  as  little  water  as  may  be  necessary  for 
covering  it.  It  may  be  stuffed  with  par- 
sley, and  is  to  be  eaten  cold. 

Orange  Jelly. 

Take  six  China  oranges;  and,  having* 
grated  the  yellow  rind  of  two,  squeeze  the 
whole  of  the  juice  to  it  through  a fine 
sieve.  Boil  an  ounce  and  a half  of  isinglass 
in  a little  water,  with  a bit  of  lemon  peel; 
and,  straining  it,  add  it  to  the  juice.  Then 
make  a syrup  with  loaf  sugar  and  water 
boiled  up  till  of  a fine  amber  colour;  and 
mix  all  together  over  the  fire,  but  do  not  suffer 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


356 

it,  to  boil.  These  ingredients,  properly 
managed,  will  produce  a quart  of  jelly. 

Sugar  Preserved  Damsons. 

Fill  the  preserving  pots,  or  jars,  with 
damsons;  and  set  them  in  warm  water 
over  the  fire.  When  they  are  enough,  boil 
up  a very  rich  syrup,  and  pour  it  hot  over 
them.  After  they  have  stood  a week, 
drain  off  the  syrup,  boil  it  up  again  with 
more  sugar,  pour  it  hot  over  the  damsons, 
and  the  next  day  close  them  carefully  up 
with  bladder  and  paper. 

Marmalade  of  Quinces. 

SCALD  the  quinces  till  they  are  very  ten- 
der ; after  which,  pare  them,  quarter  them, 
and  cut  out  their  cores,  with  all  the  hard 
parts;  and,  to  every  pound  of  quinces,  put 
three  quarters  of  a pound  of  powdered  loaf 
sugar.  Stew  the  parings,  with  the  cores 
and  hardnesses,  closely  covered,  in  as  much 
water  as  will  afford  a pint  for  every  pound 
of  quinces  ; and,  when  thoroughly  done, 
and  the  liquid  very  clear,  cut  small  the 
quinces  which  were  mixed  with  the  sugar, 
strain  to  them  the  liquor  of  the  cores,  &c. 
boil  up  the  whole  to  a marmalade  which 
may  be  sliced  when  it  is  cold,  and  keep 
it  in  pots  properly  covered  for  use. 

Fine  Marrow  Pudding. 

BOIL  half  a pound  of  the  finest  and 
freshest  marrow  in  a pint  of  new  milk, 
with  a bit  of,  lemon  peel,  cinnamon,  and 
half  a leaf  of  laurel.  Pour  it  over  the  sliced 
crumb  of  a three  penny  loaf,  or  the  same 
quantity  of  French  bread;  and,  covering 
it  up,  let  it  stand  till  quite  cold.  Beat  up 
well,  in  the  mean  time,  six  yolks  with 
three  whites  of  eggs,  a quarter  of  a pound 
of  powdered  loaf  sugar,  two  ounces  of 


blanched  and  pounded  almonds,  and  a little 
orange-flower  water;  add  this  mixture  to 
the  cold  marrow  and  milk,  and  bake  it  in 
a dish  with  puff  paste  round  it.  B'ashed 
and  picked  currants,  with  syrup  of  cloves 
or  nutmegs,  a little  brandy,  and  some 
slices  of  candied  citron  and  orange  peel, 
wdth  any  other  sweetmeats,  may  be  added, 
if  required  to  be  very  rich.  The  marrow, 
too,  instead  of  being  boiled  with  the  milk, 
may  be  minced  very  small,  and  strewed 
over  the  French  bread  ; or  rather,  on  Naples 
biscuits.  Marrow  puddings  made  in  either 
of  these  ways,  will  be  found  truly  deli- 
cious. 

Prussian  Flummery. 

Pour  a pint  of  boiling  water  on  an  ounce 
of  finely  shred  isinglass,  and  let  it  stand 
two  hours.  Then  put  it,  in  a saucepan, 
over  the  fire;  with  a gill  of  white  wine,  a 
quarter  of  a pound  of  loaf  sugar,  the  juice 
and  rind  of  a lemon,  and  the  yolks  of  four 
eggs.  Keep  stirring  the  whole  till  it  boils: 
then  strain  it  through  a flannel  bag;  and, 
when  almost  cold,  pour  it  into  moulds. 

Excellent  French  Bread  Plum  ami  nipple 
Pudding. 

f . 

Mix  eight  eggs,  with  eight  ounces  each 
of  French  bread,  currants  or  stoned  rai- 
sins, apples,  and  suet,  half  a glass  of  brandy, 
and  a little  sugar  and  nutmeg.  Boil  it  for 
three  hours,  and  serve  it  up  with  a sauce 
of  melted  butter,  sugar,  and  white  wine. 

Method  of  making  Rusks. 

THE  best  rusks  are  made  in  the  follow- 
ing manner — l ake  a pound  of  fine  flour, 
six  beaten  eggs,  a very  little  salt,  and  some 
sugar.  Rub  into  the  flour  half  a pound 
of  butter;  then,  warming  some  milk,  mix 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


357 


up  the  whole  with  a little  yeast.  After  it 
has  stood  sufficiently  to  rise,  make  it  up 
into  small  flattish  loaves  or  cakes;  bake 
them  moderately;  and,  when  cold,  cut  or 
slice  them  into  rusks,  and  dry  them  on 
tins  in  a cool  oven  till  they  are  of  a light 
brown  colour.  Common  rusks  may  be 
made,  by  omitting  or  diminishing  the  eggs, 
butter,  &c. 

Hanover  Pudding. 

Grate  finely  the  crumb  of  a roll,  and 
mince  very  small  half  the  rind  of  a lemon; 
add  a quarter  of  a pound  each  of  fine  sugar 
and  butter,  the  juice  of  half  a lemon,  and 
the  well  beaten  yolks  of  four  eggs  with  the 
whites  of  two.  Set  the  whole  over  the  fire, 
and  stir  it  till  sufficiently  thick;  then  put 
it  into  a flat  dish  with  puff  paste  at  the 
bottom,  and  set  it  in  a moderate  oven, 
when  it  will  be  well  baked  in  half  an  hour. 

Norfolk  Bacon. 

Take,  for  forty-two  pounds  of  bacon, 
four  pounds  of  common  salt;  two  ounces 
each  of  pounded  saltpetre,  bay  salt,  and 
salt  prunella;  and  three  pounds  of  coarse 
sugar.  Mix  the  whole  together,  and  rub 
it  well  in  before  the  fire.  Put  the  bacon 
in  a strong  tray;  turning  and  basting  it 
with  the  liquor,  daily,  for  a month.  Hams 
require  a week  longer.  Smoke  the  bacon 
over  a wood  fire,  or  saw-dust,  for  five  or 
six  days;  not  enough  to  blacken,  but  only 
to  dry  it:  then  hang  it  on  the  beams  of 
the  kitchen,  though  not  too  near  the  fire. 

Excellent  Eel  Soup. 

This  excellent  and  unexpensive  soup  is 
easily  made — To  every  pound  of  eels,  put 
a quart  of  water,  with  a little  whole  pepper, 
salt,  parsley,  and  mint.  Let  it  stewr  very 


slowly,  till  reduced  to  half  tnc  quantity. 
Pour  it  out,  and  force  the  eels  h rough  a 
colander  with  the  back  of  a spoon.  After 
it  has  stood  all  night,  take  off  the  fat;  and, 
heating  the  soup,  thicken  it  with  butter 
rolled  in  flour.  A few  eels  may  be  boiled 
just  enough,  and  served  up  with  the  soup. 
This  is  an  admirably  nourishing  soup; 
and,  when  properly  seasoned,  agrees  with 
the  most  delicate  stomach. 

Calf's  Head  Pic. 

Parboil  half  a calf’s  head,  cut  it  into 
thin  slices,  season  it  with  pepper  and  salt, 
and  lay  it  in  a crust,  with  some  good  gravy, 
force  meat  balls,  and  yolks  of  eggs  boiled 
hard.  Cover  it  in,  bake  it  about  an  hour 
and  a half,  and  then  cut  off  the  lid.  In  the 
mean  time,  having  prepared  some  good 
gravy,  thickened  with  a little  flour,  and 
adding  a few  oysters,  put  the  whole  into 
the  pie,  and  send  it  to  table  either  with 
the  lid  replaced  or  without  it. 

Ragout  of  Mushrooms. 

Peel  large  mushrooms,  scrape  the  in* 
sides,  and  broil  them.  When  brown,  put 
them  in  some  good  gravy,  thickened  with 
flour;  and  add  a little  white  wine,  salt, 
Cayenne  pepper,  and  lemon  juice.  Stew 
the  whole  together,  and  dish  it  up. 

Crimped  Cod. 

Set  a gallon  cf  water  over  the  fire, 
with  a handful  of  salt;  boil  it  up  several 
times,  and  keep  it  clean  scummed.  Take 
a cod  of  a middling  size,  the  freshest  pos- 
sible to  be  obtained,  and  throw  it  into  a 
tub  of  cold  water;  after  it  has  remained 
about  ten  minutes,  cut  it  into  slices 
crimps,  two  inches  thick,  and  throw 
into  the  boiling  brine.  When  they  i. 

4 x 


3o8 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


boiled  a very  few  minutes,  take  the  slices 
carefully  out  so  us  not  by  any  means  to 
break  them,  arid  lay  them  on  a sieve  to 
drain.  As  soon  as  they  are  thoroughly 
dry,  flour  them,  and  lay  them  at  a dis- 
tance, on  a gridiron,  over  a clear  fire,  to 
broil.  Serve  them  up  with  lobster  or 
shrimp  sauce. 

Extract  of  Malt  with  Barley  Water,  for  a 
Consumptive  Cough,  Sec. 

PUT  into  a tub,  or  large  pan,  a peck  of 
the  best  pale  ground  malt,  and  pour  over 
it  six  quarts  of  boiling  hot  barley  water.  : 
Stir  it  well  together,  cover  it  close,  and  let 
it  stand  twenty-four  hours:  after  which, 
strain  it  off  through  a lawn  sieve;  put  it 
in  a preserving  pan,  over  a slow  fire;  and 
keep  continually  stirring  it  till  it  becomes 
a thick  ropy  syrup,  the  consistence  of  good 
treacle-.  Put  it  into  pots ; and,  when  cold, 
keep  it  well  covered  for-  use.  It  may  be 
take  freely,  about  a tea-spoonful  or  two  , 
at  a time,  whenever  the  cough  is  trouble- 
some; and  is  so  extremely  nourishing,  as 
to.  have  restored  many  to  perfect  health, 
from  a deep  decline. 

Good  Liquid  Blacking,  for  Shoes  and  Boots. 

Mix  a quarter  of  a pound  of  ivory  black 
with  a table-spoonful  of  sweet  oil ; dissolve 
a pennyworth  of  copperas,  and  three  table- 
spoonfuls of  treacle,  in  a quart  of  vinegar, 
afterward  adding  two  pennyworth  of  vi- 
triol; and  then,  mixing  the  whole  well 
together,  it  forms  a good  liquid  blacking 
for  shoes  and  boots. 

Art  of  Staining  Paper  or  Parchment  of 
various  Colours. 

Paper  or  parchment  may  be  stained  in 
the  following  manner — Yellow,  by  means 


jj  of  a wash  made  with  French  berries  boiled 
jj  in  water  with  a little  alum:  but  a much 
jl  more  beautiful  colour  is  obtained  from 
j tincture  oi  turmeric,  made  bv  infusing 
| an  ounce  or  more  of  the  powdered  root  in 
|i  a pinto!  spirit  oj  wine;  which  may  be  pre- 
j pared  so  as  to  give  any  tint  of  yellowy 
|i  *i'°m  tire  palest  straw,  to  the  full  colour 
j!  ealled  french  yellow,  and  will  be  equal  iu 

||  brightness  even  to  the  finest  dyed  silks.  If 

jj  the  colour  be  wanted  of  a redder  or  warmer 
cast,  approaching  orange,  anotta  or  dra- 
gon’s blood  must  be  added  to  the  tinc- 
ture or  wash.  1 he  best  manner  of'  using 
these  and  other  colours  for  staining  paper 
or  parchment,  is  to  spread  them  even  over 
the  surface  by  means  of  a broad  brush  in 
the  manner  of  varnishing.  It  may,  how- 
ever, be  effected  with  any  common  brush 
— Reds  may  be  stained  with  a strong  inr 
fusion  of  Brazil  wood  in  stale  urine,  or  a 
solution  of  pearl  ashes  to  a quart  of  water. 
A gallon  of  either  liquid  must  he  put  to  a 
pound  of  Brazil  wood,  and  remain  two 
or  three  days,  being  very  frequently  stir- 
red together.  Ibis  infusion,  when  strainr 
ed,  is  to  be  brushed  over  the  paper  for  a 
bright  and  strong  red;  and,  while  yet  wet, 
it  should  be  also  brushed  over  with  a little 
alum  water,  made  in  the  proportion  of  an 
ounce  to  a pint.  By  increasing  the  above 
quantity  of  pearl  ashes,  the  red  may  be 
rendered  paler.  Common  red  ink  will 
alone  afford  a good  stain ; and  a more  scar- 
let hue,  but  not  bright,  is  gained  from  a 
solution  of  dragon’s  blood  in  spirit  of  wine. 
A very  line  crimson  is  given  by  infusing 
Indian  lake  some  days  in  spirit  of  wine, 
and  then  pouring  off  the  tincture  from  the 
dregs — Greens,  by  a solution  of  verdi- 
grease  in  vinegar,  or  crystals  of  verdi- 
grease  dissolved  in  water;  also,  by  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


359 


solution  of  tilings  of  copper  in  aqua  fortis 
or  spirit  of  salt,  being  gradually  added  to 
either — Blues,  by  first  staining  green,  in 
any  of  the  above  methods,  and  then  using 
a solution  of  pearl  ashes:  or  by  preparing 
indigo  with  soap  levs,  as  when  used  by 
dyers,  brushing  it  over  hot,  and  afterward 
with  a solution  of  an  ounce  and  a half  of 
uluie  tartar,  or  cream  of  tartar,  in  a pint 
of  water,  before  it  be  finite  drv — Oramle 
colour,  by  means  of  the  turmeric  directed 
for  yellow;  afterward  brushed  over  with 
a solution  of  fixed  alkaline  salt,  made  by 
dissolving  half  an  ounce  of  pearl  ashes,  or 
salt  of  tartar,  in  a quart  of  water,  and  filter- 
ing the  solution — Puitl’LE,  by  archal,  or 
the  tincture  of  logwood.  The  juice  ot  j 
ripe  privet,  berries  will  also  communicate 
a purple  dye  to  paper  or  parchment.. 

Snutll  Cr  usts  of  Bread. 

It  is  not  uncommon  to  see,  both  in  pri- 
vate families,  and  at  inns,  taverns,  and 
coffee  houses,  a loaf  entirely  spoiled,  by 
paring  off  nearly  all  the  crust,  to  eat  w ith 
cheese,  £ec.  By  the  following  very  sim- 
ple expedient,  particularly  where  there  is 
an  oven  ready  heated  in  the  house,  this 
may  be  entirely  avoided — Pull,  lightly,  in- 
to small  pieces,  the  crumb  of  a new’  loaf; 
and,  putting  them  on  a tin  plate  or  in  a 
baking  dish,  set  it  in  a tolerably  brisk  oven, 
and  let  them  continue  till  they  are  crisp 
and  niqely  brow  ned.  It  is  somew  hat  won- 
derful, that  none  of  our  bakers  have  ever 
thought  of  thus  preparing  small  crusts  as 
an  article  for  sale. 

Vine  Clove,  JS'utmeg,  Cnrauay,  Cinnamon*  or 
Ginger  Buffs. 

TlIESE  excellent  little  puffs  may  be  made 
‘either  with  cloves,  nutmegs,  earraway 


seeds,  cinnamon,  ginger,  or  any  othe 
spice  or  seed,  in  the  following  manner— 
Having  beat  up  the  whites  of  half  a dozen 
eggs  to  a good  froth,  add  sifted  loaf  sugar 
wiih  the  particular  seed  or  spice  intended 
to  be  used  on  the  occasion  reduced  to  a 
very  line  powder;  and,  having  procured 
a sheet  or  two  of  wafer  paper,  and  made 
it  a little  damp,  drop-  the  mixture  from  a 
spoon,  in  round  but  elevated  bits  about 
the  circumference  of  a-  guinea,  and  set 
them  in  a very  slow  oven  to  rise,  when 
they  will  be  sufficiently  baked. 

Almond  Paste  for  forming  Fancy  Articles,  in 
Second  Course  Dishes,  Deserts,  sc. 

Blanch  a pound  of  sweet  almonds,  and 
an  ounce  of  bitter;  and,  when  thoroughly 
dry,  pound  them  till  there  be  scarcely 
the  smallest  bit  perceptible:  instead  of 
u?ing  water,  while  pounding  the  almonds, 
wet  them,  a little  at  a time,  with  the  whites 
of  two  or  three  eggs  well  beaten  up.  Put 
the  paste  in  a small  preserving  pan,  or 
saucepan,  with  a long  w ooden  spoon;  and, 
stirring  in-  about  half  a pound  of  sifted 
loaf  sugar,  set  it  on  a stove  or  slow  fire; 
stirring  it  from  the  bottom  all  the  time,  to 
bring  the  paste  to  a good  consistence  w ith- 
out  the  slightest  burning.  When  the  paste 
does  not  stick  to  the  pan,  and  comes  all 
together,  take  it  out,  and  put  it  to  sweat 
between  tw  o plates.  On  it’s  getting  quite 
cold,  dredge  a little  four  over  the  dresser, 
to  prevent  it’s  sticking;  roll  it  out;  and 
make  it  up  into  any  shapes’,  according  to 
skill. and  fancy.  1 here  are  shells©!’  dif- 
ferent sorts  sold  by  coppersmiths,  ,xc.  for 
moulding  almond  paste.  It  is  frequently 
made  up  into  i ream  ewers,  coffee  cups  and 
Saucers,  jugs,  urns,  plates,  and  various 
■ other  articles;  which,  being  baked,  are 


360 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


filled,  when  cold,  with  creams,  jellies,  &c.  | 
Some,  in  mixing  the  paste,  add  yolks  of 
e«-^s.  flour,  and  oiled  butter;  but  these 
ingredients  are  not  at  all  necessary,  when 
the  paste  is  properly  managed  according 
to  the  above  directions. 

Gum  Paste,  for  Ornaments  on  Cakes,  Sgc. 

Dissolve  gum  adragant,  or  tragacanth, 
sometimes  erroneously  called  gum  dragon, 
by  pouring  over  it  some  warm  water,  and 
letting  it  stand  covered  twenty-four  hours; 
then  strain  it  through  a cloth,  and  put  it 
in  a mortar,  w7ith  some  double  or  treble 
refined  loaf  sugar  sifted.  Pound  it  well, 
for  at  least  half  an  hour;  when  enough, 
it  will  draw  into  strings,  and  crack  against 
the  mortar.  Ten  minutes  before  taking 
it  out,  put  in,  and  pound  with  it,  a small 
quantity  of  fine  hair  powder.  Afterward, 
work  it  up  to  a proper  consistence,  with 
more  sifted  fine  sugar,  and  one  third  part 
of  as  much  hair  powder.  It  may  be  made 
of  any  colour,  by  adding  gamboge,  cochi- 
neal, indigo,  &c.  and  fashioned  in  moulds 
or  fancy  forms,  at  pleasure;  to  be  stuck 
on  twelfth  cakes,  or  introduced  in  deserts. 

Method  of  making  Wax  Baskets,  for  Confec- 
tionary, 8gc. 

Melt  together,  mixed  over  the  fire, 
half  a pound  of  white  wax,  a quarter  of  a 
pound  of  spermaceti,  half  an  ounce  of  flake 
white,  and  about  a quarter  of  an  ounce  of 
hogs  lard.  Oil  a basket  mould,  first  cleans- 
ed so  as  not  to  discolour  the  wax,  with  a 
clean  cloth  ; and  then,  the  melted  wax  not 
being  too  hot,  which  would  render  it  dif- 
ficult to  get  out,  run  it  round  the  entire 
inside.  When  cool,  take  the  basket  out  of 
the  mould,  and  ornament  it  with  coloured 
w ax,  or  gum  paste,  cut  out  from  boards 


for  that  purpose.  These  wax  baskets  are 
frequently  painted  in  oil  colours  with  land- 
scapes or  figures;  and  they  are,  also,  often 
adorned  w ith  flowers  of  fat. 

Preparation  of  Carimel  for  Baskets  and 
Coverings  of  Sweetmeats,  $c. 

Put  a pound  of  fine  loaf  sugar  in  a pre- 
serving pan,  with  half  a pint  of  water  and 
the  white  of  an  egg;  whisk  it  up  till  it 
boils,  taking  off  the  black  scum  as  it  rises. 
When  it  has  boiled  a few  minutes,  run  it 
through  a tammy,  or  lawn  sieve,  and  set 
it  again  over  the  fire,  Let  it  boil  gentlv, 
till  it  comes  to  the  proper  height  for  spin- 
ning baskets,  &c.  then  called  carimel : 
this  is  readily  ascertained,  when  it  begins 
to  thicken,  by  dipping  in  the  handle  of  a 
spoon,  and  putting  it  into  a bason  of  cold 
water;  when,  if  the  sugar  feels  crisp  in  the 
water,  it  is  in  the  proper  state,  and  must 
be  immediately  taken  ofif  the  fire.  In  the 
mean  time,  having  the  mould  well  oiled, 
either  for  a basket  or  cover,  &c.  when  the 
carimel  begins  a little  to  cool,  run  the  sugar 
dexterously  over  every  part  of  it,  which  is 
called  spinning;  and,  when  quite  cold,  the 
basket  will  be  fit  for  the  reception  of  sweet- 
meats, and  the  open  cover  for  the  intended 
dish.  These  baskets  and  covers,  when  pro- 
perly executed,  and  of  a bright  but  light 
golden  colour,  have  a very  elegant  appear- 
ance. 

Curious  German  Method  of  making  fine  Sal- 
lad  Oils,  from  Cole  Seed,  Rape,  Poppy,  Beech 
Mast,  Nuts,  Walnuts,  Sgc. 

The  following  directions  for  preparing 
sallad  oils,  in  a better  and  more  profitable 
wmy  than  has  hitherto  been  practised,  may 
be  fully  relied  on.  This  is  asserted,  by  a 
respectable  German  philosophical  andceco- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


nomical  writer,  who  thus  proceeds  with  his 
account  of  the  process,  which  is  here  faith- 
fully translated — “ After  a very  long  re- 
search, and  having  taken  a wide  survey 
of  nature,  it  evidently  appears  that,  in  the 
hull,  husk,  or  shell,  of  every  seed,  lays 
part  of  it’s  individual  character  or  qua- 
lity. It  has  a bad  taste,  however,  mixed 
or  blended  in  this  alliance,  either  of  bit- 
terness, sharpness,  or  austerity;  of  which, 
in  the  case  of  all  oleaginous  seeds,  the  oil, 
when  expressed,  more  or  less  participates: 
consequently,  it  naturally  escapes  that 
disadvantage,  if  the  seed  intended  for 
sweet  oil  be  first  hulled.  This  hulling,  it 
is  true,  gives  some  trouble.  Even  rape  oil 
might,  certainly,  become  quite  useful,  if 
managed  in  this  manner,  as  well  as  cole 
or  cabbage  seed ; but  the  seed  is  so  very 
small  as  to  render  the  compleat  hulling  of 
it  tedious  and  almost  impracticable.  Still, 

I think,  if  it  be  done  in  the  same  way  as  is 
practised  with  millet  and  mustard  seed,  at 
least  the  greatest  part  of  the  hull  will  be 
got  off.  I recommend,  on  this  occasion, 
to  pound  the  seed  before  the  grain  be 
brought  under  a pair  of  hulling  or  shelling 
stamps;  after  which,  the  hulls,  husks,  or 
shells,  may  be  fanned  or  winnowed  away, 
with  a common  winnowing  fan  or  van,  and 
the  rest  be  ground  or  stamped  into  a meal 
or  flour.  Beech  mast,  consisting  of  large 
three-cornered  seeds,  or  nuts,  coated  some- 
whatlike the  chesnitt,  may  not,  perhaps,  be 
easily  husked  or  shelled,  under  the  stamps. 

It  would,  therefore,  be  better  to  pass  these 
seeds  between  two  millstones,  at  a flour 
mill,  set  as  widely  from  each  other  as  this 
thick  seed  requires;  and  if,  after  all,  some 
small  particles  of  the  substance  or  nut 
should  remain  with  the  husks  or  shells, 
they  may  also  be  pressed,  having  the  little 


36 1 

bad  oil  they  produce  afterward  purified. 
Poppy  seed  is  to  be  treated  exactly  in  the 
same  way  as  rape  and  cole  seed.  Almonds, 
and  hazel  nuts,  as  they  are  sufficiently 
round,  will  admit  of  being  hulled  by  the 
hulling  stamp.  Walnuts  can  only  be  pre- 
pared by  the  hand,  after  having  been  pre- 
viously soaked.  In  the  slime  or  phlegm 
of  these  seeds,  particularly  rape,  cole,  and 
beech  mast,  there  remains  an  acerb  bad 
juice,  which  gives  the  oil  a disagreeable 
flavour;  and,  indeed,  all  the  others  have 
their  own  individual  flavour.  These  are 
each  to  be  taken  away,  or  purified,  by  the 
following  method — Put  them  into  a tub, 
and  pour  boiling  water  over  them:  stir 
them  well,  and  often;  and,  in  a few  hours, 
pour  off  the  water,  and  add  more  boiling 
hot.  Repeat  this  three  or  four  times  in 
twenty-four  hours,  and  then  spread  them 
to  dry.  When  quite  dry,  put  them  in  the 
meal  stamp,  or  beneath  the  press.  This 
meal  must  be  warmed,  but  with  great  judg- 
ment. In  a heated  copper,  set  a wide  iron 
pot,  standing  on  three  feet ; and,  in  thisr^ 
a stick  to  stir  the  meal.  Fill  the  copper 
half  full  of  water;  let  it  boil;  and,  putting 
the  meal  in  the  iron  pot,  it  cannot  burn, 
or  be  injured,  while  the  water  fails  rising 
to  it’s  surface.  The  meal  thus  carefully 
warmed,  and  well  stirred  together,  is  to  be 
taken  out,  and  may  then  be  beaten  with 
a kind  of  heavy  wedge,  and  thus  have  the 
first  or  virgin  oil  pressed  out,  which  is 
quite  excellent.  Rape  and  cole  seed  oil, 
prepared  in  this  way,  may  be  properly 
used  with  vegetables ; particularly,  for  po- 
tatoes, sour  crout,  &c.  to  which  it  imparts 
a delicious  flavour.  Beech  mast,  poppy, 
and  nut  oils,  are  also  thus  rendered  nearly 
equal  to  the  finest  Florence  or  Lucca  olive 
oils.  After  this  first  oil  is  obtained,  * 

4 Y 


302 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


heavier  wedge,  or  other  implement,  must 
be  employed  to  beat  out  the  remainder, 
till  all  be  compleatly  expressed:  an  in- 
ferior sort  is  thus  obtained;  which  will, 
nevertheless,  prove  extremely  useful  for 
ail  common  purposes.  It  may  seem  ex- 
traordinary that,  by  this  management, more 

oil  is  produced  than  can  be  obtained  in  the 

/ 

common  way.  The  hulls,  in  fact,  are  sup- 
posed to  retain  part  of  the  oil,  which  beat- 
ing or  pressing  alone  does  not  dislodge. 
All  utensils,  used  in  this  process,  particu- 
larly those  of  wood,  must  be  cleansed  and 
kept  sweet  with  the  greatest  care;  so  as  con- 
stantly to  be  free  from  any  staleness,  ran- 
cidity, or  other  taint,  which  -would  infal- 
libly prove  fatal  to  the  new  oil.  The  oil 
barrels,  or  jars,  in  which  it  is  deposited 
when  made,  must  also  be  kept  in  a state 
of  similar  purity.  No  mixture  should 
ever  be  made  of  old  and  new  oils.  These 
directions  and  cautions  being  all  duly  ob- 
served, the  older  these  oils  are,  if  properly 
kept,  the  more  precious  they  will  most  as- 
suredly prove.” 

Ready  Made  of  mending  Cracks  in  Stoves, 

Pipes,  and  Iron  Ovens,  as  practised  in  Ger- 
many. 

THUS,  in  Germany,  and  throughout  the 
north  of  Europe,  is  an  article  of  no  slight 
consequence.  It  may,  too,  frequently  prove 
serviceable  in  England;  where,  however, 
neither  stoves  with  pipes,  nor  iron  ovens, 
particularly  for  manufactories,  are  as  yet 
in  sufficient  use.  The  German  method  is 
as  follows — When  a crack  is  discovered, 
through  which  the  fire  or  smoke  pene- 
trates into  a room,  the  aperture  may  be 
comple  uly  closed,  in  a moment,  with  a 
composition  consisting  of  wood  ashes,  and 
common  salt,  made  up  into  a paste  with  a 


| little  water,  and  plastered  over  the  crack. 
Ihe  good  effect  is  equally  certain,  whether 
the  stove,  pipe*  or  oven,  be  cold  or  hot. 
I his  may  prove  a ready  occasional  substi- 
1 tute  for  some  of  our  more  complex  chemi- 
i cal  lutes. 

; Easy  and  Expeditious  Method  of  Tinning 
Copper  Saucepans,  Steve  pans,  and  other 
Copper  or  Iron  Culinary  Utensils,  Sc. 

Much  has  been  said,  on  the  subject  of 
tinning  the  insides  of  copper  vessels;  and, 
certainly,  when  the  tin  begins  to  wear  olf, 
the  greatest  attention  is  necessary  to  pre- 
vent fatal  consequences  from  the  acces- 
sion of  verdigrease:  tin,  too,  is  suspected 
to  be  often  very  largely  mixed  with  lead, 
when  used  for  this  purpose;  which  metal, 
when  corroded  by  acids,  is  of  an  equally 
j poisonous  quality.  Some  of  the  metallur- 
j gical  chemists,  indeed,  go  so  far,  as  to  con- 
tend that  there  is,  even  in  the  purest 
tin,  more  or  less  of  arsenic.  The  learned 
Bishop  of  Llandaff,  in  his  celebrated  Che- 
mical Essays,  has  most  ably  investigated 
this  subject;  and,  though  he  abstains  from 
any  positive  decision  of  even  tin’s  proving 
“ poisonous  of  itself,  as  lead  is  universally 
allowed  to  be,  when  taken  into  the  sto- 
mach;” the  worthy  prelate  wisely  and 
humanely  remarks,  for  the  purpose  of 
quieting  vain  and  weak  scruples,  that  “ the 
large  quantities  of  tin  which  are  sometimes 
, given  in  medicine  with  much  safety,  and 

j C-7  v * 

the  constant  use  which  our  ancestors  made 
! of  it  in  plates  and  dishes,  before  the  intro- 
duction  of  china  or  other  earthenware, 

1 without  experiencing  any  michief,  render 
all  other  proof  of  the  innocent  nature  of 
pure  tin  superfluous.  The  common  me- 
thod of  tinning,”  as  his  lordship  describes 
ij  it,  “ consists  in  making  the  surface  of  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


363 


vessel  quite  bright,  by  scraping  it,  and  by 
washing  it  with  a solution  of  sal  ammoniac: 
jt  is  then  heated,  and  the  tin,  or  metallic 
mixture  designed  for  tinning,  is  melted 
and  poured  into  it;  and,  being  made  quick- 
ly to  flow  over  every  part  of  the  surface  of 
the  vessel,  it  incorporates  with  the  copper, 
and  when  cold  remains  united  with  it. 
Resin  or  pitch  is  sometimes  used,  to  pre- 
vent the  tin  from  being  calcined,  and  the 
copper  from  being  scaled,  either  of  which 
circumstances  would  hinder  the  sticking  of 
the  tin.”  From  some  curious  experiments, 
the  Bishop  of  Llandaff  was  led  to  “ suspect, 
that  not  a quarter  of  a grain  of  tin  is  spread 
over  a square  inch,  in  the  common  way  of 
tinning;”  and  he  advises  that,  till  a dis- 
covery made  some  years  since  at  Paris,  of 
a method  of  giving  to  copper  or  iron  a 
coat  of  any  required  thickness,  become 
generally  known,  our  workmen  should 
study  to  cover  the  copper  with  as  thick  a 
coat  as  they  are  able  of  pure  tin.  Though 
tinning,  like  most  other  operations,  is  cer- 
tainly best  performed  by  those  who  have 
the  greatest  experience,  it  may,  where 
necessary,  be  easily  managed  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner,  as  is  commonly  practised 
in  Germany,  and  other  parts  of  the  con- 
tinent, by  the  cook  or  any  other  person — 
The  readiest  way  of  tinning  copper  kit- 
chen utensils,  and  which  any  cook  can  her- 
self readily  execute,  is  by  first  scouring 
the  article  perfectly  clean,  and  then  melt- 
ing in  it  sucli  a small  quantity  of  pure 
grain  tin  as  will  be  sufficient  to  overspread 
the  surface:  throwing  in  as  much  sal  am- 
moniac, fora  middling  sized  saucepan,  as 
can  be  taken  up  at  a pinch  with  the  thut  ffi 
and  a couple  of  lingers;  and,  immediately, 
with  a pieced  coarse  cloth,  or  rather  a 
whisk  or  toll  of  hard  twisted  hemp  or  flax, 


spreading  the. composition  uniformly  over 
the  sides  and  bottom  of  the  vessel.  Some 
are  of  opinion,  that  a third  part  zinc,  add- 
ed to  the  tin,  greatly  improves  the  coat- 
ing; but  this  is  not  at  all  necessary,  espe- 
cially where  the  tin  be  really  pure.  It  is 
very  remarkable,  that  tin  melts  with  less 
heating  than  any  other  simple  metallic 
substance,  except  quicksilver;  requiring, 
for  it’s  fusion,  not  twice  the  heat  in  which 
water  boils:  but  compositions  of  tin  and 
lead,  which  are  too  often  used  in  tinning, 
melt  with  a still  less  degree  of  heat  than 
what  is  requisite  to  melt  simple  tin;  and  a 
mixture  composed  of  five  parts  of  lead, 
and  three  parts  each  of  tin  and  bismuth, 
though  solid  in  the  heat  of  the  atmo- 
sphere, will  melt  with  a less  degree  of 
heat  than  that  in  which  water  boils.  With 
regard  to  the  safety  or  salubrity  of  tinned 
vessels,  our  learned  prelate  observes,  that 
“ the  danger  from  the  corrosion  or  solution 
of  the  tin,  by  vinegar,  juice  of  lemons, 
or  other  vegetable  acids,  if  any  at  all,  can- 
not, it  is  apprehended,  be  sensibly  felt  : 
except  in  very  irritable  habits,  or  where 
sour  broths,  sauces,  or  syrups,  arc  suffered 
to  stand  long  in  tinned  vessels,  before  the)' 
are  used:  and,  indeed,  a proper  attention 
to  keeping  the  vessels  clean,  might  render 
tiie  use  of  copper  itself,  for  the  boiling  of 
food,  especially  of  animal  food,  wholh 
safe.  The  French  may  be  allowed  to  ex- 
cel us  in  cooking;  but  we,  probably,  excel 
them  in  cleanliness:  for,  the  melancholy 
accidents  attending  the  use  of  copper  ves- 
sels, are  much  less  frequent  in  England 
than  in  France;  and  this  difference  pro- 
ceeds, I conjecture,  from  the  superior  care 
of  the  English  in  keeping  their  vessels 
clean,  and  from  the  cheapness  and  purity 
of  the  tin  we  use  in  tinning  copper.  We 


364  FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


are  not  certain,  that  the  art  of  tinning  cop- 
per vessels  was  known  to  the  Jews,  when  , 
they  came  out  of  Egypt:  the  vessels  used 
in  the  temple  service  were  made  of  cop- 
per, by  Divine  appointment ; and,  by  being 
constantly  kept  clean,  no  inconveniences 
followed.  The  wort  from  which  malt  li- 
quor is  brewed  is  boiled  in  copper  vessels, 
and  the  distillers  and  confectioners  pre- 
pare their  spirits  and  syrups  in  untinned 
vessels  of  the  same  metal,  without  our 
suffering  any  thing  in  our  health  from  these 
practices;  at  least,  without  our  being  gene- 
rally persuaded  that  we  suffer  any  thing. 
A new  copper  vessel,  or  a copper  vessel 
newly  tinned,  is  more  dangerous  than  after 
it  has  been  used  ; because  it’s  pores,  which 
the  eye  cannot  distinguish,  get  fdled  up 
with  the  substances  which  are  boiled  in  it, 
and  all  the  sharp  edges  of  the  prominent 
parts  become  blunted,  and  are  thereby 
rendered  less  liable  to  be  abraded.  1 he 
process  for  tinning  iron  vessels  is  similar 
to  that  for  copper ; only  that  they  should 
be  previously  cleaned  with  the  muriatic 
acid,  instead  of  being  scraped  or  scoured. 
The  mixture  generally  used  for  tinning 
copper  vessels,  by  coppersmiths,  &c.  con- 
sists of  three  pounds  of  lead  and  five  of 
pewter;  but,  when  a finer  composition  is 
required,  ten  parts  of  lead  are  mixed  with 
sixteen  of  tin;  or,  one  part  lead  with  two 
parts  tin.  The  proportions,  however, 
in  which  lead  and  tin  are  mixed  are  not 
every  where  the  same,  different  workmen 
having  different  customs.  Vessels  tinned 
with  pure  grain  tin,  or  With  the  best  pew- 
ter, which  contains  no  lead,  do  not  stain 
the  lingers  when  rubbed;  while  those  tin- 
ned with  a composition  into  wnich  lead 
enters  as  a constituent  part,  colour  the  lin- 
gers with  a blackish  tinge.” 


French  Method  of  Tinning  Hammered  Iron 
Vessels,  tyc.  u'ith  Zinc. 

ZiNC  was  recommended  for  tinning  cop- 
per, somewhat  earlier  than  the  middle  of 
the  last  century,  in  the  Memoirs  of  the 
Academy  of  Sciences  at  Paris;  both  in  pre- 
ference to  the  mixture  of  tin  and  lead,  and 
to  pure  tin.  Zinc  certainly  has  the  ad- 
vantage of  being  harder  than  tin,  and  of 
bearing  a greater  degree  of  heat  before  it 
will  be  melted  from  the  surface  of  the  cop- 
per: so  that,  on  both  these  accounts,  it 
would,  when  applied  on  the  surface  of  cop- 
per, last  longer  than  tin  ; just  as  tin,  for  the 
same  reasons,  lasts  longer  than  a mixture 
of  tin  and  lead.  According  toFourcroy,  M. 
De  la  Planche,  a physician  at  Paris,  in  or- 
der to  ascertain  the  effect  of  this  metal, 
tried  an  experiment  on  himself,  by  taking 
the  salts  of  zinc,  formed  with  the  vege- 
table acids,  in  a much  stronger  dose  than 
the  aliments  prepared  in  copper  vessels 
lined  with  zinc  could  have  contained,  from 
which  he  did  not  feel  the  slightest  degree 
of  any  dangerous  consequence.  A method 
has,  of  late  years,  been  introduced  at 
Rouen,  in  France,  of  applying  a coat  of 
zinc  in  hammered  iron  saucepans.  The 
vessels  are  first  made  very  bright,  so  that 
not  a black  speck  can  be  seen;  they  are 
then  rubbed  with  a solution  of  sal  ammo- 
niac, and  afterward  dipped  into  an  iron 
pot  full  of  melted  zinc:  when,  being  taken 
out,  the  zinc  is  found  to  cover  the  surface 
of  the  iron;  and,  if  a thicker  coat  be  re- 
quired, it  is  instantly  obtained  by  a second 
time  dipping  the  vessel.  This  kind  of 
covering  is  so  hard,  that  the  vessels  may 
be  scoured  with  sand  without  it's  being 
rubbed  off.  Co,  per  vessels,  of  course, 
uia)  be  tinned  in  a similar  way  with  zinc; 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


if,  indeed,  it  may  still  be  denominated 
tinning,,  when  not  a particle  of  tin  enters 
into  the  composition. 

Marnier  of  Manufacturing  Tin  Plate,  $$c. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  the  substance 
commonly  called  by  the  name  of  tin,  or 
tin  plate,  is  in  reality  nothing  more  than 
iron  plate  hammered  or  rolled  to  the  thin- 
ness in  which  this  article  is  seen,  and  then 
compleatlv covered  with  tin  in  the  following 
manner — The  iron  plates  being  steeped  in 
a weak  acid  liquor,  and  scoured  and  cleans- 
ed till  free  from  every  speck  of  rust  or 
blackness,  the  smallest  degree  of  which 
would  hinder  the  tin  from  sticking  to  the 
iron,  as  no  metal  will  combine  itself  with 
any  earth,  and  rust  is  the  earth  ol  iron, 
they  are  afterward,  when  madequite  bright, 
put  into  an  iron  pot  filled  with  melted  tin; 
and,  the  surface  of  this  melted  tin  being 

ept  covered  with  suet  or  pitch,  or  some 
other  substance,  to  prevent  it’s  calcination, 
the  tin  presently  unites  itself  to  the  iron, 
and  covers  each  side  of  every  plate  with  a 
thin  white  coat.  The  plates,  on  being 
taken  out,  undergo  some  slight  operations, 
to  render  them  neater  and  more  saleable, 
though  not  otherwise  essential,  and  are 
packed  up  in  boxes.  These,  the  Bishop  of 
Llandaff  observes,  “ are  every  where  to  be 
met  with,  in  commerce,  under  the  name 
of  tin  plates,  though  the  principal  part 
of  their  substance  is  iron;  and,  hence,  the 
French  have  called  them  fer  blanc,  or 
white  iron.  Sir  John  Pettus  says,  that  they 
were,  with  us,  vulgarly  called  latten ; though 
that  word,  more  usually,  I think,”  adds  his 
lordship,  “ denoted  brass.”  Iron  tacks  may 
be  tinned  in  a stone  bottle  with  some  tin 
and  sal  ammoniac,  by  agitating  them  while 
the  metal  is  heating  and  cooling. 


363 

I Dr.  Gibson’s  Celebrated  Substitute  for  hiss’s 
Milk. 

This  very  efficacious  substitute  for  ass’s 
milk,  in  consumptive  cases,  is  made  in  the 
following  manner,  according  to  a genuine 
receipt — Put,  to  three  pints  of  water,  forty 
; snails,  two  ounces  of  eringo  root,  and  two 
I ounces  of  pure  French  barley.  Boil  it  to 
a quart;  strain  off  the  liquor;  and  take 
two  table-spoonfuls,  twice  a day,  in  half  a 
pint  of  new  milk. 

Negro  Cecsar’s  Famous  Cure  for  Poison,  and 
for  the  Bite  of  a Rattle  Snake;  by  the  Dis- 
covery of  which  he  obtained  his  Freedom, 
and  a Hundred  Pounds  a Year  for  Life. 

This  article  is  extracted  from  the  Caro- 
lina Gazette;  in  which  "it  is  stated,  that 
the  general  assembly  had  purchased  the 
negro  Caesar’s  freedom,  and  granted  him 
a pension  of  one  hundred  pounds  per  an- 
num during  life,  as  a reward  for  the  dis- 
covery of  the  means  by  which  he  acquired 
so  much  celebrity  in  curing  persons  who 
had  swallowed  poison  or  been  bitten  by  a 
rattlesnake.  The  following  is  his  antidote 
against  poison — Take  the  roots  of  plantane 
and  wild  horehound,  fresh  or  dried,  three 
ounces;  boil  them  together,  in  two  quarts 
of  waster,  to  one  quart,  and  then  strain  it. 
Of  this  decoction,  let  the  patient  take  one- 
third  part  three  mornings  successively; 
from  w hich,  if  any  relief  is  found,  it  must 
i be  continued:  but,  on  the  contrary,  if  the 
party  find  no  alteration  after  the  third  dose, 
it  is  a sign  that  the  patient  has  either  not 
been  poisoned  at  all;  or,  that  it  has  been 
with  such  poison  as  Caesar’s  antidotes  will 
not  remedy,  and  may  discontinue  taking 
the  decoction.  During  the  cure,  the  pa- 
tient must  live  on  a spare  diet;  and  ab- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


36  6 

stain  from  eating  mutton,  pork,  butter,  or  j 
any  other  fat  or  oily  food.  The  plantane 
or  liorehound,  will  either  of  them  cure  I 
alone,  but  they  are  most  efficacious  toge-  | 
therj  and,  in  summer,  one  handful  of  the 
roots  and  branches  of  each,  will  serve  in- 
stead of  the  three  ounces  each  of  the  roots 
alone.  For  a drink,  during  the  cure,  lie 
directs  six  ounces  of  the  roots  of  golden  I 
rod,  or  two  large  handfuls  of  the  roots  and  j 
branches  together  during  the  summer,  to  | 
be  boiled  in  two  quarts  of  water  till  it  is 
reduced  to  a single  quart.  A little  bore- 
hound  and  sassafras  may  also  be  added. 
Put  to  this  decoction,  after  it  is  strained, 
a glass  of  rum  or  brandy,  sweeten  it  with 
sugar,  and  use  it  as  ordinary  drink.  An  j 
inward  fever  sometimes  attends  such  per-  ! 
sons  as  are  poisoned,  for  which  he  orders 
as  follows— Take  a pint  of  wood  ashes,  and 
three  pints  of  water;  stir  and  mix  them 
well  together,  and  let  them  stand  all  night. 
Strain  or  decant  off  the  ley,  next  morning: 
of  which,  ten  ounces  may  be  taken,  six 
successive  mornings;  warmed,  or  cold, 
according  to  the  weather.  These  medi- 
cines have,  in  general,  no  sensible  opera- 
tion; but,  sometimes,  they  work  in  the 
bowels,  and  give  a gentle  evacuation.  The 
usual  symptoms  attending  persons  poisoned 
are  these— A pain  of  the  breast,  difficulty 
of  breathing,  a load  at  the  pit  of  the  sto- 
mach, an  irregular  pulse,  burning  and 
violent  pains  of  the  viscera  above  and  be- 
low the  navel,  very  great  restlessness  of 
nights,  sometimes  wandering  pains  over 
the  whole  body,  a retching  and  inclination 
to  vomit,  profuse  sweats  which  always 
prove  serviceable,  slimy  stools  both  when 
costive  and  laxative,  the  face  of  a pale  and 
yellow  colour,  and  sometimes  a pain  and  ir 
flammation  of  the  throat.  The  appetite  1 


generally  weak,  and  some  cannot  eat  any 
thing.  Those  who  have  been  long  poisoned 
are  commonly  very  feeble,  and  weak  in 
their  limbs;  they  sometimes  spit  a great 
deal,  the  whole  skin  peels,  and  the  hair 
likewise  falls  off.  Caesar’s  cure  for  the 
bite  of  a rattle  snake  is  thus  prepared — 
i ake  of  the  roots  of  plantane  or  liorehound, 
in  summer  time  roots  and  branches  tone- 

O 

ther,  a sufficient  quantity:  bruise  them  in 
a mortar,  and  squeeze  out  the  juice;  of 
which,  give  as  expeditiously  as  possible 
one  large  spoonful.  If  the  party  be  swel- 
led, it  must  instantly  be  poured  down  the 
throat.  This  will  generally  cure;  hut,  if 
the  patient  find  no  relief,  in  an  hour  after, 
another  spoonful  must  be  given,  which 
never  fails.  If  the  roots  are  dry,  they  are 
to  be  moistened  with  a little  water.  A 
leaf  of  good  tobacco,  dipped  in  rum,  may 
be  applied  to  the  wound. 

Dr.  Bracken’s  Lancashire  Remedy  for  Coughs 
and  Colds. 

This  remedy  consists  of  two  articles; 
herb  tobacco,  and  liquorice  lozenges. 
For  the  tobacco — Take  of  the  herbs  beton y 
and  colts  foot  dried,  each  an  ounce;  best 
tobacco,  half  4n  ounce;  choicest  white  am- 
ber, in  powder,  three  drams;  and  freshest 
squinach,  or  camel’s  hay,  and  the  herb  ros 
solis,  or  sun  dew,  not  that  with  the  oblong 
but  with  the  round  leaf,  each  half  an  ounce. 
Cut  the  herbs  in  the  manner  of  tobacco, 
sprinkle  the  powder  of  amber  among  them, 
and  smoke  two  or  three  pipes  of  it  a day, 
for  a fortnight.  During  all  this  time,  use 
the  following  lozenges — Take  best  Spanish 
juice  of  liquorice,  an  ounce;  double  refined 
sugar,  two  ounces;  gum  Arabic,  finely- 
powdered, two  drams;  and  extract  of  opium, 
or  London  laudanum,  one  scruple.  V»reil 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


beat  or  pound  ail  together;  then,  with  mu- 
cilage of  gum  tragacanth,  form  the  whole 
into  small  lozenges,  to  be  dissolved  leisure- 
ly in  the  mouth  whenever  the  cough  is  trou- 
blesome, and  swallowed  down  as  gently 
as  possible.  This  process  is  pronounced 
infallible,  in  all  recent  coughs  and  colds. 

White  Spruce  Beer. 

This  article,  which  no  otherwise  differs, 
in  general,  from  the  commonest  spruce 
beer,  than  in  the  paler  colour  by  which, 
like  white  wine,  it  is  distinguished  from  li- 
quor of  a deeper  and  browner  or  redder 
hue,  may  be  thus  prepared — For  a cask  of 
six  gallons,  mix  well  together  a quarter 
of  a pound  of  the  purest  essence  of  spruce, 
seven  pounds  of  loaf  sugar  made  into  a 
clarified  syrup,  and  about  a gallon  and  a 
half  of  hot  water;  and,  when  sufficiently 
stirred  and  incorporated,  put  it  into  the 
cask,  and  fill  up  with  cold  water.  Then 
add  about  a quarter  of  a pint  of  good  ale 
yeast,  shake  the  cask  well,  and  let  it  work 
for  three  or  four  days;  after  which,  bung 
it  up.  In  a few  days,  it  may  be  bottled 
off  after  the  usual  manner;  and,  in  a week 
or  ten  days,  will  be  fit  for  use.  If,  on 
bunging  it  close,  about  a quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  isinglass,  first  dissolved  in  a little 
of  the  warmed  liquor  or  in  cyder,  be  stirred 
in,  by  way  of  fining,  the  spruce  beer  may 
acquire  a somewhat  superior  degree  of 
clearness.  In  proportion  to  the  coldness 
of  the  weather,  the  quantity  of  yeast  should 
be  increased.  Some,  instead  of  yeast,  use 
ale  or  beer  grounds  the  first  time  of  making, 
and,  afterward,  the  grounds  of  their  former 
spruce  beer.  In  warm  weather,  very  lit- 
tle ferment  is  requisite;  and,  in  hot  cli- 
mates, a little  palm  wine,  or  cocoa  nut 
milk,  will  excite  a fermentation  sufficiently 


367 

vigorous  for  an}'  spruce  liquor.  Where 
it  is  intended  to  brew  spruce  beer  for  the 
; use,  &c.  in  cold  climates,  it  will 

commonly  be  advisable  to  carry  out  yeast 
in  bladders,  casks,  &c. 

Spruce  Wine. 

In  this  wine  are  united,  as  Dr.  Shannon 
observes,  the  medicinal  qualities  of  the 
spruce  to  the  cordial  salubrity  of  the  honey. 
It  is  made  in  the  following  manner;  and 
may,  perhaps,  be  considered  as  only  a su- 
perior sort  of  white  spruce  beer,  if  it  he 
prepared  with  the  same  quantity  of  sugar 
instead  of  honey — To  every  gallon  of  wa- 
ter, take  a pound  and  a half  of  honey,  and 
half  a pound  of  fine  starch.  This,  it  is 
remarked,  will  form  a formidable  fluid,  of 
sufficient  specific  gravity;  and  stronger, 
in  proportion  to  it’s  gravity,  than  a fourth 
part  more  of  either  honey  or  sugar  alone: 
the  starch  agreeing  so  exceedingly  well 
with  saccharine  matter,  as  to  increase  the 
spirituosity  of  the  attenuated  fluid  in  a 
greater  degree  than  the  same  quantity  of 
saccharine,  or  the  fermentable  matter  se- 
parately. The  starch,  however,  previously 
to  it’s  being  blended  with  the  honey  li- 
quor or  syrup,  must  he  reduced  to  a tran- 
sparent jelly,  by  boiling  it  with  part  of  the 
water  purposely  preserved.  A quarter  of  a 
pound  of  essence  of  spruce  may  be  used 
: to  five  gallons  of  water;  and  the  same  me- 
thod may  be  pursued  in  working,  fining, 
and  bottling,  this  wine,  as  has  already  been 
; directed  for  then  bite  spruce  beer  in  the 
preceding  article.  If,  however,  the  wine 
be  tolerably  well  attenuated,  or  made  suf- 
ficiently thin,  and  bottled  as  soon  as  the 
fermentation  ceases,  a larger  portion  of  the 
carbonic  gas,  or  fixed  air,  will  he  con- 
centrated, to  increase  the  active  nature 


308 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


and  spirituosity  of  this  liquor,  and  render 
it,  in  some  slight  degree,  a sort  ol  spruce 
Cliampaigne. 

Citric  Acid,  and  Coxwcll’s  Concrete  Salt  of 
Lemons , &;c. 

The  juice  of  lemons,  it  is  observed  by 
chemists,  differs  little  in  quality  from  that 
of  oranges,  otherwise  than  in  containing 
more  citric  acid,  and  less  syrup.  So 
great,  indeed,  is  the  quantity  of  acid  in 
lemons,  that  from  this  fruit,  called  in  La- 
tin citrus,  the  citric  acid,  or  acid  of  lemons, 
derives  it’s  name,  though  found  plentifully 
in  many  other  vegetable  substances.  As 
the  simple  expressed  juice,  however,  will 
not  keep  ; in  order  to  divest  this  acid  of  the 
mucilaginous  or  other  foreign  particles 
with  which  it  is  frequently  combined,  the 
juice  expressed  from  lemons,  or  any  simi- 
lar fruit,  should  be  first  heated,  strained, 
and  filtered,  and  then  saturated  with  pul- 
verized chalk,  or  carbonate  of  lime,  till  all 
effervescence  ceases.  The  pripiate  hat 
is  formed  by  this  process,  obtains  the  che- 
mical name  of  citrate  of  lime;  which,  be- 
ing insoluble,  must  be  separated  from  the 
liquor,  and  washed  with  cold  water  till  it 
become  tasteless  and  perfectly  white.  It 
should  then  be  decomposed,  by  the  addi- 
tion of  half  it’s  weight  of  sulphuric  acid 
diluted  with  six  parts  of  water,  in  a gentle 
heat.  This  mixture  being  filtered,  on  be- 
coming cool,  the  pure  citric  acid  will  be 
found  disengaged  from  flic  sulphate  of 
lime.  The  citric  acid  may  also  be  obtained 
in  a crystalline  form,  after  liberation;  by 
evaporating  it,  over  the  fire,  to  the  con- 
sistence of  a clear  syrup,  and  then  expos- 
ing it  to  concrete  in  a cold  temperature. 
By  means  of  Schcele’s  process,  as  reduced 
to  determinate  quantities  by  Proust,  we 


can  obtain  the  citric  acid  perfectly  pure 
and  crystallized ; which,  according  to  the 
Edinburgh  Dispensatory,  is  as  follows — - 
To  ninety-four  parts  of  lemon  juice,  add 
four  parts  of  carbonate  of  lime.  The  car- 
bonic acid  being  separated  by  efferves- 
cence, a quantity  of  insoluble  citrate  of 
| lime  is  precipitated;  and,  bv  evaporating 
the  supernatant  liquor,  another  portion  of 
citrate  of  lime  is  obtained.  These,  when 
added  together,  amount  to  about  seven 
and  a half  parts;  and  require  twenty  parts 
of  sulphuric  acid  to  decompose  them.  The 
sulphate  of  lime,  being  nearly  insoluble, 
is  precipitated;  while  the  citric  acid  re- 
mains in  solution,  and  is  to  be  separated 
by  washing,  and  crystallized  by  evapora- 
tion. This,  though  the  express  language 
of  the  Edinburgh  Dispensatory,  is  not 
quite  correct;  exposure  to  the  air,  after 
evaporation,  will  be  necessary  to  produce 
crystallization,  as  we  have  before  described 
the  process.  If  too  much  sulphuric  acid 
be  added,  w hen  the  liquor  is  much  con- 
centrated, it  is  said  to  re-act  on  the  citric 
acid,  and  char  a portion  of  it.  When  this 
is  the  case,  a little  chalk  is  directed  to  be 
added.  By  this,  or  some  similar  process, 
concludes  the  Edinburgh  Dispensatory, 
the  citric  acid  is  now  manufactured  in  this 
country,  in  large  quantities,  and  sold  un- 
der the  name  of  Coxwell’s  Concrete  Salt 
of  Lemons.  A new  method  of  preserving 
and  concentrating  the  acid  of  lemons,  has 
been  published,  within  these  few  years,  by 
Dr.  Brugnatelli.  This  gentleman  directs 
the  newly  expressed  juice  to  be  strained 
through  fine  linen ; and,  a small  proportion 
of  rectified  spirit  of  wine  being  added,  to 
put  it  up  in  a bottle  closely  stopped  for 
several  days;  after  which,  the  considerable 
mucilaginous  sediment  that  will  be  formed. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK 


is  to  be  separated  by  filtration  of  the  li- 
quid through  blotting  paper.  Where  the 
quantity  of  spirit  employed  is  consider-  | 
able,  it  may  be  drawn  off  by  distillation 
in  a glass  retort';  but,  if  small,  the  juice 
may  be  simply  exposed,  for  some  time, 
in  a warm  temperature,  and  the  alcohol 
will  readily  evaporate,  leaving  a very  clear 
acid  of  peculiar  strength.  I he  citric  acid, 
in  whatever  way  prepared,  while  it  posses- 
ses it’s  natural  virtues,  is  to  be  considered 
as  a very  potent  and  agreeable  antiseptic. 

“ It’s  powers  are  much  increased,  according 
to  Dr.  Wright,”  says  the  Edinburgh  Dis- 
pensatory, “ by  saturating  it  with  muri- 
ate of  soda.  This  mixture  he  recommends, 
as  possessing  very  great  efficacy  in  dysen- 
tery, remittent  fever,  the  belly-ache,  and 
putrid  sore  throat,  and  as  being  perfectly 
specific  in  diabetes  and  lienteria.  Citric 
acid  is  often  used  with  great  success  for 
allaying  vomiting;  with  this  intention,  it 
is  mixed  with  carbonate  of  potash,  from 
which  it  expels  the  carbonic  acid  with 
effervescence.  This  mixture  should  be 

I 

drank  as  soon  as  it  is  made:  or  the  car-  j 
bonic  acid  gas,  on  which  actually  the  anti- 
emetic power  of  this  medicine  depends, 
may  be  extricated  in  the  stomach  itself, 
by  first  swallowing  the  carbonate  of  pot-  j 
ash  dissolved  in  water;  and  drinking,  im- 
mediately afterward,  the  citric  acid  pro- 
perly sweetened.  The  doses  are,  about  a 
scruple  of  the  carbonate,  dissolved  in  eight 
or  ten  drams  of  water;  and  an  ounce  of 
fresh  lemon  juice,  or  an  equivalent  quan-  j 
tity  of  citric  acid.”  The  citric  acid  affords 
an  agreeable  lemonade,  by  dissolving  a 
dram  of  it  in  two  quarts  of  water;  and  i 
adding  a sufficient  quantity  of  loaf  sugar,  j 
rubbed  on  fresh  lemon  or  Seville  orange 
peel  till  the  essential  oil  be  absorbed,  j 


This  pleasant  and  useful  refrigerant  drink, 
is  of  great  medicinal  service  in  allaying 
febrile  heat  and  thirst. 

Easy  Method  of  preparing  Scotch  Barley,  &’c. 

The  consumption  of  barley,  when  husk- 
ed or  blanched,  particularly  in  Scotland 
and  Germany,  is  very  great;  barley  broth 
being,  in  both  those  countries,  as  common 
as  soup  in  France  or  Italy.  What  is  called 
French  or  pearl  barley,  which  is  reduced  by 
mills  of  a peculiar  construction  to  thesizeof 
small  shot,  grinding  away  all  the  exterior 


the  grain,  though  commonly  preferred  in 
making  barley  water  for  convalescents,  is 
much  too  wasteful  a mode  to  suit  the  frugal 
and  (economical  habits  of  the  Scots  and 
Germans;  who,  very  prudently,  have  their 
barley,  for  domestic  purposes  in  general, 
prepared  with  the  husks  only  removed.. 
The  humbler  classes  of  the  people,  indeed, 
frequently  perform  the  process  of  husking 
or  bleaching  barley  themselves;  either  by 
hnndmills,  or  what  are  called  stamping 
mortars.  I hese  stamping  mortars, which  are 
much  used  in  Scotland,  may  be  easily  con- 
structed, by  hollowing,  or  excavating,  a 
heavy  and  solid  block  of  any  hard  wood, 
to  the  depth  of  about  two  feet;  and  then 
adapting  to  it  a heavy  pestle,  at  the  lower 
end  of  which  are  fixed  large  iron  nails, 
with  smooth  heads,  for  more  effectually 
striking  the  barley,  and  separating  it’s 
husks.  An  implement  of  this  sort  would 
be  very  useful  in  most  families,  for  many 
culinary  purposes;  as  wheat,  oats,  &c.  may, 
of  course,  be  husked  or  blanched  v ith  these 
stamping  mortars,  as  readily  as  barley. 
Even  a good  flour,  which  would,  at  least, 
always  be  genuine  and  unadulterated, 
might  be  obtained  in  this  manner. 

5 A 


370 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Art  of  Distilling  in  General. 

The  art  of  distillation,  or  evaporation 
by  means  of  heat,  and  condensing  the  va- 
pour by  cold,  commonly  called  distilling, 
is  a chemical  operation,  applied  both  to 
fluids  and  solid  substances:  in  the  former 
case,  denominated  "humid  distillation;  in 
the  latter,  dry.  The  purposes,  or  objects, 
to  be  answered  or  acquired  by  means  of 
distillation,  may  be  considered  as  threefold  : 
to  effect  the  separation  of  the  more  vola- 
tile fluids  or  essence,  whether  aqueous, 
spirituous,  or  oleaginous, from  solids  or  less 
volatile  liquids;  to  promote  the  union  of 
different  substances;  and  to  obtain,  by  a 
process  so  potent  in  combining,  separat- 
ing, transmuting,  and  concentrating,  an  ac- 
cession of  new,  useful,  and  curious  pro- 
ducts. The  heat  used  in  distilling,  should 
never  be  greater  than  is  necessary  for  the 
.formation  of  the  particular  vapour;  and, 
even  to  this  degree,  it  should  be  raised  by 
judicious  gradations.  The  heat  is  either 
applied  immediately  to  the  vessels  in  which 
the  substances  are  to  be  distilled;  or  me- 
diately, by  means  of  boiling  water,  hot 
sand,  hot  ashes,  iron  filings,  &c.  The 
apparatus  for  distillation,  consists  of  two 
principal  parts,  suited  to  the  combined 
or  double  operations  which  this  process 
includes;  evaporation,  and  condensation: 
the  respective  vessels  in  which  the  va- 
pours are  formed,  and  those  in  which  they 
are  condensed,  are  very  variously  fashioned, 
according  to  the  sort  of  distilling  intended. 
These  chief  differences  of  mode,  are  govern- 
ed by  the  direction  of  the  vapour:  where 
it  descends,  the  process  is  called  distillation 
per  descensum,  or  by  descent;  where  it  as- 
cends, distillation  per  ascensum,  or  by  as- 
cent; and,  where  it  pastes  off  obnqudy, 


distillation  per  lutus,  or  by  the  side,  and 
sometimes  oblique  distillation.  In  distil- 
lation by  descent,  which  is  chiefly  used  for 
j preparing  oil  of  cloves,  separating  mercury 
| and  zinc  from  their  respective  ores,  &c. 
t after  the  same  principle  as  tar  is  manufac- 
tured, the  subject  of  the  operation  is  placed 
; on  a tinned  iron  plate  perforated  with 
| small  holes,  or  a wire  frame,  lixed  in  any 
convenient  vessel  so  as  to  leave  a sufficient 
space  beneath  for  the  reception  of  the  oil, 
&c.  and  over  the  article  to  be  distilled,  is  laid 
another  iron  plate  large  enough  to  close 
the  mouth  of  the  vessel,  and  sufficiently 
strong  for  the  support  of  the  requisite  fuel. 
The  heat  is  thus  applied  from  above;  and 
the  vapour,  being  forced  to  descend,  is 
condensed  in  the  inferior  cavity.  In  dis- 
tillation by  ascent,  which  may  be  consider- 
ed as  the  grand  general  process  of  distilling, 
the  vapour  or  steam,  is  permitted  to  arise 
a certain  height,  when  it  is  conveyed  away 
to  be  condensed.  The  vessel  usually  em- 
ployed for  this  purpose,  is  the  common 
copper  still;  which  consists  of  a body  for 
containing  the  materials,  and  a head  for 
the  reception  of  the  vapour:  from  the  cen- 
tre of  the  head,  a tube  rises,  but  is  almost 
immediately  incurvated downward,  through 
which  the  vapour,  passes  to  be  condensed. 
The  condensing  apparatus  is  very  simple: 
the  tube  in  which  the  head  terminates  is 
inserted  into  the  upper  end  of  a pewter 
pipe,  or  worm,  made  in  a serpentine  form; 
and,  when  the  water  contained  in  the  re- 
frigeratory, or  worm  tub,  becomes  too  hot, 
and  does  not  condense  all  the  vapour  pro- 
duced, it  may,  by  means  of  the  stop-cock 
with  w hich  it  is  furnished,  be  changed  for 
cold.  From  the  lower  end  of  the  pipe, 
the  distillation  drops  into  the  vessel  placed 
for  it’s  recept.on,  and,  when  any  steam  is 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


observed  to  issue  with  it,  either  the  power 
of  the  fire  must  be  lessened,  or  the  water 
in  the  refrigeratory  changed.  Distilling 
by  circulation  was  a process  formerly  much 
in  use;  which  consisted  in  so  arranging  the 
apparatus  that  the  vapours  were  no  sooner 
condensed  into  a fluid  form,  than  they  re- 
turned back  to  be  again  vapourized.  This 
was  effected  by  distilling  in  a glass  vessel 
with  a neck  of  sucli  length  that  the  steam 
was  condensed  before  it  escaped  at  the 
upper  extremity;  or,  by  inverting  one 
matras,  or  long  and  narrow  necked  vessel 
of  glass,  within  another.  When  corrosive 
substances  are  distilled  in  this  way,  though 
they  are  readiest  distilled  oblicjuely,  the 
cucurbit  and  alembic  are  used.  The  dis- 
tillation perlatus,  being  the  simplest  mode, 
is  performed  in  a retort,  or  pear-shaped 
vessel,  which  has  it’s  neck  bent  to  one  side. 
The  body  should  be  well  rounded,  of  a 
uniform  appearance,  and  equal  in  thick- 
ness; with  the  neck  bent  sufficiently  to 
allow  the  condensed  vapours  freely  to  run 
off,  but  not  so  much  as  to  render  incon- 
venient the  application  of  the  receiver,  or 
bring  it  too  near  the  furnace.  If  the  pas- 
sage from  the  body  to  the  neck  be  not 
perfectly  free,  and  sufficiently  wide,  the 
vapours  produced  in  the  retort  will  only 
circulate  in  it’s  body,  without  passing  over 
into  the  receiver.  A bent  funnel,  long- 
enough  for  introducing  the  liquor  directly 
into  the  body  of  the  rctoit,  without  soiling 
it’s  neck,  which  would  injure  the  product, 
is  necessary  to  be  used;  and,  in  withdraw- 
ing it,  great  care  must  be  taken  to  keep 
it  applied  to  the  upper  part  of  the  retort, 
so  that  the  drop  which  hangs  from  it  may  i 
not  touch  the  inside  of  tue  neck.  Retorts 
are  made  ot  various  materials;  but  flint 
glass  is  most  commonly  used,  when  the 


371 

heat  is  not  so  powerful  as  to  melt  it:  where 
excessive  degrees  of  heat  are  required, 
retorts  of  earthenware,  or  coated  glass,  are 
employed.  Iron  retorts  are  used  for  the 
distillation  of  quicksilver.  The  simplest 
condensing  apparatus  used  with  a retort 
is  the  common  glass  receiver;  being  a 
conical  or  globular  vessel,  with  a neck 
wide  enough  to  admit  that  of  the  retort. 
The  retort  and  receiver  should  be  accurate- 
ly ground  to  fit  each  other,  or  they  must 
be  secured  by  some  proper  lute;  otherwise, 
the  vapours  to  be  condensed,  will  consider- 
ably dissipate.  The  receiver  must  be  kept 
free  from  too  much  heat,  during  the  con- 
densation of  the  vapours  within  it;  by  be- 
ing either  immersed  in  cold  water,  covered 
with  snow  or  pounded  ice,  or  having  a 
constant  evaporation  from  it’s  surface  sup- 
ported by  the  descent  of  cold  water  on  a 
cloth  with  which  it  is  covered,  through  mi- 
nute syphons  or  spongy  worsted  threads, 
from  a vessel  placed  above.  To  permit  the 
escape  of  elastic  vapours,  a small  hole  may 
be  made  through  the  lute  with  a thin  pin, 
or  the  lute  be  perforated  by  a small  quill, 
and  fitted  with  a stopper.  Such  is  the  ge- 
neral process  for  distilling  in  these  differ- 
ent ways.  In  very  nice  operations,  a more 
complicated  apparatus,  and  an  enlarged 
theory  as  well  as  practice,  are  both  neces- 
sary tocompleat  success.  It  has  been  re- 
marked, that  this  distillation  per  latus,  or 
oblique  distilling,  is  the  simplest  method, 
and  most  extensively  used;  a retort  and 
receiver  being  the  fewest  vessels  which 
can  be  employed  in  distilling:  yet,  where 
the  heat  is  properly  managed,  every  ope- 
ration of  the  other  methods  may  be  per- 
formed in  this  way  with  great  facility. 
Accordingly,  it  has  actuary  happened,  that 
most  ot  the  improvements  in  distillation 


I 


•372 


family  receipt-book. 


for  philosophical  purposes,  have  been  made  , 
while  pursuing  this  method.  In  applying  ; 
no  more  heat  than  is  necessary  to  raise  the  j 
particular  volatile  matter,  and  keeping  the 
receiving  apparatus  sufficiently  cool,  consist 
the  grand  principles  of  the  successful  prac- 
tice of  this  art.  The  repeated  distillation 
.of  any  fluid,  is  termed  rectification;  when 
distillation  renders  the  fluid  stronger,  or 
abstracts  from  it  aquosity,  or  water,  it  is 
termed,  by  chemists,  dephlegmation  ; when  1 
a fluid  is  distilled  off  from  any  substance, 
it  is  called  abstraction;  and,  if  the  product 
be  distilled  over  again  from  the  same  sub- 
stance, or  from  a fresh  quantity  of  the  same  ; 
'substance,  it  is  denominated  cohobation. 

Method  of  preparing  Malt  J Fash  for  Distilla- 
tion to  obtain  Spirit. 

Take  ten  pounds  of  malt  reduced  to  a 
fine  meal,  and  three  pounds  of  common 
flour:  stir  them  well  together,  in  two  gal- 
lons of  cold  water  j and,  making  five  gal-  j 
Ions  more  boiling  hot,  pour  it  into  the 
mixture,  and  stir  the  whole  briskly  again. 
After  two  hours,  repeat  the  stirring;  and, 
when  the  mixture  becomes  cold,  add  to  it  ; 
about  half  a gill  of  yeast,  and  let  it  stand,  J 
loosely  covered,  in  a warmish  situation,  to  j 
ferment.  This  is  the  Dutch  method  of 
preparing  what  is  denominated  the  distil- 
ler’s wash  for  malt  spirit;  thus  saving 
much  trouble,  and  obtaining  a large  por-  [ 
tion  of  spirit,  by  reducing  the  two  processes  ! 
of  brewing  and  fermenting  to  a single  ope-  j 
ration.  By  the  old  English  method  of 
brewing  and  mashing  for  spirit,  as  is  com-  ! 
monly  done  for  beer,  only  pouring  the  i 
wort  into  large  coolers  instead  of  boiling 
it,  and  afterward  running  it  into  the  fer- 
menting mashes  to  be  worked  or  ferment-  1 
ed  with  yeast,  twice  as  much  labour  is  ; 


bestowed  on  tho  operation  ns  is  requisite. 
Beside  which,  a considerable  quantity  of 
spirit  is  lost,  byJeaving  Ihe  gross  bottoms 
out  of  the  still,  through  fear  of  burning: 
while,  by  grinding  tiie  malt  fine,  all  it’s 
fermentable  parts  are  set  loose,  so  as  at 
once  to  mix  with  the  water;  and  the  entire 
bottoms  may  lie  put  into  the  still  without 
the  smallest  dread  of  burning,  having  lost 
their  clamminess  in  the  fermentation,  so 
as  to  become  light  and  buoyant,  and  thus 
increase  the  yield  of  the  spirit.  The  meal 
of  unmalted  corn  is  found  necessary  to  be 
mixed  with  the  malt,  to  prevent  it’s  over 
fermenting,  and  throw  ing  off  the  spiritu- 
ous matter;  but,  as  dispatch  is  here  parti- 
cularly required,  to  avoid  expence  and  a 
large  apparatus  of  \essels  a considerable 
quantity  of  yeast  is  added  for  the  sake  of 
quickening  t lie  fermentation,  so  as  that  it 
may  be  finished  in  two  or  three  days.  If 
the  weather  he  cold,  more  yeast  should  be 
added ; if  it  be  hot,  less.  The  exact  con- 
trary, however  is  to  be  observed  with  regard 
to  the  proportion  used  of  unmalted  meal: 
more  of  which  is  wanted  in  hot  weather 
to  check,  and  less  in  cold  to  hasten,  the  ope- 
ration; which,  in  the  preparation  of  this 
wash,  is  required  to  be  violent.  In  the 
fermentation  for  wines,  the  rule  is  pre- 
cisely opposite;  as,  the  slower  the  opera- 
tion is  performed,  the  better  the  liquor  will 
prove:  which  rule,  indeed,  may  even  here  be 
in  a slight  degree  applied,  since  it  is  possi- 
ble to  ferment  the  wash  so  very  violently 
as  to  make  it  soon  end  in  putrefaction. 
On  properly  conducting  this  process,  all 
the  spirit  that  malt  and  meal  are  capable 
of  affording  by  fermentation  w ill  readily 
be  obtained  in  the  subsequent  distillation ; 
and,  in  a similar  way,  oilier  fermentable 
substances  may  be  prepared  for  tiie  still. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Distillation  of  Malt  Wash,  for  Proof  Spirit, 
Brandi),  Rum,  Arrack,  Sic. 

Having  prepared  the  malt  wash,  or 
fermented  mixture  of  meal  and  malt,  fill 
with  it  two  thirds  of  a still,  first  made  hot 
and  dewy  within  by  boiling  water.  Keep 
the  whole  stirring,  till  it  nearly  boils; 
then  immediately  clap  on  the  head,  and 
lute  it  down.  A spirituous  liquor,  so  in- 
flammable as  to  burn  in  the  fire,  will  now 
•soon  run,  in  a slender  stream,  from  the 
nose  of  the  worm.  This  being  continued 
as  long  as  the  liquor  that  comes  over  will, 
when  thrown  on  the  hot  still  head,  catch 
flame  from  a lighted  candle  applied  to  the 
rising  fume,  produces  a spirituous  liquor, 
thence  termed  proof  spirit,  which  the  malt 
distillers  denominate  a malt  low  wine. 
What  comes  over,  after  the?spirit  falls  off 
from  being  proof,  or  no  longer  burns  on 
the  still  head,  is  called  the  faints,  or  after 
runnings  ; which  are  usually  added  to  the 
next  distillation  of  the  wash.  When  all 
the  spirit  is  thus  obtained,  there  yet  re- 
main in  the  still  the  gross  parts  of  the 
fermented  malt  and  meal  mixed  with  wa- 
ter, and  which  are  called  bottoms.  This 
residuum  is  generally  used  for  feeding 
hogs;  and,  accordingly,  some  of  our  great- 
est malt  distillers  are  large  dealers  in  those 
animals.  In  Holland,  however,  it  constant- 
ly forms  a separate  business.  By  the  mode 
thus  described,  with  a slight  and  obvious 
variation  of  circumstances,  may  be  pro- 
cured all  sorts  of  inflammable  spirits;  such 
as  brandies,  rums,  arracks,  cyder  spirit,  &c. 
for,  if  any  beer,  wine,  or  fermented  liquor 
from  sugar,  treacle,  roots,  fruits,  &c.  be 
treated  in  a similar  manner,  it  will  afford 
an  inflammable  proof  spirit,  differing  only 
according  to  the  nature,  or  specific  taste 


37.3 

| and  odour,  of  the  article  or  subject  em- 
ployed. None  of  these  articles,  however, 
will  afford  the  smallest  drop  of  inflamma- 
ble spirit,  without  a previous  fermentation: 
thus,  though  the  recent  juice  of  the  grape, 
or  any  other  fermentable  juice,  were  dis- 
tilled to  di^vness,  no  inflammable  spirit 
would  ever  be  procured;  such  spirit  being 
only  obtainable  by  actual  previous  fer- 
mentation. The  cautions  chiefly  requisite 
to  be  observed  in  every  part  of  the  process 
are,  with  regard  to  the  fermentation,  that 
it  be  well  performed,  so  as  for  the  liquor 
to  become  truly  vinous,  and  of  an  acid 
pungency:  and,  with  regard  to  the  distil- 
lation, that  it  be  gently  conducted,  by 
means  of  a soft,  w^ell-regulated  fire;  the 
grosser  oil,  which  is  apt  to  rise  along  with 
the  spirit,  being  kept  back  by  a proper 
strainer,  or  thick  flannel  doubled,  laid  un- 
der the  nose  of  the  worm.  If  these  cautions 
be  duly  observed,  the  malt  spirit,  or  low 
wines,  will  prove  considerably  pure  and 
vinous;  requiring  only  simple  rectification, 
to  become  saleable  proof  spirits  of  the 
different  qualities:  and  this  rectifying  is 
commonly  called  making  up  the  respective 
goods  to  saleable  proof. 

Simple  Rectification,  or  Distillation  of  Low 

Wines  into  Alcohol  or  Spirit  of  Wine,  and 

what  are  called  Proof  Goods. 

On  distilling  over  again,  but  only  in  a 
water  bath,  by  barely  the  heat  of  boiling 
water,  the  low  wine,  or  spirit,  produced  as 
directed  in  the  preceding  article,  will  be 
obtained  a purer  and  higher  rectified  spirit 
than  before;  this  being  what  is  denomina- 
ted an  alcohol,  or  spirit  of  wine,  is  let  dowm, 
or  reduced,  with  pure  water,  to  a certain 
standard  of  strength  called  proof.  Malt 
distillers  denominate  the  thus  simply  rec- 
5B 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


S74 

tified  malt  spirit  proof  goods.  Not,  indeed,  | 
that  they  rectify  their  spirit  in  balneum  j 
mariae,  or  the  water  bath,  but  barely  distill 
again  the  low  wine  in  a smaller  copper  still ; j 
their  spirit,  therefore,  is  less  clean,  than 
when  prepared  as  above  directed.  The 
proof  goods,  or  this  simple  rectified  spirit 
of  the  malt  distiller,  is  delivered,  usually 
by  weight,  to  the  rectifying  distiller,  at  j 
one  to  ten  over  proof.  The  rectifying  | 
distiller  then  rectifies  or  distils  it  over 

l 

again;  combined  with  certain  ingredients,  | 
and  clarified  from  it’s  gross  oil  and  other 
impurities,  with  a view  to  render  it  fit  for 
making  into  brandy,  rum,  arrack,  gin,  or 
cordial  compounds,  which  he  sells  to  the 
dealers  at  an  over  proof  strength  of  one  in 
five.  All  distilled  ardent  spirits,  it  is  well 
known,  from  whatever  fermented  liquor 
■originally  distilled,  when  highly  rectified, 
and  rendered  pure  and  free  from  every 
other  substance,  except  that  proportion  of 
phlegm  cr  water  which  can  never  be  sepa- 
rated, are  absolutely  alike  in  their  qualities, 
and  of  the  same  identical  nature.  When, 
therefore,  brandy  properly  so  called  was 
the  only  distilled  spirit  in  common  use, 
the  rectified  spirit  employed  by  chemists  j 
and  apothecaries,  as  well  as  in  various  1 
other  arts  and  trades,  was  solely  obtained  j 
from  that  source,  by  a higher  degree  of 
rectification,  or  re-distilling,  and  sold  un- 
der the  name  of  spirit  of  wine  ; and,  indeed, 
this  alcohol  was,  in  truth,  at  that  time,  a 
spirit  actually  extracted  from  wine.  On  ' 
the  discovery,  that  a much  cheaper  distil- 
led spirit  was  procurable  from  malt,  it’s  low 
price  occasioned  it  to  be  soon  substituted 
for  brandy  in  procuring  a rectified  spirit, 
cr  alcohol,  which  was  experienced  to  be 
so  much  the  seme  as  that  afforded  by  brandy 
and  denominated  spirit  of  wine,  having  a 


real  as  well  apparent  sameness  of  nature, 
that  it  occupied  it’s  name  as  well  as  it’s 
office,  and  became  generally  used,  for 
medicinal  and  other  purposes,  under  the 
appellation  of  spirit  of  wine. 

A,  t of  Rectifying,  Flavouring,  and  Colouring 

Proof  Spirit,  for  the  Successful  Imitation 

of  French  Brandy,  $c. 

The  art  of  rectification,  in  it’s  enlarged 
sense,  is  an  operation  necessarily  practised 
in  countries  where  ardent  spirit  is  drawn 
from  malt  or  grain,  as  a bumble  imitation 
of  brandy,  neither  grapes  nor  vines  suf- 
ficiently abounding  for  that  purpose.  In 
most  northern  countries  of  Europe,  not 
only  grain,  but  sugar,  molasses,  and  other 
saccharine  and  fermentable  substitutes,  are 
used  for  the  juice  of  the  grape  ; and,  in  the 
West  Indies,  rum  prepared  from  the  juice 
of  the  sugar  cane.  There  are  several  ways 
of  rectifying;  and  it  is  said,  by  Dr.  Shan- 
non, one  of  the  best  judges  of  this  subject, 
that  those,  in  general,  practised  by  our 
distillers,  hardly  deserve  the  name.  “ The 
principal  business  of  rectification,”  savs 
this  gentleman,  “ is  to  separate  the  spirit 
from  the  essential  oil  of  the  malt,  &c.  which 
is  very  apt  to  adhere  strongly  to  the  spirit. 
Care  should  be  taken,  in  the  first  distilla- 
tion, that  the  spirit,  especially  that  from 
malt  or  grain,  be  drawn  by  a gentle  fire; 
by  which  means,  great  part  of  the  essential 
oil  will  be  kept  from  mixing  with  the  spirit; 
for  experience  has  abundantly  proved,  that- 
it  is  much  easier  to  keep  them  asunder, 
than  to  separate  them  when  mixed.  As, 
however,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  draw 
low  wines  without  the  spirit  bring  in  some 
measure  impregnated  with  an  over  propor- 
tion of  essential  oil,  it  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary that  some  method  should  be  used  for 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


separating  the  spirit  from  the  oil,  as  well 
a-s  for  freeing  it  from  it’s  phlegm ; and  the 
"best  modes  of  doing  this  to  perfection,  are 
re-distillation,  and  percolation.  In  order  to 
rectify  low  wines,  they  should  be  put  into 
a tall  body,  or  alembic,  and  gently  distilled 
in  balneum  mariae;  by  this  means,  a large 
proportion  both  of  oil  and  phlegm  will 
remain  in  the  body:  but  if,  after  this  ope- 
ration, the  spirit  should  be  found  to  cot> 
tain  somewhat  too  much  of  the  essential 
oil,  it  must  be  let  down  with  fair  water,  and 
re-distilled  in  the  same  gentle  manner. 
It  may  thus  be  brought  to  any  degree  of 
perfection;  especially  if,  in  the  working, 
the  spirit  be  suffered  to  fall  into  a proper 
quantity  of  fair  water.”  As  the  oil  is  more 
intimately  mixed  with  alcohol  and  proof 
spirit,  than  it  is  with  low  wines,  they  are 
cleansed  or  purified  with  most  difficulty. 
Though  every  distiller  pretends  to  have  a 
different  nostrum,  the  principal  methods 
in  use  for  rectifying  malt  spirits  are  all 
reducible  to  three:  namely,  by  fixed  alka- 
line salts;  by  acid  spirits  mixed  with  alka- 
line salts;  and  by  saline  bodies  and  fla- 
vouring ingredients.  Dulcified  spirit  of 
nitre,  prepared  by  a long  digestion  with 
alcohol,  and  mixed  properly  in  the  spirit, 
will  give  it  an  agreeable  vinous  flavour; 
but  the  only  known  method  of  imitating 
French  brandies  to  perfection,  is  said,  by 
Dr.  Shannon,  to  be  by  an  essential  oil  of 
wine  and  acid  of  tartar,  they  being  the 
only  things  which  give  the  French  brandies 
their  genuine  flavour.  We  must,  however, 
remember  that,  in  order  to  use  even  these 
ingredients  to  advantage,  a pure  tasteless 
spirit  must  be  first  procured.  The  es- 
sential oil  of  wine  is  prepared  by  dissolv- 
ing some  cakes  of  dry  wine  lees,  such  as 
the  hatters  use,  in  six  or  eight  times  their 


375- 

weight  of  water;  distilling  the  liquor  with 
a slow  fire;  separating  the  oil  with  a sepa- 
rating glass;  and  reserving,  for  this  use, 
only  that  which  first  comes  over,  the  suc- 
ceeding oil  being  very  inferior,  and  even 
resinous.  To  prepare  the  acid  or  crystals- 
of  tartar,  boil  half  a pound  of  cream  of 
tartar  in  three  pints  of  water;  and  add,  by 
a little  at  a time,  two  ounces  of  strong  oik 
of  vitriol.  The  fluid,  when  a compleat 
solution  is  effected,  will  contain  disengaged 
acid  of  tartar;  together  with  vitriolated 
tartar  or  the  neutral  salt,  formed  by  the 
union  of  the  vitriolic  acid  with  the  vege- 
table alkali  of  the  cream  of  tartar  r and  this 
vitriolated  tartar,  being  a salt  of  sparing 
solubility,  will  be  precipitated  by  a con- 
tinuation of  the  boiling.  The  liquor,  on 
being  evaporated  to  the  reduction  of  one 
half,  is  to  be  filtered;  and  if,  on  farther 
evaporation,  any  thing  more  should  be  pre- 
cipitated, it  must  be  again  filtered.  The  clear 
liquid  being  then  reduced  to  the  consis- 
tence of  a syrup,  and  kept  in  a rather  warm 
situation,  will  afford  fine  crystals  of  tar- 
tarous  acid,  equal  in  weight  to  half  the* 
quantity  of  cream  of  tartar  employed  in. 
producing  them.  It  is  better  to  use  too. 
little  than  too  much  oil  of  vitriol;  as  the 
part  of  the  cream  of  tartar,  in  that  case 
not  decomposed,  will  separate  from  the 
liquor  along  with  the  vitriolated  tartar. 
These  crystals  of  tartar,  though  they  do 
not  change  by  exposure  to  the  air,  are  much 
more  soluble  in  water  than  cream  of  tar- 
tar itself.  By  digestion  with  water,  these 
acid  crystals  of  tartar  are  convertible  to 
vinegar.  A fine  essential  oil  of  wine,  and 
pure  acid  of  tartar,  being  thus  procured, 
in  addition  to  a pure  and  insipid  spirit, 
French  brandies  may  be  imitated  both  in 
flavour  and  quality;  but,  in  order  perfectly; 


376 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


to  succeed,  for  Ihe  imitation  of  any  par- 
ticular brandy,  that  of  Coniac,  for  example, 
the  essential  oil  of  wine  should  be  pre- 
pared from  Coniac  lees.  I he  flavour,  how- 
ever, though  the  essential  part,  is  not  all; 
strength,  colour,  softness,  and  coolness, 
must  also  be  regarded.  The  strength,  or 
proof,  indeed,  may  easily  be  matched,  by 
using  a spirit  rectified  above  proof;  and, 
after  being  intimately  mixed  with  the  es- 
sential oil  of  wine,  letting  it  down  to  a 
due  standard  with  pure  water,  as  regulated 
by  the  hydrometer.  Considerable  soft- 
ness may  be  obtained,  by  distilling  and 
rectifying  the  spirit  with  a gentle  fire;  and 
time,  assisted  by  the  acid  of  tartar,  will 
supply  the  rest:  for,  even  French  brandies 
are,  at  first,  like  our  spirits,  though  not  per- 
haps equally  so,  always  foul,  acrid, and  fiery. 
The  exact  colouring  of  brandy,  however 
simple,  is  by  no  means  the  smallest  dif- 
ficulty; particularly,  where  it  is  intended 
that  the  imitation  should  not  be  detected. 
If,  however,  a quantity  of  oak  shavings  or 
sawdust  be  digested  in  strong  spirit  of 
wine,  and  alike  quantity  in  water,  till  both 
liquors  have  acquired  a very  strong  tinc- 
ture from  the  oak,  and  then  each  be  poured 
off  and  reduced,  separately,  over  a gentle 
fire,  to  the  consistence  of  treacle,  and  after- 
ward mixed,  as  they  may  effectually  be, 
by  adding  a small  quantity  of  powdered 
loaf  sugar,  and  blending  the  whole  toge- 
ther, a liquid  essential  extract  of  oak  may 
be  obtained,  which  will  at  all  times  be  in 
readiness  for  this  purpose:  and  which  not 
only  communicates  a colour  resembling 
with  great  exactness  that  which  is  found  in 
such  French  brandies  only  as  have  acquired 
a mellow  ripeness  by  age,  supposed  to  be 
merely  derived  from  the  gum  resinous 
part  of  the  oak  of  the  cask;  but  actually 


sustains  the  test  of  the  common  experiment 
to  prove,  by  the  nature  of  it’s  colour, 
the  truth  of  it’s  being  genuine  French 
brandy.  This  usual  experimentisthus  made 
— Pour  into  a glass  of  the  brandy  to  be 
tried,  a few  drops  of  a solution  of  calcined 
vitriol  of  iron  in  a diluted  spirit  of  sulphur, 
or  any  other  mineral  acid;  and,  if  the 
whole  turn  of  a blue  colour,  it  is  considered 
as  genuine:  an  effect  to  be  accounted  for, 
on  the  same  principle  as  ink  is  made  by  a 
tincture  of  galls  and  vitriol;  and,  accord- 
ingly, a solution  of  green  vitriol,  in  three 
times  it’s  weight  of  water,  will  afford  a suf- 
ficient test.  Brandies  are  coloured  by 
many  other  methods;  the  best  of  which, 
next  to  that  with  the  oak  extract,  are  mo- 
lasses or  common  treacle,  and  burnt  sugar. 
The  treacle,  in  reality,  possesses  some  pe- 
culiar advantages:  it  not  only  gives  the 
spirit  a fine  colour,  but  imparts  to  it  a 
sweetish  or  luscious  taste,  with  a fulness  in 
the  mouth;  and  though,  as  it’s  colour  is 
dilute,  a large  quantity  must  be  used,  and 
the  spirit  is  thus  necessarily  weakened,  by 
the  bubble  proof  of  strength,  as  it  may 
here  most  emphatically  be  denominated, 
that  general  though  fallacious  criterion  of 
spirituous  liquors,  is  greatly  increased  by 
the  tenacity  which  the  treacle  communi- 
cates to  the  brandy.  Burnt  sugar,  too, 
has  some  circumstances  in  it’s  favour: 
compared  with  treacle,  a smaller  quantity 
of  it  suffices;  the  colour  is  nearly  as  good; 
and  the  taste,  though  very  different,  being 
of  an  agreeable  bitterness,  recommends 
itself  to  those  palates  which  are  averse  to 
any  luscious  sweetness  in  spirits.  The 
burnt  sugar  is  prepared,  for  this  purpose, 
by  dissolving  it  in  a very  small  proportion 
of  water,  and  keeping  it  over  the  fire  till 
it  be  literally  burnt  of  a black  colour.  Mo- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


lasses  without  the  addition  of  water,  being 
of  a proper  consistence  to  burn,  is  the 
colouring  substance  used:  it  is  heated  to 
ebullition;  set  on  fire;  and,  when  burnt 
enough,  extinguished.  Neither  the  trea- 
cle nor  burnt  sugar,  however,  though  both 
sufficiently  imitate  the  true  colour  of  old 
French  brandy,  will  succeed  in  passing 
for  genuine,  when  put  to  the  test  of  what 
was  formerly  called  the  yellow  liquor; 
made  by  dissolving  a little  green  vitriol 
first  calcined  to  redness,  in  a weak  spirit 
of  sea  salt.  That  it  is  the  oak  which  causes 
French  brandies  to  have  a beautiful  blue 
colour,  when  a glass  of  it  receives  a few 
drops  of  this  yellow  or  assay  liquor,  has 
keen  sufficiently  demonstrated;  beside 
which,  it  is  certain  that,  if  the  best  and 
eldest  French  brandy  be  re-distilled,  and 
thus  rendered  colourless,  it  will  not  burn 
blue  with  the  assay  liquor,  because  all  the 
tincture  of  the  oak,  or  tingeing  matter  of 
the  cask,  is  left  behind  in  the  still.  One  of 
the  best  methods  to  prevent  being  imposed 
on  by  the  substitution  of  malt  spirit  for 
a finer,  is  to  acquire  an  accurate  habit  of 
judging  by  the  taste  and  odour;  for  malt 
spirit  is  usually  so  ill  rectified,  by  the  ad- 
dition of  fixed  alkaline  salts,  or  certain  fa- 
vouring ingredients,  that  it  may  easity  be 
perceived  by  the  nose  or  palate:  more 
particularly,  if  it  be  largely  diluted  with 
water,  to  prevent  it’s  over  heating  the 
mouth;  or  else  burnt  in  a spoon,  that  the 
phlegm  may  be  left  to  be  tasted  and  smel- 
led by  itself.  This  phlegm,  if  the  brandy  he 
debased  by  a common  com  spirit,  will 
taste  and  smell  exceedingly  nauseous,  and 
very  different  from  the  phlegm  of  pure 
French  brandy.  If,  however,  malt  spirit 
be  prepared,  rectified,  flavoured,  and  co- 
loured, with  all  the  skill  and  caution  of 


i 

which  the  respective  arts  thus  generally 
described  are  susceptible,  a brandy  may 
be  produced  so  nearly  equal  in  goodness 
to  the  best  French  brandy  as  will  frequent- 
ly deceive  even  the  ablest  judges.  As  the  ni- 
trous acid,  commonly  called  spirit  of  nitre 
or  aqua  fortis,  being  cheaper  than  the  dul- 
cified spirit  of  nitre,  is  now  the  principal, 
and  sometimes  the  only  ingredient,  added 
to  rectified  spirit,  in  converting  it  to  coun- 
terfeit brandy  for  sale;  we  cannot  wonder 
that  British  brandy,  or  the  common  sophis- 
ticated French  or  Spanish  brandy  with  it, 
are  always  suspected,  and  their  too  frefe 
use  dreaded,  by  every  reflecting  person. 

Art  of  Rectifying  Spirit  of  Wine , or  prepar- 
ing Alcohol. 

The  art  of  rectifying  spirit  of  wine  from 
French  brandy,  is  extremely  simple;  con- 
sisting only  in  the  distillation  of  it  to  half 
the  quantity.  This  rectified  spirit  being 
digested  two  days,  in  a fourth  part  of  it’s 
weight  of  dry  salt  of  tartar  pulverized,  and 
then  distilled  in  a glass  cucurbit,  with  a 
very  gentle  heat,  becomes  alcohol.  Malt 
spirit,  or  spirit  distilled  from  other  ferment- 
ed substances  instead  of  the  juice  of  the 
grape,  require  to  be  still  farther  purified, 
by  repeated  distillation  with  an  equal 
quantit}'  of  spring  water.  From  tire  dear- 
ness of  French  brandy,  it  is  now  seldom 
or  ever  used  for  this  purpose;  and,  indeed, 
our  coarsest  inflammable  spirit  may  be 
purified  so  as  perfectly  to  answer  all  it’s 
nicest  intentions,  by  the  following  process 
—Mix,  with  the  malt  or  other  spirit,  if 
very  foul,  about  an  equal  quantity  of  wa- 
ter, and  distill  with  a slow  fire,  till  the  li- 
quor begins  to  seem  milky.  This,  which 
is  not  at  all  necessary  unless  the  spirit  be 
very  foul,  must  be  repeated  twice  or  of* 
5 c 


378 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


tener  when  it  is  excessively  so.  The  spirit 
being  thus  freed  from  it’s  foulest  oil,  and 
the  greater  part  of  it’s  phlegm,  digest  it  for 
a short  time  with  a pound  or  more  of  pure, 
dry,  fixed  alkaline  salt,  for  every  gallon; 
when,  from  the  known  property  of  the  al- 
kali , in  attracting  water  and  oils,  the  re- 
maining phlegm,  will  be  imbibed,  as  well 
as  the  disagreeable  unctuous  matter  still 

o 

remaining,  and  sink  to  the  bottom  ot  the 
vessel.  Being  now  again  distilled,  it  will 
rise  entirely  free  from  it’s  phlegm  and 
nauseous  flavour.  As,  however,  it  is  apt 
to  derive  what  is  called  by  distillers  a urin- 
ous relish,  from  some  particles  of  the  alka- 
line salt  being  caried  up,  it  will  be  advi- 
sable, before  this  last  distillation,  to  intro- 
duce a small  proportion  of  calcined  vitriol, 
alum,  or  bitter  cathartic  salt;  the  acids  of 
which  will  unite  with  and  neutralize  the 
alkali,  and  prevent  it’s  rising,  while  the 
alkali  absorbs  all  the  acid  of  the  salts  which 
are  extricated  on  the  occasion.  Thus  may 
be  obtained  a most  pure  and  perfectly 
flavourless  spirit  of  wine,  fit  for  the  most 
delicate  purposes;  and  which,  being  mixed 
m the  proportion  of  ten  ounces  with  eight 
ounces  and  a half  of  water,  will  be  reduced 
to  what  is  understood  by  the  term  of  proof 
strength.  Cordial  liquors,  made  with  this 
spirit  are  far  superior  to  those  prepared 
with  the  common  rectified  or  proof  spirit 
of  the  distillers. 

Tart  arize  d Spirit  of  JFinc. 

By  distilling  again,  from  dry  alkaline 
salt,  the  above  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  or 
alcohol,  with  a quick  fire,  so  as  to  bring 
o.ver  a considerable  quantity  of  the  salt ; 
the  spirit  thus  alkalized  becomes  tartarized 
spirit  of  wine,  and  is  rendered  a still  more 
powerful  menstruum  for  certain  substances 


|j  in  chemical  operations.  Tartarized  spirit 
i of  wine  is  an  excellent  remedy  for  sour 
wines;  and  not  only  abates  their  acidity, 
but  disposes  them  to  grow  fine  when  they 
are  thick  and  turbid,  as  well  as  strengthens 
them. 

British  Molasses  Spirit. 

TllE  chief  British  spirit  used  for  imitat- 
ing brandy,  rum,  &c.  in  the  united  king- 
dom, except  that  from  malt,  is  prepared 
! from  molasses  or  treacle.  The  distillers  of 
| malt  are  called  malt  distillers;  those  of  mo- 
lasses, &c.  fine  distillers.  In  setting  the 
backs,  as  the  first  process  is  technically 
termed,  they  add  to  one  gallon  of  molasses 
two  gallons  of  water;  with  a gallon  of  yeast 
to  from  two  to  three  hundred  of  the  mix- 
ture, according  to  circumstances.  The 
whole  being  then  well  whisked  or  blended 
together  with  a birch  broom,  it  is  called 
setting.  This  agitation  with  the  broom  is 
repeated  once  or  twice  a day:  more  yeast 
being  occasionally  added,  and  stirred  in 
with  the  head,  or  the  air  excluded  so  as 
to  keep  the  liquor  warm,  if  it  works  slowly; 
and,  on  the  contrary,  the  air  fully  admitted, 
when  it  ferments  fast.  In  three  or  four 
days,  at  most,  the  backs  are  to  be  raised; 
by  adding  for  each  gallon  of  molasses  set, 
two  gallons  more  of  water.  When  the  dis- 
tillers wish  to  evade  the  duty,  they  work 
their  wash  still  stronger,  but  this  is  pre- 
j judicial  both  to  the  quantity  and  quality, 
i The  water  added  to  the  backs,  should  be 
heated  in  winter  to  a degree  below  blood 
warm;  which  is  done  by  scalding,  not 
boiling,  some  water,  and  mixing  it  with 
sufficient  cold.  The  due  portion  being  put 
to  each  back,  as  much  more  yeast  as  at 
first  must  be  added,  and  the  whole  again 

stirred  with  the  broom.  After  this  second 

i 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  379 


stage  of  the  process,  which  constitutes 
what  is  called  raising  the  backs,  the  same 
attention  must  be  paid  as  after  setting; 
with  regard  to  stirring,  additional  yeast  i( 
requisite,  and  admission  or  exclusion  of  air. 
The  third  stage  of  the  fermentation,  deno- 
minated cutting,  is  performed  from  four 
to  even  six  days  after  raising  the  backs: 
this  last  process  is  effected  by  adding  about 
a dram  of  jalap,  in  fine  powder,  to  every 
hundred  weight  of  molasses,  in  warm  wea- 
ther, and  half  as  much  more  in  cold,  with 
the  same  proportion  of  yeast  as  at  setting 
and  raising  the  backs,  which  must  all  be, 
in  like  manner,  well  blended  together  with  , 
a broom.  This  comprehends  w hat  is  aptly  | 
enough  termed  cutting  the  hacks;  as  it 
very  effectually  cuts  down  the  head  or  crust 
of  flowers,  barm,  or  yeast,  thro  an  up  by 
the  intestine  motion  of  the  liquid,  and  om 
municates  a very  effectual  and  expeditious 
effervescence  through  the  entire  mass,  very 
distinguishable  to  the  sight,  as  well  as  to  the 
ear.  As  this  commotion,  and  hissing  noise, 
begin  to  diminish,  the  operation  approaches 
it’s  conclusion;  and,  when  they  are  no 
longer  seen  or  heard,  which  is  commonly  I 
within  three  or  four  days  after  cutting,  the 
fermentative  process  is  compleated,  and  the 
molasses  wash  ready  for  the  still.  Being, 
accordingly,  emptied  in,  and  distilled- as 
long  as  a glass  of  the  vapour  or  spirit  which 
comes  over,  thrown  on  the  still  head,  will 
take  fire  from  a lighted  paper  or  candle, 
it  is  called  low  wine,  or  spirit  of  the  first 
extraction;  and  what  remains  in  the  still, 
denominated  the  spirit  wash,  is  thrown 
away.  These  low  wines  are  kept  for  three 
distillations,  drawn  off  as  before  ; which  is 
called  doubling,  as  the  first  is  named  sing- 
ling: and  this  spir  it  of  the  second  extraction, 
as -it  is  termed,  being  lowered  with  water 


to  the  hydrometer  standard,  is  called  proof 
spirit. 

Admirable  New  Mode  of  Fermenting  Molas- 
ses, for  all  Sorts  of  Sweets  or  Made  Wines, 

Vinegar,  Brandy,  Sic. 

By  pursuing  the  following  method  of 
fermenting  molasses,  a line,  rich,  oily  spirit, 
which  will,  after  a little  age,  w ith  proper 
management,  smell  and  taste  like  genuine 
wine,  vinegar,  and  brandy,  may  with  cer- 
tainty be  produced,  instead  of  that  in- 
sipid fiery  liquid,  the  common  molasses 
spirit.  The  fermentation  must  be  com- 
menced and  carried  on  in  a heat  not  less 
than  fifty-five  degrees,  and  from  that  to 
sixty-five  or  seventy,  of  Fahrenheit’s  ther- 
mometer, according  as  it  is  intended  for 
wine,  vinegar,  or  brandy.  The  quantity  of 
water  being  increased  one  third;  that  i'§, 
th  ree  gallons  of  water  to  one  of  molasses. 
For  a hundred  weight  of  molasses,  procure 
two  hundred  and  a half  of  wet  lees  of  Rhe- 
nish wine;  but,  if  that  be  not  obtainable, 
one  hundred  of  such  dry  lees  as  are  used 
by  hatters,  or  about  3even  pounds  of  pul- 
verized Rhenish  tartar^  The  wine  lees, 
however,  are  preferable;  and  the  wet  lees 
far  before  the  dry.  Where  the  tartar  is 
used,  it  must  be  dissolved  in  from  sixteen 
to  twenty  four  times  it’s  weight  of  water, 
and  added  three  pounds  at  setting,  two 
pounds  at  raising,  and  two  pounds  at  cut- 
ting, as  part  of  the  proportion  of  liquid  or 
water  for  tire  molasses.  The  lees,  either 
wet  or  dry,  are  to  behalf  added  at  setting, 
and  theother  half  at  raising.  Thequantity  of 
either  lees  or  tartar  may  be  increased,  when 
sufficiently  cheap,  but  cannot  be  ever  dimi- 
nished with  any  certainty  of  due  effect;  and 
a union  of  half  wine  lees,  and  half  tartar, 
is  superior  to  either  separate.  The  water 


380 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK* 


in  which  the  backs  are  set  should  be  heated 
to  ninety-eight  degrees,  as  the  coolness  of 
the  vessels,  molasses,  and  lees,  at  mixing, 
will  bring  it  down  to  sixty.  On  raising 
the  backs,  the  water  should  be  attempered 
to  the  exact  degree  of  heat  in  the  back  to 
which  it  is  added;  ascertained  by  first 
placing  a brewer’s  thermometer  into  each 
back,  and  cooling  the  water,  before  it  be 
added,  to  exactly  the  same  temperature, 
proved  in  like  manner  by  the  thermometer. 
This  mode,  properly  pursued,  will  pro- 
duce a rich,  genuine,  vinous  spirit ; which, 
with  flavouring  and  colouring  materials, 
&c.  will  make  excellent  brandy,  rum,  gin, 
■or  even  arrack,  as  well  as  wines  and  vinegar. 

Manner  of  making  up  Genuine  Rum,  Brandy, 
and  Holland’s  Gin. 

If,  as  we  have  reasons  to  believe,  the 
following  account  of  the  manner  in  which 
genuine  rum,  brandy,  and  Holland’s  gin, 
are  made  up,  on  their  arrival  in  this  king- 
dom, be  correct,  it  is  scarcely  possible  to 
meet  with  any  of  these  spirits  unsophisti- 
cated— “ It  being  customary,”  says  Dr. 
Shannon,  “ for  dealers  in  spirits  to  purchase 
fifty  or  a hundred  puncheons  of  rum  from 
the  importers  at  once;  part  of  which  is 
bonded,  and  the  remainder  taken  home — 
this  being  supposed  to  be  on  the  arrival  of 
the  Jamacia  fleet,  and  landing  of  new  rums 
— it  is  usual  to  acquaint  their  correspon- 
dents therewith,  and  the  price  they  then  bear, 
advising  them  to  lay  in  their  stock  against 
next  season:  by  which  means,  together 
with  the  application  and  industry  of  a rider, 
orders  for  many  casks  are  obtained,  leu 
puncheons  of  Jamaica  rum,  landed  at  the 
Custom  House  quay,  and  guaged,  are  found 
to  contain,  for  example,  a thousand  and 
eighty. one  gallons,  with  a hundred  and 


nineteen  over  proof.  Preparation  being 
made  for  their  reception,  they  are  carted 
home,  and  started  into  a back;  which  is  a 
vessel  of  large  dimensions,  properly  guaged 
and  inched,  which  will  contain  from  five 
hundred  to  two  thousand  gallons.  The 
over  proof  is  reduced,  by  the  addition  of  a 
hundred  and  nineteen  gallons  of  water; 
and  the  inch  taken,  which  gives  one  thou- 
sand two  hundred  gallons:  and  to  this  are 
added  four  hundred  gallons  of  British  spirit 
made  from  molasses.  These  two  quantities, 
put  together,  make  one  thousand  six  hun- 
dred gallons;  which, divided  by  four,  gives 
four  hundred.  So,  here  is  one  part  in  four 
that  is  not  rum.  "When  molasses  spirits  can- 
not be  had,  they  have  recourse  to  the  clear 
rectified  malt  spirits,  which  are  not  so  good 
a flavour.  The  aforesaid  practice  is  used 
in  all  brandies,  as  well  as  in  rum:  the  dif- 
ference only  is,  that  they  are  more  careful 
to  use  molasses  spirit  in  brandy,  and  not 
malt;  it  being  easier  to  discover  decep- 
tion in  brandy  than  in  nun.  The  same 
may  be  said  of  Holland’s  gin,  the  con- 
sumption of  which  is  comparatively  small.” 
By  an  accurate  statement  of  the  cost  price, 
and  sale  charge.  Dr.  Shannon  demon- 
strates, that  the  clear  profit  of  the  dealer, 
averaged  on  each  puncheon,  is  twenty-four 
pounds  and  one  shilling,  or  two  hundred 
and  forty  pounds  clear  gain.  In  brandy, 
of  course,  the  profit  is  still  greater. 

True  Art  of  preparing  Ether. 

The  preparation*  of  this  singular  fluid 
has  long  been  confined  to  a very  few  hands; 
the  several  published  processes  forobtaming 
ether,  or  aether,  haviiig  mostly  been  of  very 
i precarious  success,  and  some  of  them  even 
accompanied  by  serious  danger  to  an  in- 
] cautious  or  unskilful  operator.  The  fol- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  3B1 


lowing  process  may  be  fully  and  safely 
relied  on — In  a glass  retort,  capable  of 
bearing  sudden  heat,  pour  at  once  a pound 
of  oil  of  vitriol,  on  the  same  weight,  six-  I 
teen  ounces,  of  rectified  spirit  of  wine. 
Mix  them  together  cautiously,  by  a gentle 
shaking  of  the  retort;  and  immediately 
distill,  in  a sand  heat  ready  prepared,  the 
recipient  being  placed  within  a vessel  of 
snow  or  water.  The  liquid  should  be 
mode  to  boil  as  hastily  as  possible,  and  the 
heat  continued  till  eight  ounces  are  dis- 
tilled. The  retort  being  now  removed,  a 
dram  of  the  stronger  common  caustic  is  to 
be  added;  and  the  whole  again  distilled 
from  a very  high  retort,  with  a gentle  fire, 
the  recipient  being  placed  in  a like  refri- 
geratory as  before,  till  five  ounces  are 
drawn  off.  If,  to  the  acid  residuum,  eight 
ounces  of  rectified  spirit  of  wine  be  poured, 
and  the  distillation  repeated,  it  will  pro- 
duce more  ethereal  liquor,  and  this  during 
several  repetitions.  In  preparing  the  dul- 
cified spirit  of  vitriol,  which  is  frequently 
called  ether,  it  may  be  remembered  that  the  j 
distillation  was  directed  to  be  performed  i 
with  an  agreeable  and  gentle  heat;  where-  ; 
as,  on  the  haste  and  violence  with  which  the  j 
liquid  is  made  to  boil,  principally  depends 
the  produce  of  genuine  ether.  In  the  pro- 
cess of  preparing  dulcified  spirit  of  vitriol, 
though  excellent  for  that  purpose,  only  a i 
small  quantity  of  ether  can  be  separated 
from  the  spirit.  Ether,  or  the  ethereal  spirit, 
when  properly  prepared,  as  above  directed, 
is  the  most  light,  volatile,  and  inflammable, 
of  all  known  spirits;  being  lighter,  in  the 
proportion  of  seven  to  eight,  than  the  most 
highly  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  and  floating 
on  it  like  oil  on  water.  If  dropped  on  a 
warm  hand,  it  instantly  evaporates;  d if-  j 
fusing  a penetrative  odour,  without  leaving  ! 


any  trace  of  moisture.  If  not  kept  in  a 
close  stopper  bottle,  from  the  moment  of 
being  made,  such  is  it’s  extreme  volatility, 
that  the  whole  will  quickly  escape.  It  is  a 
most  potent  menstruum  for  dissolving  oils, 
balsams,  resinous  substances,  &c.  but  it 
will  mix  only  in  small  proportions  with 
water,  spirit  of  wine,  acids,  or  alkalines. 
Ether  is  successfully  employed  in  medicine; 
particularly,  as  an  incomparable  anodyne. 
In  violent  head  aches,  face  ache,  &c.  it  fre- 
quently affords  immediate  relief,  on  being 
applied  externally,  in  the  palm  of  the  hand, 
which  should  remain  a few  minutes  pressed 
against  the  painful  part.  Even  the  tooth 
ache  almost  constantly  yields  to  it’s  pene- 
trative activity,  when  repeatedly  put  to  the 
affected  jaw,  a tea-spoonful  at  a time;  and 
rheumatism,  as  well  as  the  gout  itself,  may 
generally  be  relieved  by  a more  plentiful 
application  to  the  agonized  parts.  It  is 
also  internally  used,  with  much  success,  in 
hysterical  cases,  whooping  cough,  asthma, 
and  almost  ail  spasmodic  affections,  from 
ten  drops  to  the  quantity  of  even  more 
than  a quarter  of  an  ounce,  in  a glass  or 
goblet  of  cold  water;  swallowed  down  as 
expeditiously  as  possible,  to  prevent  the 
exhalation  of  this  most  volatile  spirit  or 
essence.  1 here  are  many  sorts  of  ether 
prepared  by  different  chemists,  from  a 
variety  of  substances.  Savary  obtained  three 
drams  from  an  ounce  of  the  distilled  acid  of 
wood  sorrel  with  an  equal  quantity  of  ardent 
spirit.  A combination  of  sea  salt  with  the 
flowers  oi  zinc,  produces  the  marine  ether. 

Distillation  of  Essences , or  Essential  Oils,  in 

General,  from  all  Sorts  of  Flowers,  Fruits, 

Herbs,  Roots,  §c. 

All  .essences,  or  essential  oils,  as  they 
are  variously  termed  by  chemists,  distillers, 
5 D 


382 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


perfumers,  &c.  are  the  most  pure,  subtle,  j 
and  balsamic  parts  of  flowers,  fruits,  herbs, 
and  other  substances,  generally  odorife- 
ous;  extracted  chiefly  by  distillation,  in 
an  alembic  with  a large  refrigeratory. 
The  subject  to  be  distilled  is  previously 
macerated  in  water;  which  must  be  suffici- 
ently abundant  to  prevent  the  article  from 
burning.  On  distillation,  the  oil  comes 
over  with  the  water;  either  floating  on  it’s  ! 
surface,  or  precipitating  to  the  bottom,  as  it 
provesof  a lighter  or  more  ponderous  quali- 
ty than  the  water  from  which  it  thus  be- 
comes separated  or  disengaged.  It  is  re- 
markable, that  roses,  camomile  flowers,  and 
several  other  substances,  which  seem,  from 
their  strong  and  durable  scent,  to  promise 
an  abundance  of  essential  oil,  are  found  to 
produce  a very  small  quantity;  and  that  jes- 
samine flowers  and  violets,  with  many  other 
fragrant  blooms  and  blossoms  which  perfume 
the  air  with  their  odour,  lose  entirely  their 
smell  on  the  gentlest  coction,  and  do  not 
afford  in  distillation  the  smallest  appear- 
ance of  any  oil  or  essence,  unless  a prodi- 
gious quantity  be  at  once  committed  to  the 
still : while  some  articles,  of  little  or  no  pro- 
mise, and  particularly  savin,  the  disagree- 
able scents  of  which  are  not  perceptible  at 
any  distance,  furnish  a larger  portion  of 
this  oil  than  almost  any  other  known  ve- 
getable substances.  Some,  as  lavender  and 
rue,  yield  most  oil  when  gathered  at  the 
time  the  flowers  begin  to  fall  off;  sage, 
when  the  leaves  are  young,  before  any 
flowers  appear;  and  thyme,  &c.  on  begin- 
ning first  to  flower.  The  fragrant  herbs, 
in  general,  afford  most  oil  when  produced 
in  a dry  soil,  and  during  a warm  summer; 
while  some  of  the  most  disagreeably  strong- 

y 

scented,  such  as  wormwood,  yield  most 
when  produced  in  moist  rich  ground,  and  | 


a wet  season.  Most  chemists  agree,  that 
flowers  and  herbs,  in  general,  after  being 
' moderately  dried,  without  much  exposure 
to  the  sun,  afford  a larger  portion  of  es- 
sential oil,  than  when  distilled  while  fresh: 
but,  certainly,  if  the  drying  be  long  con- 
tinued, or  not  judiciously  managed,  the 
quantity  of  oil  produced  will  not  only  be 
diminished,  but  it’s  scent  impaired,  and 
it’s  colour  rendered  different.  In  conduct- 
ing the  process,  the  maceration  must  com- 
monly be  continued  till  the  water  has  fully 
penetrated  every  part  of  the  subject.  Wood 
! should  be  rasped  thinly,  or  cut  across 
the  grain;  roots,  thinly  sliced;  barks,  re- 
duced to  coarse  powder;  and  seeds,  slightly 
bruised.  Some  very  compact  and  tena- 
cious substances  will  require  to  be  mace- 
rated several  days, and  even  weeks;  while, 
for  those  of  a soft  and  loose  texture,  two 
or  three  days,  at  most,  will  be  sufficient: 
and  some  tender  herbs  and  flowers  would 
be  injured  by  any  maceration  at  all,  and 
must  instantly  be  drawn  off  from  the  water 
which  is  always  necessary  to  prevent  burn- 
ing. Where  entire  plants  moderately  dried, 
raspings  of  wood,  or  slices  of  roots,  be 
used,  as  much  of  either  should  be  put  into 
the  alembic,  as  will,  when  lightly  pressed, 
occupy  one  half  the  space;  with  water, or  li- 
quor, sufficient  to  fill  up  three  fourthsof  it’s 
height.  There  must  always  be  sufficient 
liquid  to  prevent  a burnt  or  empyreumatic 
flavour,  but  never  so  much  is  to  boil  over 
into  the  recipient.  lathe  Edinburgh  Dis- 
pensatory, bodies  of  a very  \ i.scous  and 
compact  texture  are  directed  to  be  fer- 
mented with  a little  yeast  for  some  days; 
which  must  be  perform,  d vvitu  half  their 
quantity  of  water,  the  jther  half  b'ei a. ; add- 
ed previously  to  the  commeiaeemeiii  of  the 
distillation:  this  process,  though  not  often 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


383 


necessary,  may  questionless  tend  to  pro* 
mote  the  resolution  of  the  subject,  and  ex- 
trication of  the  oil;  but,  as  the  utmost  care 
must  be  taken  not  to  injure  the  quality  of 
the  product  by  either  bad  yeast,  too  much 
of  it,  or  too  long  a period  of  fermentation, 
the  advantage  will  seldom  be  found  suffici- 
ently to  weigh  against  the  hazard.  It  4ias 
been  contended,  by  some  chemists,  that 
more  oil  is  obtained  from  certain  vegetable 
matters,  by  the  addition  of  spirit  of  salt  and 
acid  spirits,  than  can  possibly  be  obtained 
from  them  without  such  assistance;  but,  in 
consequence  of  recent  experience,  it  is 
compleatly  ascertained  that,  where  thejuice 
is  thus  rendered  really  greater  than  usuab 
the  quality  of  the  oil  receives  a proportion- 
able  degree  of  injury.  As  some  oils  pass 
freely  over  the  swan  neck  attached  to  the 
head  of  the  common  still,  and  others  can- 
not easily  be  elevated  so  high;  a large  low 
head,  with  a rim  or  hollow  canal  round  it, 
in  which  the  oil  would  on  it’s  first  ascent 
be  detained,  and  thence  at  once  conveyed 
into  the  receiver,  might  be  used  with  obvious 
advantages.  The  tire  should  be,  at  first,  ex- 
peditiousty  raised;  and  kept  up,  during  the 
whole  process,  of  such  a degree,  only,  that 
the  oil  may  freely  distill;  and  protracted  heat 
must  be  avoided,  as  fire  communicates  to  all 
these  oils  a disagreeable  flavour.  This  is 
manifest,  from  their  being  much  less  plea- 
sant when  newly  distilled,  than  after  they 
have  for  some  time  stood  in  a cool  situa- 
tion. Though  most  of  these  essential  oils 
require,  for  their  distillation,  the  heat  of 
strongly  boiling  water,  there  are  many  of 
them  which  rise  with  a very  considerably 
less  degree  of  heat:  such  are  those  of  le- 
mon and  citron  peels ; and  of  lavender 
flowers,  rosemary  flowers,  and  almost  all 
odoriferous  bloom.  These  flowers  haying 


their  fragrance  greatly  injured,  or  even  de- 
stroyed, by  breaking  or  bruising  them,  as 
well  as  by  their  immersion  in  water,  ac- 
cording to  the  common  process,  the  Edin- 
burghDispensatory  most  judiciously  advises 
that  substances  of  this  class,  instead  of  im- 
mersion in  the  water,  be  only  exposed  to 
it’s  vapour,  in  the  following  manner — ■“  A 
proper  quantity  of  water  being  put  into  the 
bottom  of  the  still,  the  odoriferous  herbs 
or  flowers  are  to  be  laid  lightly  in  a basket 
of  such  a size  that  it  may  enter  into  the 
still,  and  rest  against  its  sides,  just  above 
the  water.  The  head  being  then  fitted  on, 
and  the  water  made  to  boil,  the  steam  per- 
colating through  the  subject,  imbibes  the 
oil  without  impairing  its  fragrance,  and 
carries  it  over  into  the  receiver.  Oils  thus 
obtained  possess  the  odour  of  the  subject 
in  an  exquisite  degree,  and  have  nothing 
of  the  disagreeable  scent  perceivable  in 
those  distilled  by  boiling  them  in  water  in 
the  common  manner.”  The  worm  should 
be  kept  carefully  cleansed  after  distillation 
of  any  essential  oil:  some,  indeed,  those 
of  wormwood  and  anniseed,  in  particular, 
adhere  to  it  with  such  tenacity  as  not  to  be 
melted  out  by  heat,  or  washed  off  with 
water;  a little  spirit  of  wine,  however, 
being  run  through,  will  prove  an  effectual 
cleanser.  When  essential  oils  have  been 
distilled,  they  should  be  left,  for  some  days, 
to  subside,  in  vessels  covered  with  paper 
only;  when  they  will  lose  their  disagree- 
able fiery  odour,  and  become  limpid.  They 
should  then  be  put  up  in  small  stopper 
bottles  compleatly  full,  and  kept  in  a cool 
place.  By  observing  these  precautions, 
they  will  retain  their  virtues  for  many 
years.  If,  however,  by  any  careless  ma- 
nagement, they  should  ever  lose  their  fla- 
vour, and  become  thick,  on  putting  them 


384 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


into  a still  with  a few  fresh  ingredients, 
they  will  saturate  themselves  with  the  odo- 
rous particles,  and  regain  their  former  pu- 
rity. The  essences  commonly  sold  by  j 
perfumers,  &c.  are  said  to  be  seldom  ge-  j 
nuine  : consisting,  chiefly,  of  the  oil  of  bit-  ' 
ter  almonds,  disguised  by  the  odour  of  jes-  | 
samine,  roses,  and  cinnamon,  or  other  fra-  j 
grant  flowers  and  spices,  under  the  pecu- 
liar denominations  of  which  they  are  vended. 
Genuine  essential  oils,  medicinally  consi- 
dered, agree  in  the  general  qualities  of 
pungency  and  heat;  but  differ  with  regard 
to  their  particular  virtues,  as  much  as  the 
subjects  which  produce  them  respectively 
vary  from  each  other.  Thus,  the  carmina- 
tive properties  of  warm  seeds,  the  diuretic 
of  juniper  berries,  the  nervine  of  rose- 
mary, the  stomachic  of  mint,  the  antiscor- 
butic of  scurvy  grass,  and  the  cordial  vir- 
tues of  aromatics,  &c.  are  concentrated  in 
their  several  essences  or  essential  oils. 
These  oils  are  too  powerful  ever  to  be  given 
alone;  such,  indeed,  is  the  extreme  heat 
and  pungency  of  some  of  them,  that  a 
single  drop  on  the  tongue  would  produce 
a gangrenous  eschar.  They  are  readily 
imbibed  by  loaf  sugar;  and,  in  this  form, 
may  be  conveniently  exhibited;  or,  ground 
with  eight  or  ten  times  their  weight  of 
sugar,  they  become  soluble  in  aqueous 
fluids,  and  may  be  diluted  to  any  required 
degree.  They  all  dissolve  readily  in  spirit 
of  wine;  the  more  fragrant  essences  in  an 
equal  weight,  and  almost  all  in  less  than 
four  times  their  own  quantity:  these  solu- 
tions may  be  medicinally  taken  on  sugar, 
or  mixed  with  syrups,  &c.  but,  if  they  are 
mixed  with  water,  the  liquor  becomes 
milky,  and  the  oil  separates.  The  more 
pungent  essential  oils  are  externally  ap- 
plied in  paralytic  complaints,  numbness, 


cold  tumours,  pains,  aches,  k.c,  where  par- 
ticular parts  require  the  use  of  warm  stimu- 
lants. A single  drop  of  some  of  these  caus- 
tic oils,  cautiously  introduced,  on  cotton  or 
a bit  of  lint,  into  a hollow  raging  tooth,  will 
frequently  afford  speedy  and  effectual  re- 
lief. Far  the  largest  quantity,  however,  cf 
our  essential  oils  are  employed  in  theextem- 
poraneous  preparation  of  pretended  distil- 
led waters,  spirituous  as  well  as  simple,  and 
all  cordial  compounds;  to  the  almost  total 
exclusion  of  the  still  in  making  up  these 
several  articles,  for  which  there  is  con- 
stantly such  an  astonishing  demand.  This 
is  an  art  but  too  well  understood  by  drug- 
gists as  well  as  distillers,  the  whole  tribe 
of  dealers  in  spirituous  liquors,  and  by  al- 
most every  old  woman  in  the  united  king- 
dom. That  small  but  most  useful  class  of 
the  last  description,  so  many  of  whom  for- 
merly subsisted  by  the  saly  of  genuine 
distilled  simple  waters,  is  now  become 
nearly  extinct.  All  pursue  the  shorter  me- 
thod of  using  the  essential  oils  of  the  re- 
spective herbs,  &c.  Indeed,  the  late  act  of 
parliament  prohibiting  the  use  of  any  still 
containing  more  than  two  gallons,  from 
being  used  without  entry  at  the  excise 
office,  and  subjection  to  all  the  unpleasant 
controul  of  the  excise  laws,  almost  wholly 
confines  this  most  important  chemical  ap- 
paratus, the  parent  of  such  numerous  be- 
nefits, as  well  as  injuries,  to  society,  to  the 
very  hands  of  those  professional  distillers 
and  trading  chemists,  by  whose  cupidity  it 
has  ever  chiefly  been  rendered  the  source 
of  so  many  evils.  In  the  mean  time,  it  is 
to  be  regretted  that  this  mode  of  preparing 
the  many  salutary  simple  waters,  in  parti- 
cular, with  the  essential  oils  of  the  respec- 
tive herbs,  &,c.  should  so  universally  pre- 
vail ; as  they  certainly  are  not,  whatever 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


385 


may  be  the  pretensions  of  some  modern 
chemists,  as  well  as  distillers,  &c.  by  any 
means  equal  in  medicinal  virtue  to  those 
which  are  entirely  run  through  the  still, 
and  immediately  drawn  off  from  the  seve- 
ral plants,  flowers,  roots,  seeds,  and  other 
vegetable  substances:  nor,  indeed,  are  the 
most  agreeable  spirituous  cordials  and 
compounds,  however  skilfully  made  up, 
even  so  pleasant  in  flavour,  to  say  nothing 
of  their  inferior  salubrity,  prepared  with 
the  essential  oils,  as  when  they  are  fairly 
and  judiciously  distilled. 

Distillation  of  Simple  Waters  in  General  from 
Herbs,  Flowers,  fyc. 

The  simple  waters  in  general,  are  now 
considered  to  be  so  named,  whatever  may 
have  been  the  origin,  only  in  contradistinc- 
tion to  those  denominated  spirituous,  drawn 
equally  by  the  still  from  the  same  subjects, 
but  through  the  medium  of  spirit  instead 
of  water;  and  not,  as  might  seem,  on  ac- 
count of  the  old  appellation  of  simples, 
which  attaches  itself  generally  to  physical 
herbs,  from  their  being  the  chief  ingredi-. 
ents  of  almost  all  compound  liquid  medi- 
cines. The  process  of  nature,  in  which 
the  morning  sun’s  mild  influence  evapo- 
rates the  freshness  and  fragrance  of  plants 
and  flowers,  so  as  to  perfume  the  air  with 
it’s  exhilarating,  balmy,  and  odoriferous 
incense,  may  be  supposed  to  have  early 
attracted  the  notice  of  observant  minds, 
and  directed  the  first  rude  efforts  of  dis- 
tillation; awakened,  perhaps,  by  the  yet 
earlier  practice  of  decoction  for  edible 
purposes,  or  obtaining  the  salutary  medi- 
cinal juices,  during  which  an  accidental 
condensation  of  the  rising  steam  might  at 
first  invite  and  surprise  the  palate.  How- 
ever this  may  have  been,  it  is  certain  that, 


by  the  following  very  simple  process  in 
distillation,  the  virtues  of  the  odoriferous, 
balsamic,  and  aromatic  flowers,  plants, 
herbs,  &c.  in  general,  were  for  ages  suc- 
cessfully obtained — The  fresh  herb,  flower, 
or  other  vegetable  substance,  or  subject, 
gathered  during  the  season  of  it’s  experi- 
enced greatest  vigour,  and  at  such  an  early 
hour  as  to  be  in  some  degree  bathed  with 
the  morning  dew,  was  lightly  deposited, 
without  being  at  all  bruised,  in  a shallow 
vessel.  To  this  vessel,  or  still,  a low  head 
was  fitted,  with  a recipient;  and,  a live  coal 
or  two  being  placed  beneath  the  still,  and 
timely  renewed  so  as  to  keep  up  an  equa- 
ble heat,  similar  to  that  of  the  atmo- 
sphere in  the  very  hottest  weather  of  our 
climate,  or  about  eighty-five  degrees  of 
Fahrenheit’s  thermometer,  an  invisible  va- 
pour was  found  very  slowly  to  arise:  which, 
condensing  in  the  head  of  the  still,  into 
dew-like  drops,  fell  down  into  the  receiv- 
er, and  constituted  the  simple  water  of 
the  subject  so  distilled.  T his  process  was 
commonly  denominated  cold  distilling,  or 
distillation  by  the  cold  still;  and,  certainly, 
when  so  managed,  it  might,  in  comparison, 
be  fairly  enough  denominated  cold  distil- 
lation : but  the  fact  is,  that  those  by  whom 
the  distilling  simple  water  has  chiefly  been 
practised,  have  generally  employed  a con- 
siderable degree  of  heat.  Their  method  has 
commonly  been  as  follows — Having  so  fil- 
led a shallow  leaden  vessel  with  the  fresh 
herbs  or  flowers  heaped  up,  as  for  the  head, 
when  fitted  on,  to  be  also  in  a great  mea- 
sure full,  a fire  is  made  sufficient  to  ren- 
der the  bottom  much  hotter  than  can  be 
endured  by  the  hand;  with  becoming  cau- 
tion, however,  not  to  endanger  scorching 
what  may  be  at  the  bottom  of  the  inside, 
in  which  case  all  above  must  necessarily 
5 E 


386  FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK 


be  secure  from  injury.  In  this  way,  the 
volatile  parts  of  peppermint,  &.C.  are  effec- 
tually forced  over;  an  1 the  distilled  liquor 
richly  possesses  the  native  pure  flavour  and 
scent  of  the  subject.  Even  this  process, 
however,  though  yet  used  in  some  private 
families,  has  been  found  too  slow  in  it’s  ope- 
ration and  requiring  too  much  attendance  to 
prevent  burning,  for  the  dispatch  and  con- 
venience of  trade;  and,  therefore,  the  hot 
still,  then  so  called,  though  it  be  only  a 
common  still,  is  made  use  of.  In  this,  a 
quantity  of  water  being  added,  to  prevent 
burning  the  herbs,  flowers,  &c.  it  is  kept 
nearly  of  a boiling  heat,  or  even  made  ac- 
tually to  boil,  so  that  the  vapour  rises  ra- 
pidly into  the  head,  and  passes  into  a spiral 
pewter  pipe,  or  worm,  placed  in  a tub  of 
cold  water,  for  the  purpose  of  condensing 
the  steam  or  vapour,  which  either  distills 
in  swiftly  succeeding  drops,  or  flows  in  a 
small  regular  steam.  Nor  does,  as  it  might 
hastily  be  imagined,  the  abundance  of  wa- 
ter at  all  weaken  the  liquor  which  thus 
comes  over  in  distillation;  as  the  most  vo- 
latile parts  of  the  subject  always  necessari- 
ly arise  first,  and  impregnate  most  what 
comes  earliest  over:  so  that,  when  the  vir- 
tue is  sufficiently  extracted,  ascertained  by 
trying  from  time  to  time  the  liquor  which 
runs  from  the  nose  of  the  worm,  the  ope- 
ration must  be  discontinued.  Though 
this  last  is  certainly  the  most  common  and 
expeditious  method,  it  requires  great  cau- 
tion: as  the  ebullition  is  very  apt  so  to 
agitate  the  subject,  as  to  lodge  parts  of 
plants  or  flowers  against  the  sides  of  the 
hot  still;  where  they  sometimes  adhere, 
are  scorched,  and  communicate  to  the 
whole  product  a disagreeable  taint.  This, 
however,  may  be  compleatly  avoided, 
by  using  the  Edinburgh  method  of  first 


pouring  a quantity  of  water  into  the  still, 
and  then  placing  the  herbs  or  flowers  in  a 
basket  over  it,  when  there  can  be  no  pos- 
sibility of  burning:  the  water,  however, 
though  it  may  be  made  to  boil,  must  not 
be  boiled  so  violently  as  to  rise  into  the 
basket,  which  would  defeat  the  object  of 
this  contrivance.  The  basket,  therefore, 
should  be  placed  at  a due  distance;  and 
the  hot  vapour  of  the  water,  in  passing 
through  all  the  interstices  of  the  basket 
and  it’s  contents,  will  carry  over  the  vola- 
tile parts  in  their  native  flav  our.  By  these 
means,  the  distilled  water  of  all  those  sub- 
stances which  afford  oils'ol  the  more  vola- 
tile fluid,  are  obtained  in  the  utmost  per- 
fection, and  with  sufficient  dispatch;  for 
which  last  intention,  the  still  may  be  filled 
quite  up  to  the  head.  These  simple  dis- 
tilled waters  are,  in  fact,  water  impregnated 
with  the  essential  oil  of  the  subject,  a part 
of  which  is  always  imbibed  by  the  water 
used  in  distillation  ; so  that  the  smell,  taste, 
or  virtue,  whatever  they  may  be,  communi- 
cated to  the  water,  are  found  concentrated 
in  the  essential  oil  of  the  same  subject.  It 
is  in  this  portion  of  essential  oil,  or  some 
part  of  it  most  highly  attenuated  and  sub- 
tilized, that  the  title  of  governing  or  pre- 
siding spirit  of  the  herb,  &c.  or  spiritus 
rector,  has  been  bestowed  by  technical 
chemists.  It  is  a rule,  therefore,  that  all 
vegetables  containing  an  essential  oil,  will 
communicate  to  water  some  virtue  when 
distilled;  hut  the  quantity  it  communicates 
is  not  always  in  proportion  to  what  each 
subject  actually  contains:  for,  as  the  oil 
merely  saturates  the  water  which  comes 
over  at  the  same  time  with  it,  where  there 
is  more  than  sufficient  oil  for  this  satura- 
tion, the  excess  separates,  concretes  in  it’s 
proper  form,  and  refuses  miscibility  with 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  water  which  afterward  arises.  Some 
odoriferous  flowers,  which  yield  so  very 
little  essentia]  oil  that  none  is  perceptible 
unless  at  least  from  fifty  to  a hundred  weight 
of  them  be  at  once  submitted  to  the  still, 
are  remarkable  for  as  powerfully  impreg- 
nating water  as  those  which  abound  with 
the  oleaginous  essence.  It  is  generally 
supposed,  by  modern  chemists,  that  the 
strength  of  these  simple  waters  is  not  aug- 
mented by  cohobation,  or  distilling  them 
over  again  from  fresh  herbs  or  flowers,  as 
was  formerly  held  to  be  the  case:  on  the 
contrary,  these  repeated  distillations  are 
said  to  render  the  product  more  and  more 
injured  by  that  unpleasant  effect  of  the 
fire  which  always  more  or  less  prevails 
even  the  first  time.  Such  herbs,  flowers, 
or  other  vegetable  substances,  it  seems  now 
agreed,  as  do  not  at  first  afford  a water  suf- 
ficiently flavoured,  are  improper  subjects 
for  this  process ; and,  therefore,  the  acquire- 
ment of  their  essential  virtues  is  to  be 
sought  by  other  chemical  means,  adapted 
to  their  respective  natures.  When  mix- 
tures of  water  and  oil  come  over,  they  may 
be  immediately  detached  from  each  other, 
by  means  of  a separating  glass:  or,  the 
whole  being  put  into  large  narrow  necked 
bottles,  and  placed  in  a cool  situation,  on 
that  portion  of  oil  which  is  not  dissolved 
in  the  water  either  rising  to  the  top  or 
sinking  to  the  bottom,  according  to  it's 
specific  gravity,  they  may  then  be  separat- 
ed either  with  a small  glass  syringe;  a sepa- 
rating glass;  a filter  of  paper;  or  by  means 
of  a woollen  or  worsted  thread,  the  upper 
end  of  which  is  immersed  in  the  oil,  and 
the  lower  in  a phial  placed  beneath,  through 
which  the  oil  thus  passes  by  capillary  at- 
traction, after  wliicn  the  thread  is  to  be 
squeezed  dry.  As  most  ’distilled  waters. 


38  7 

when  first  prepared,  have  a somewhat  un- 
pleasant smell,  it  is  generally  advisable  to 
keep  them  fora  few  days  only  slightly  co- 
vered; and  not  to  cork  them  up  closely  till 
it  goes  off.  It  is  common  to  put  about  a 
twentieth  part  the  weight  of  proof  spirit 
into  all  the  simple  waters,  that  they  may 
the  better  keep:  but  the  editor  of  the 
Edinburgh  Dispensatory  says — “ I have 
been  informed,  by  a respectable  apothe- 
cary, that  if  the  simple  distilled  waters  be 
rectified  by  distilling  them  a second  lime, 
they  will  keep  for  several  years  without 
any  spirit;  which  always  gives  an  unplea- 
sant flavour,  and  is  often  objectionable  for 
other  reasons.”  Me  adds — “ Distilled  wa- 
ters are  employed,  chiefly,  as  grateful  di- 
luents; as  suitable  vehicles  for  medicines 
of  greater  efficacy;  or,  for  rendering  dis- 
gustful ones  more  acceptable  to.the  palate 
and  stomach:  few’  are  depended  on,  with 
any  intention  of  consequence,  by  them- 
selves.” A few  more  general  hints  and 
instructions  will  be  serviceable  to  those 
individuals  wdio  may  incline  to  distill  their 
own  simple  waters — Though  plants,  &c. 
in  general,  ought  to  be  distilled  when  fresh 
gathered,  and  particularly  where  expressly 
directed,  the  London  Dispensatory  orders 
most  of  the  waters  to  be  distilled  from  the 
dried  herbs,  because  fresh  are  not  read}  at 
all  times  of  the  year;  when,  therefore,  the 
fresh  are  used,  the  weight  which  they  direct 
is  to  be  increased:  but  the  operator  may, 
whether  the  plants  be  fresh  or  dry,  vary 
their  weights  according  to  the  seasons  in 
which  they  have  been  produced  and  col- 
lected, and  the  manner  in  which  they"  have 
been  kept.  Herbs  and  seeds,  after  being 
kept  longer  than  a year,  become  less  proper 
for  the  distillation  of  officinal  waters.  Fresh 
and  juicy  herbs  generally  require  only 


388 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


thrice  their  weight  of  water;  but  dry  ones,  I 
a much  larger  proportion:  there  should 
always  be  sufficient  water  left  in  the  still, 
when  all  that  is  good  lias  been  brought 
over,  to  prevent  the  contained  subject  from 
burning.  The  distillation  must  cease,  when 
what  comes  over  has  no  longer  any  taste 
or  odour  of  the  plant;  the  quantity  of 
which  cannot  possibly  be  always  ascer- 
tained with  any  tolerable  exactness.  Par- 
ticular instructions  will  be  found,  where 
necessary,  in  the  respective  receipts  for 
preparing  the  principal  simple  waters,  to 
which  they  more  peculiarly  appertain. 

Spirituous  Distilled  Waters  in  General;  or, 
Distillation  of  Herbs,  Seeds,  8§c.  bp  Means 
of  Spirit,  commonly  denominated  Cordial 
Waters  and  Compounds. 

There  seems  some  impropriety  in  cal- 
ling these  spirituous  distillations  by  the 
name  of  waters;  and  spirituous  waters  may, 
indeed,  be  considered  as  a palpable  sole- 
cism in  language:  the  Edinburgh  Dispen- 
satory, accordingly,  gives  them  the  appel- 
lation of  distilled  spirits;  but,  in  rv  work 
of  this  general  nature,  it  may  be  advisable 
sometimes  to  relax,  for  the  sake  of  per- 
spicuity, from  the  strict  severity  of  science. 
We  shall,  therefore,  describe  them  as  spirit- 
uous distil lc*d  waters,  in  contradistinction  to 
the  simple  distilled  waters  already  noticed 
in  the  preceding  article.  It  has  been  ob- 
served, that  the  flavour  and  virtues  of  sim- 
ple distilled  waters  is  owing  to  the  water 
being  impregnated  with  a portion  of  es-  * 
sential  oil  from  the  subject;  and  spirit  of  , 
wine,  considered  as  a vehicle  for  these  oils,  | 
has  the  advantage  over  water  of  being  | 
their  proper  menstruum,  and  consequently  i 
of  keeping  all  the  oil  which  rises  with  it 
perfectly  dissolved  into  a uniform  limpid 


liquor.  There  are,  however,  many  sub- 
stances which,  on  being  distilled  with  wa- 
ter, impart  their  virtues  in  great  perfection; 
yet,  when  treated  after  the  same  manner 
with  spirit  of  wine,  communicate  to  it 
scarcely  any  taste  or  odour.  This  is  ac- 
counted for,  on  the  principle  that  spirit  is 
not  susceptible  of  so  great  a degree  of  heat 
as  water;  and,  therefore,  some  substances 
may  not  be  sufficiently  volatile  to  rise  with 
the  heat  of  boiling  spirit  of  wine,  which 
freely  enough  come  over  with  that  of  boil- 
ing water.  If  cinnamon,  for  example,  be 
submitted  to  distillation  with  a mixture  of 
spirit  of  wine  and  tvater;  or  with  a pure 
proof  spirit,  which  is  no  other  than  a mix- 
ture of  about  equal  parts  of  each ; the  spirit 
will  arise  first,  of  a clear,  colourless,  and 
transparent  appearance,  and  almost  with- 
out any  taste  of  the  spice:  but,  the  instant 
the  more  ponderous  watery  fluid  begins  to 
arise,  the  oil  freely  comes  over  with  it,  so 
as  to  render  the  liquor  highly  odorous, 
sapid,  and  of  a milky  hue.  The  proof 
spirit  in  common  use  is  accompanied  with 
an  ill-flavour;  which,  though  concealed  by 
certain  additions,  discovers  itself  in  dis- 
tillation. This  nauseousness  does  not  be- 
gin to  arise  till  the  purer  spirituous  part 
has  come  over;  and  that  being  the  very 
time  when  the  virtues  of  the  ingredients, 
too,  begin  most  plentifully  to  arise,  the  li- 
quor thus  receives  a very  disagreeable  taint. 
To  tins  is  chiefly  owing  the  general  com- 
plaint, that  the  cordials  of  the  chemist 
or  apothecary  are  less  pleasant  than  those 
of  the  same  kind  prepared  by  the  distiller; 
the  latter  being  extremely  curious  in  rec- 
tifying or  purifying  the  spirit,  w'hen  de- 
signed for  what  are  called  fine  goods,  from 
all  ill  flavour.  I bis  is  admirably  to  be  el- 
fected  by  judiciously  using  highly  rectified 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  389 


spirit  of  wine,  or  alcohol,  reduced  to  proof 
strength  instead  of  the  ordinary  proof  spirit 
as  suggested  in  the  account  of  the  process 
for  it’s  rectification.  With  due  attention 
to  these  hints,  all  the  most  famous  cordial 
compounds  may  be  easily  and  effectually 
prepared  from  the  various  receipts  given 
in  different  parts  of  this  extensive  collec- 
tion. 

General  Rules  for  Distilling, ~ and  making  up 
Distilled  Liquors. 

When  about  two  thirds  of  the  first  quan- 
tity put  into  the  still  are  perceived  to 
have  come  over,  the  liquid  or  spirit,  called 
generally  goods,  are  to  be  tried  frequently 
in  a glass  or  phial ; and,  when  the  bell,  or 
bead,  as  the  bubbles  which  appear  on  the 
surface  when  the  spirit  is  of  proof  strength 
are  technically  denominated,  immediately 
falls  down,  and  does  not  remain  a tolerable 
time,  the  vessel  placed  for  the  reception  of 
the  goods  must  be  immediately  taken  away, 
and  it’s  place  be  supplied  by  another  to 
receive  the  faints:  as  the  faints,  if  suf- 
fered to  run  among  the  goods,  would 
cause  a disagreeable  flavour,  and  make 
them  require  longer  fining  down ; whereas, 
by  their  being  kept  separate,  the  goods 
will  be  clean  and  well  tasted,  when  made 
up  to  their  due  quantity  with  pure  water, 
which  by  distillers  as  well  as  brewers 
is  technically  denominated  liquor.  Most 
rectifying  distillers  agree,  that  goods  are 
much  improved  by  throwing  into  the  still, 
when  first  charged,  about  three  ounces  of 
bay  salt  for  every  five  gallons  of  spirit;  by 
which  means  the  goods  will  better  cleanse 
themselves,  and  separate  from  their  phleg- 
matic parts,  while  the  thus  dephlegmated 
spirit  is  found  to  ascend  and  come  over 
much cfeaner  and  finer  in  distillation.  Some 


distillers  also  cast  in  a handful  of  grains, 
to  make  the  goods  feci  hot  on  the  palate, 
and  seem  of  a better  body;  but  this  con- 
duces nothing  to  the  advancement  of  the 
real  or  apparent  proof,  when  thegoodscome 
to  be  tried  in  a glass.  When  the  goods  are  all 
come  off,  and  are  designed  for  double  goods, 
as  all  distilled  goods  made  full  proof  are  cal- 
led, they  must  be  made  up  to  their  first  quan- 
tity with  liquor:  for  instance,  if  the  still  be 
charged  with  three  gallons  of  proof  spirit, 
it  will  yield  in  distillation  about  two  gal- 
lons, without  faints;  which  deficiency  of 
one  gallon,  must  be  made  up  with  dulcified 
liquor,  or  sugar  and  water,  to  the  first  or 
original  quantity.  To  make  upcommou  or 
single  goods,  beside  the  said  deficient  gal- 
lon, it  must  be  diluted  with  a gallon  and  a 
half  more  of  the  like  dulcified  liquor.  By 
this  mode,  goods  may  readily  be  made  proof, 
or  reduced  to  such  inferior  strength  as  ren- 
ders them  more  or  less  marketable.  In 
dulcifying  goods,  the  dissolved  sugar  must 
never  be  added  to  the  newly  distilled  goods 
till  it  has  become  perfectly  cold ; as  it  wouLd, 
if  mixed  with  them  hot,  cause  some  of  the 
spirit  to  exhale,  and  render  the  whole  more 
foul  and  phlegmatic.  When  any  goods  are 
wanted  to  be  speedily  fined,  either  for  pre- 
sent use  or  sale,  especially  white' or  pale 
goods,  add  about  two  drams  of  finely  pow- 
dered alum  to  three  gallons  of  goods;  and, 
on  well  rummaging  or  stirring  the  whole 
together,  the  faeces  will  be  thrown  down, 
and  the  residue  thus  become  clear  and 
transparent. 

French  Method  of  Cold  Distilling  all  Sorts  of 
Flowers. 

Take  any  quantity  of  flowers,  suited  to 
the  size  of  the  alembic  ; to  which  add,  by 
measure,  nearly  an  equal  quantity  of  wa- 

5 F 


39  0 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ter.  Then  well  pound  some  ice,  till  it  be 
reduced  to  a substance  somewhat  resemb- 
ling snow;  salt  it,  as  if  intended  for  iceing 
water;  place  it  round  the  refrigerant,  and 
put  a little  fire  under  the  still.  Some  wri- 
ters, it  is  remarked,  direct  the  alembic  to 
be  placed  in  a vessel  surrounded  by  ice: 
but,  certainly,  nothing  more  than  steam 
can  be  obtained  by  such  a procedure  ; in- 
stead of  which,  the  method  now  proposed, 
and  which  it  is  improper  to  attempt  in 
winter,  extremely  well  answers  the  in- 
tended purpose.  In  excessive  hot  w eather, 
even  the  smallest  fire  is  unnecessary;  the 
fermentation  which  soon  naturally  takes 
place,  being  sufficient  to  produce  the  odo- 
riferous vapour  which  the  ice  immediately 
condenses. 

Genuine  French  Brandy ; or,  True  Art  of 
Distilling  Brandy,  from  Wine,  Wine  Lees, 
Cyder,  and  even  Malted  Corn , as  actually 
practised  in  France. 

The  following  account  of  the  distillation 
of  brandy,  which  is  translated  from  a scien- 
tific French  work  of  most  respectable  au- 
thority, will  be  found  to  give  much  valu- 
able information  on  this  subject,  and  such 
as  may  be  fully  relied  on — “ Wine  affords, 
on  distillation,  an  inflammable  liquor; 
which  is  light,  of  a white  colour  more  or 
less  tinctured  with  yellow7,  and  of  a pene- 
trating and  agreeable  odour.  Though  all 
sorts  of  wines  are  proper  for  making  brandy, 
provided  they  are  not  sour,  dead  or  tainted ; 
the  strongest  and  clearest  are  undoubtedly 
the  best,  whether  they  be  white  or  red. 
There  are,  however,  wines  not  very  agree- 
able to  drink,  which  yield  large  quantities 
of  brandy;  and  these  should  be  preferred, 
on  account  of  their  being  less  expensive. 
Fake,  then,  a quantity  of  wine,  according 


to  the  size  of  the  body  of  the  still,  which 
is  called  the  bladder.  Fill  it  only  two- 
thirds,  that  the  vapours  may  have  some 
space:  then  cover  it  with  a long-beaked 
head,  w hich  unites  to  a serpentine  or  spiral 
worm  fixed  in  a vessel  or  tub  full  of  cold 
water;  being  well  luted,  to  prevent  any 
escape  of  vapour.  Distill  in  a hot  but  uot 
boiling  wrater  bath,  or  even  with  a mode- 
rate heat  of  ashes  or  sand ; augmenting 
the  heat,  in  either  way,  by  slow7  and  small 
degrees,  but  taking  particular  care  that  the 
wine  never  boils;  and  continuing  the  dis- 
tillation till  the  liquor  becomes  too  phleg- 
matic or  watery.  Next,  expose  it  to  the 
heat  of  the  sun,  for  some  time,  in  a vessel 
carefully  closed,  to  render  it  still  more 
perfect.  To  have  a brandy  truly  excellent, 
what  is  obtained  by  the  first  distillation 
must  be  mixed  with  an  equal  quantity  of 
pure  water;  distilled  with  a moderate  lire; 
and  have  a little  less  spirit  draw  n off  than 
the  quantity  of  brandy  committed  to  the 
still.  This  diluted  brandy  is  very  agree- 
able, and  proper  for  making  up  excellent 
liqueurs,  or  cordial  liquors.  By  repeated 
distillations,  brandy  may  be  still  higher 
rectified,  and  will  thus  become  stronger 
aud  stronger;  but,  at  each  distillation,  it 
loses  in  quantity.  When  the  operations 
are  well  performed,  all  but  about  a little 
more  than  the  fourth  part  of  the  brandy 
employed  is  retained.  It  seems,  therefore, 
quite  superfluous  to  push  farther  the  rec- 
tifications. At  each  rectification,  the  heat 
ought  to  be  one  degree  diminished.  The 
first,  perhaps,  made  with  hot  ashes;  and 
the  others,  in  a hot  water  bath.  This  re- 
iterated distillation  serves  to  carry  off  the 
phlegm ; that  is,  the  more  gross  and  watery 
particles,  which  remain  chiefly  at  the  bot- 
tom, and  commonly  arise  last.  We  know. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


always,  by  these  signs,  when  the  brandy  , 
is  sufficiently  distilled — -1.  That  which  is 
the  clearest,  and  which  leaves  the  least 
acridity  in  the  mouth,  is  the  best.  2.  Brandy 
which  leaves  the  smallest  quantity  of 
phlegm,  after  being  burned,  is  preferable 
to  that  which  leaves  more.  3.  Brandy  which 
descends,  or  sinks,  most  expeditiously,  in 
a glass  which  contains  a little  olive  oil,  is 
the  least  spirituous,  the  most  charged  with 
phlegm,  and  consequently  the  least  good. 
4.  Brand v which  produces  the  smallest 
quantity  of  froth,  on  being  shaken  vio- 
lently in  a glass  phial  or  flask,  a half  or 
third  part  filled,  is  preferable  to  what  foams 
more : because  it  is  only  the  phlegm  which 
forms  this  froth ; of  this  any  one  may  easily 
be  satisfied,  by  merely  agitating  spirit  of 
wine,  which  never  froths.  5.  We  know 
that  brandy  is  good,  and  well  dephleg- 
mated,  when  it  forms,  on  being  poured  in- 
to a glass,  what  is  called  the  bead;  that  is 
to  say,  a certain  circle  of  small  white  bub- 
bles or  foam  round  the  glass,  in  proportion 
as  that  foam  diminishes.  Brandy  is  some- 
times made  with  the  lees  of  good  wine,  nei- 
ther sour,  flat,  nor  tainted;  but  the  spirit 
which  it  produces,  though  very  strong,  is 
subject  to  an  empyreumatic  flavour,  w hich 
renders  it  unpleasant.  To  prevent,  in  some 
degree,  this  defect,  a considerable  quantity 
of  water  should  be  mixed  with  the  lees; 
which,  rendering  the  liquor  weak,  repeated 
rectification  must  not  be  dispensed  with: 
that  which  is  obtained  without  the  burnt 
flavour,  at  the  first  distillation,  on  being 
again  distilled  becomes  often  more  hot 
and  dry  than  that  from  wine  itself,  more 
pleasing  to  the  palate,  and  of  a still  more 
agreeable  odour.  The  roughest,  strongest, 
and  least  drinkable  cyder,  affords  a large 
quantity  of  brandy;  which,  after  being 


39? 

twice  distilled,  has  a very  good  flavour,  im- 
proves in  proportion  as  it  becomes  older, 
and  may  be  kept  many  years.  Brandy  is 
also  distilled  from  the  lees  of  cyder,  and 
from  the  residuum  of  the  apples  on  w hich 
water  has  been  poured  after  the  cyder  is 
expressed.  This  being  macerated  in  the 
w'ater,  the  liquor  is  pressed  out;  and,  on 
becoming  clear,  distilled.  Brandy  from 
beer  is  the  lowest  of  all  with  regard  to  it’s 
virtues,  though  powerful  in  it’s  strength. 
To  make  brandy  from  malted  corn,  they 
steep  barley  and  wheat  in  luke  warm  wa- 
ter, for  two  or  three  hours : then  take  it  out, 
and  dry  it  on  a matting  of  straw,  to  make 
it  germinate;  and,  leaving  it  to  ferment  in 
w^ater  for  two  or  three  days,  afterward  pour 
the  liquor  into  an  alembic,  and  distill  it  ac- 
cording to  art.”  Such  are  the  usual  French 
methods  of  preparing  brandy;  and,  howr- 
ever  simple  they  may  sometimes  seem,  it 
is  not  to  be  doubted  that,  from  our  gene- 
ral experience  of  their  result,  many  valua-r 
ble  hints  may  be  gleaned  by  the  best  and 
most  experienced  British  distillers  and  rec- 
tifiers: w ho  will  find  many  other  articles, 
from  the  French  and  other  foreign  distille- 
ries, in  this  collection,  highly  deserving 
of  their  notice. 

French  Secret  for  preparing  a pure  and  most 
incomparable  Spirit  of  Wine. 

Brandy,  or  the  spirituous  part  of  wine 
obtained  by  a first  distillation,  being  usu- 
ally clogged  with  more  or  Iessof  phlegm,  and 
some  oleose  particles  which  communicate 
colour,  it  is  to  be  disengaged  from  these 
foreign  intruders  by  means  of  repeated 
distillations;  w'liich  render  it  whiter,  more 
light,  more  fragrant,  and  far  more  inflam- 
mable. It  then  takes  the  name  of  spirit  of 
wine;  or,  according  to  some,  small  brandy. 


392 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


or  second  spirit  of  wine.  By  the  distilla-  | 
tion  of  wine,  common  brandy  is  at  once 
produced;  next,  double  brandy;  and,  af- 
terward, spirit  of  wine  more  or  less  recti- 
fied, accordingly  to  the  number  of  distil- 
lations which  it  undergoes.  There  are  se- 
veral different  methods  employed  for  this 
purpose,  in  France  as  well  as  in  England  ; 
but  the  following  is,  in  France,  considered 
as  the  most  commodious  process — Half 
fill  with  brandy  a large  matras  with  a long 
neck;  and,  having  fitted  a head  and  a re- 
cipient, lute  closely  the  joint;  place  the 
matras  in  a pot  half  filled  with  water ; and 
set  the  pot  on  a moderate  fire,  to  distill  it 
in  a water  bath.  Continue  this  degree  of 
heat,  till  nothing  more  comes  over,  and  the 
product  will  be  a well  dephlegmated  spirit 
of  wine.  The  secret  of  making  this  a most 
incomparable  and  pure  spirit  consists  in 
merely  placing,  at  the  junction  of  the  head 
of  the  matras,  a small  piece  of  felt  well 
saturated  with  the  best  sweet  oil,  and  over 
that  some  rosemary  llowers : by  this  con- 
trivance, is  obtained,  at  once,  an  aromatiz- 
ed spirit  perfectly  dephlegmated.  * 

Art  of  propelling  Spirit  of  Wine  from  Brandy, 
without  Fire. 

Put  two  or  three  pounds  of  calcined  salt 
of  tartar,  very  dry,  in  a glass  cucurbit; 
pour  over  it  the  best  and  clearest  white 
brandy  to  the  height  of  five  or  six  fingers; 
stir  the  whole  together  with  a wooden 
spatula;  and  then  let  it  rest  for  an  hour. 
D uring  this  time,  the  salt  of  tartar  will 
have  imbibed  all  the  phlegm  which  was 
in  the  brandy,  and  the  spirit  of  wine  will 
remain  pure.  It  is  easily  separated,  either 
on  pouring  it  off  by  inclination,  or  by  fil- 
tering. Some  slight  particles  of  salt  of 
tartar  may  possibly  be  mixed,  but  these 


cannot  prove  prejudicial.  As  the  whole 
of  the  spirit,  however,  above  the  salt  of 
tartar,  cannot  be  so  compleatly  poured  off’ 
as  to  leave  none  behind,  it  may  be  distil- 
led, if  thought  worth  the  trouble,  in  a wa- 
ter bath;  when,  carrying  over  with  it  a 
portion  of  phlegm,  a brandy  of  an  agree- 
able odour  will  be  produced.  The  salt  of 
tartar  remaining  may  be  dried  over  the 
fire,  and  will  then  answer  every  purpose 
for  which  it  is  usually  employed,  quite  as 
well  as  at  first.  This  method  is  often  prac- 
tised in  France. 

Simple  Mode  of  Drying  Damsons,  Plums, 
Grapes,  Cherries,  and  other  Fruits,  so  as 
to  resemble  Pruens,  French  Plums,  Rai- 
sins, Sic. 

THOUGH  our  climate  is  less  favourable 
than  that  of  France  to  the  production  of 
fruits  superabundantly  rich  in  saccharine 
juices,  we  are  not  without  damsons  and 
other  plums,  cherries,  and  even  grapes,  &c. 
sufficiently  sweet  to  admit  of  being  dried 
with  considerable  advantage,  and  without 
much  trouble  or  any  expence.  It  is,  there- 
fore, but  little  creditable  to  our  national 
sagacity,  that  we  import  many  of  these  ar- 
ticles, at  a high  price,  from  foreigners,  with 
which  we  might,  in  plentiful  seasons,  so 
cheaply  supply  ourselves  at  home;  for,  if 
we  except  raisins,  which  can  scarcely  ever 
be  worth  drying  in  England,  all  the  rest 
are  generally  brought  from  France,  Italy, 
Spain,  Portugal,  &.c.  The  mode  in  which 
tiie  French  reason  on  this  subject,  as  well 
as  tlieir  method  of  practice,  will  be  worth 
laying  before  such  English  readers  as  pos- 
sess sense  enough  to  profit  bv  superior  wis- 
dom wherever  it  is  to  be  found — “ When 
the  season  is  abundant  in  iruits,”  says  an 
intelligent  French  writer,  “ it  is  prudent 


FAMILY  LF.CF.IPT-BOOK. 


3.93 


to  rlry  many  different  sorts  in  the  oven. 
The  great  demand  for  them,  during  win- 
ter, and  particularly  in  Lent,  occasions  a 
more  considerable  profit  than  can  ever 
possibly  be  obtained  by  their  sale  in  a re- 
cent state;  more  particularly  as,  from  their 
vast  plenty,  they  are  then  necessarily  sold 
at  a very  low  price.”  The  method  used, 
in  France,  for  drying  cherries,  plums,  &c. 
is  thus  described — Cherries  of  all  descrip- 
tions, should  be  dried  with  the  stalks  and 
stones;  and,  being  arranged  on  wicker 
hurdles,  like  our  confectionary  wires,  are 
put  into  an  oven  with  little  heat;  that  is, 
after  the  bread  has  been  drawn.  They 
must  be  carefully  turned  and  shifted,  so  as 
to  get  equally  dry  on  every  part;  and,  next 
day,  be  a second  time  set  in  the  oven,  where 
they  are  to  continue  till  perfectly  dried. 
When  quite  cold,  they  are  to  be  put  up  in 
boxes  lined  with  paper,  and  kept  carefully 
closed.  Damsons,  called  in  French  prunes 
or  plums,  from  whence  is  derived  our  word 
pruens  or  prunes,  and  all  sorts  of  plums, 
must  be  so  ripe  as  to  fall  at  the  slightest 
touch  from  the  tree,  before  they  are  suf- 
ficiently mature  for  drying  with  the  best 
effect.  When  thoroughly  ripe,  they  are 
to  be  dried  on  wicker  hurdles,  in  an  oven, 
after  the  same  manner  as  the  cherries  ; but 
with  more  repetitions,  according  to  their 
respective  magnitudes.  Grapes  of  every 
sort  may  also  be  dried,  but  the  best  for 
this  purpose  are  muscadels.  These  deli- 
cious raisins  are  also  prepared  by  placing 
them  on  hurdles  in  an  oven,  with  the  utmost 
caution  against  it’s  being  too  liot;  and 
carefully  turning  them,  from  time  to  time, 
so  that  they  may  be  uniformly  dried  in 
every  part.  They  are  rendered  still  more 
rich  and  mellow,  by  dipping  the  bunches, 
before  they  are  first  put  into  the  oven,  in  a 


strong  ley  made  with  the  ashes  of  vine 
twigs,  which  softens  the  skin  of  the  grapes. 
This,  too,  n ay  perhaps  correct  any  little 
acid  or  austerity.  If  sugar  should,  at  any 
time,  be  thought  necessary,  though  not 
used  in  France  and  other  warmer  climates, 
the  fruit  may  be  dipped  in  a weak  solution 
of  gum  Arabic,  or  white  of  an  egg,  and 
lightly  dredge  with  sifted  loaf  sugar,  on 
putting  it  into  the  oven;  when,  however, 
the  fruit  is  fully  ripe,  it  will  generally  prove 
sufficiently  sweet. 

Linseed  Cough  Syrup. 

Boil  an  ounce  of  linseed  in  a quart  of 
water,  till  half  wasted  ; then  add  six  ounces 
of  moist  sugar,  two  ounces  of  sugar  candv, 
half  an  ounce  of  Spanish  liquorice,  and  the 
juice  of  a large  lemon.  Let  the  whole 
slowly  simmer  together,  till  it  becomes  of 
a sj'rupy  consistence;  and,  when  cold, 
put  to  it  two  table-spoonfuls  of  the  best  old 
rum. 

Norfolk  Pudding  Puffs. 

Mix  three  eggs,  three  table-spoonfuls  of 
flour,  half  a pint  of  cream,  and  two  table- 
spoonfuls of  orange-flower  or  rose  water. 
Sweeten  it  to  palate;  put  the  batter  in  large 
deep  custard  cups  about  half  full ; set  them 
in  the  oven  ; and,  when  the  puffs  rise  to 
the  top  of  the  cups,  they  are  sufficiently 
done. 

Curd  Puffs. 

Mix  a little  rennet  in  a quart  of  new 
milk;  and,  when  the  curd  comes,  and  is 
broken,  put  it  into  a coarse  cloth  to  drain, 
and  rub  the  curd  through  a hair  sieve  with 
a spoon.  Then  add  ten  ounces  of  grated 
bread,  three  ounces  of  butter  half  a grated 
nutmeg,  the  grated  rind  of  a lemon,  a tabie- 
6 G 


394 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


spoonful  of  wine,  and  sugar  to  palate.  Ij 
Hub  the  cups  with  butter,  rather  more  than  j| 
half  fill  them,  and  bake  them  forty  minutes 
in  a quick  oven. 

Bubble  and  Squeak. 

Tuts  article,  though  cf  low  origin,  is  now 
frequently  found  at  the  most  fashionable 
tables.  It  is  said  to  have  originated,  on 
beholding,  at  the  entrance  of  some  of  the  j 
numerous  subterranean  eating  cellars  which 
formerly  abounded  in  St.  Giles’s,  by  way 
cf  invitation  to  the  sort  of  guests  there 
entertained,  a large  earthen  dish,  tilled 
with  scraps  of  meat,  pieces  of  cabbage, 
&c.  placed  over  a pan  of  burning  charcoal ; 
which,  from  it’s  appearance  while  thus 
cooking,  and  the  accompanying  sound, 
obtained  the  quaint  appellation  of  bubble 
and  squeak.  In  some  whimsical  freak, 
this  dish  was  imitated  by  an  able  cook, 
with  such  success  as  to  be  generally  adopt- 
ed ; so  that,  in  fact,  what  would  formerly  i 
have  been  called  fried  beef  and  cabbage, 
is  now  converted  into  bubble  and  squeak.  ; 
I he  best  method  of  preparing  this  curious  j 
dish  is  as  follows — Having  some  cold  salt 
beef  and  white  cabbage,  both  of  which  i 
have  been  boded,  squeeze  the  cabbage  dry 
and  chop  it  fine.  Then,  cutting  the  beef 
into  small  slices,  some  ot  the  pieces  all 
fat  and  the  others  lean,  put  it  into  a I V > mg 
pan,  with  a little  butter,  season  it  with 
pepper,  and  make  it  quite  hot.  i Ins  be- 
ing done  in  a few  minutes,  for  it  must  by 
no  means  be  fried  dry  and  hard,  place  it 
on  tiie  back  of  a sieve,  aim.  putting  m th 
cabbage,  salt  and  pepper  it  10  palate,  anu  j 
keep  it  well  stirred  over  the  lire  till  it  be-  ; 
comes  tolerably  dry.  When  done,  raise 
tiie  cabbage  higii  m the  centre  ot  a uish,  j 
and  arrange  tiie  slices  of  beet  round  n. 

ll 


If  there  be  an  eqnal  number  of  fat  and 
lean  pieces,  they  should  be  alternately 
placed.  Garnish  with  slices  of  carrot, 
either  plain  or  cut  in  fancy  forms;  and, 
to  give  the  whole  an  air  of  elegance,  put 
a large  carrot  rose  on  the  top  of  the  cab- 
bage. 

Portable  Plum  Pudding,  sometimes  called 
Hunters  or  1 ravellers  Pudding. 

If  this  pudding  be  properly  prepared 
and  kept,  it  w ill  remain  good  full  half  a 
year.  It  is  thus  directed  to  be  made  and 
managed — Take  a pound  each  of  flour,  suet, 
raisins,  and  currants:  dry  and  sift  the  flour, 
chop  the  suet,  stone  and  a little  shred  the 
raisins,  and  well  pick  and  cleanse  the  cur- 
rants. Mix  the  the  whole  well  together 
with  four  or  five  eggs,  a gill  of  brandy, 
a little  finely  pounded  ailspice  and  ginger, 
minutely  minced  lemond  rind,  a little  sugar 
and  salt,  and  a very  small  quantity  of  milk. 
It  may  either  be  put  into  a huge  melon 
mould,  bason,  or  floured  cloih;  and,  after 
being  boiled  for  at  least  eight  hours,  must  be 
kept  closely  tied  and  hung  up  in  the  cloth, 
with  a thick  paper  covering,  in  which  it 
may  be  conveyed  at  pleasure.  At  the  time 
when  it  is  wanted  for  use,  let  it  be  boiled 
about  an  hour  and  a quarter ; and  serve  it 
tip  w ith  a sauce  composed  of  sugar,  melted 
butter,  and  a little  brandy. 

Tapioca. 

The  farinaceous  concretion,  called  ta- 
pioca, is  prepared  from  the  root  ot  the  cas- 
sava, or  iatropha  manihot  of  Liniueus,  a na- 
tive shrub  of  South  America,  w hich  grow  s 
co  the  height  of  from  four  to  seven  feet. 
It's  broad  palmated  leaves,  and  white  and 
rose-coloured  blossoms,  render  it  a very 
beautuul  plant;  and  it  produces,  in  one 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  5 9o 


year,  a white,  soft,  and  farinaceous  root, 
from  about  tea  inches  to  two  feet  in  length, 
and  from  five  to  six  inches  in  circumfe- 
rence. It  is  asserted,  that  an  acre  of  the 
cassava  roots  produce  as  much  food  as  six 
acres  of  corn.  Though  the  cassava,  in  it’s 
natural  state,  is  considered  as  a very  active 
poison,  the  tapioca  prepared  from  it  in  the 
following  manner,  is  a mild  and  most  nu- 
tritious food — The  roots  being  washed,  and 
deprived  of  their  thick  rind  with  a knife,  the 
heart,  which  is  a pulpy  mass  of  a white  or 
yellowish  colour,  is  repeatedly  pressed  in 
a sort  of  mill,  between  two  cylinders,  to 
get  out  all  the  deleterious  juice.  The  dry 
pulp,  being  a compound  of  meal  and 
vegetable  fibre,  now  only  requires  to  be 
dried  over  a very  slow  fire;  when  it  will 
keep,  if  deposited  in  close  vessels,  for  seve- 
ral months.  It  may  at  any  time  be  formed 
into  edible  cakes,  by  merely  kneading  it 
up  with  water,  and  baking  them;  or  into 
pottage,  by  boiling  it  with  water  and  a lit- 
tle Cayenne  pepper.  The  pure  farina,  or 
meal,  which  is  the  tapioca  of  the  shops,  is 
separated  from  the  fibrous  part,  by  taking 
a handful  of  the  pulp  after  the  juice  is  ex- 
tracted, and  working  it  in  the  hand  till  a 
sort  of  thick  and  white  cream  appears  on 
the  surface.  This  being  scraped  off,  and 
washed  in  water,  gradually  subsides  to  the 
bottom;  and,  after  pouring  off  the  liquor, 
the  remaining  moisture  is  dissipated  over  a 
slow  fire.  In  the  mean  time,  by  constantly 
stirring  the  farina,  it  concretes  into  grains 
about  the  size  of  sago,  w hich  soon  grow 
hard,  and  may  be  kept  in  a dry  place  for 
any  length  of  time.  This  is  the  tapioca, 
thus  rendered  not  only  innocent,  but  very 
wholesome,  nourishing,  and  even  restora- 
tive. The  Indians  of  South  America  heap 
together  the  cassava  cakes  till  they  begin 


! to  heat  and  become  mouldy;  and,  infusing 
| them  in  water,  bring  on  a very  rapid  fer- 
mentation: from  this  they  prepare  an  in- 
toxicating liquor,  the  free  use  of  which  is 
attended  with  fatal  consequences.  This, 
however,  may  be  said  of  most  ardent  spi- 
rits in  a raw  or  unrectified  state.  It  is 
thought,  that  this  important  shrub  might, 
with  proper  management,  even  lie  culti- 
vated in  our  climate:  certain  it  is,  that  it 
would  thrive  either  in  the  East  or  West  In- 
dies; and  in  our  new  Australasian  settle- 
ments, commonly  called  New  South  Wales, 
Botany  Bay,  Norfolk  Island,  &c.  Tapioca 
may  be  used,  in  general,  with  much  the 
same  intentions  as  rice  or  sago.  The  cas- 
sava bread  of  the  Indians  is  said  to  be  very 
good  and  wholesome;  and  they  make,  also, 
great  use  of  the  tapioca,  in  numerous  fa- 
vourite dishes. 

Excellent  Tapioca  Pudding. 

Ax  excellent  tapioca  pudding,  either  for 
I baking  or  boiling,  may  be  made  as  follows 
j — In  a saucepan  of  cold  water,  put  a quar- 
j ter  of  a pound  of  the  largest  and  finest  sort 
of  tapioca;  and,  having  set  it  over  the  fire 
till  it  comes  to  a boil,  strain  it  to  a pint  of 
new  milk.  Then  boil  it  gently,  till  all  the 
milk  be  imbibed  or  soaked  up;  after  which, 
put  it  in  a bason  to  cool.  Beat  up,  in  the 
mean  time,  four  yolks  and  two  whites  of 
eggs;  adding  two  table-spoonfuls  of  brandy, 
with  or  without  the  same  quantity  of  rose 
or  orange-flower  water,  a little  sugar  and 
nutmeg,  and  about  an  ounce  of  oiled  or 
clarified  butter.  Having  thoroughly  mixed 
the  whole  together,  it  may  be  either  boiled 
or  baked,  being  equally  well  calculated  for 
each  method.  If  to  be  baked,  the  dish 
must  be  buttered,  and  puli’  paste  may  be 
put  round  the  rim. 


393 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 

/ I 


Tapioca  Jelly. 

After  well  washing  some  of  the  best  I 
tapioca  once  or  twice  in  cold  water,  leave 
it  to  soak  a few  hours  in  more;  and  then  j 
set  it  over  the  lire  to  simmer,  with  the  vel-  ■ 
low  rind  of  a lemon.  On  it’s  looking  quite 
clear,  add  lemon  juice,  white  wine,  and 
sugar,  proportioned  to  the  quantity,  and 
keep  stirring  the  whole  till  it  has  sufficient- 
ly thickened.  This  will  be  found  both  an 
agreeable  and  very  nourishing  jelly  for 
convalescents. 

Baked  llice  Pudding  cl  la  Turque. 

This  Turkish  method  of  making  a whole  j 
rice  pudding  was,  probably,  notvvithstand-  ! 
ing  it’s  name,  never  practised  in  Turkey: 
unless,  indeed,  by  some  French  or  English 
cook,  in  whose  superior  culinary  skill  it 
has  undoubtedly  originated;  with  an  eye, 
however,  to  the  mode  in  which  the  Turks  j 
sometimes  colour  their  rice.  It  is  thus 
made — Wash,  in  several  waters,  half  a 
pound  of  the  finest  rice,  and  then  boil  it 
in  about  a quart  of  new  milk.  In  thd  mean 
time,  boil  a pint  of  milk,  w ith  a couple  of  j 
laurel  leaves,  a little  cinnamon,  the  yellow  ! 
rind  of  a large  lemon,  and  a small  quantity 
of  saffron,  in  another  saucepan,  for  a quar- 
ter of  an  hour  or  twenty  minutes;  then 
strain  it  to  the  rice,  and  let  the  whole  sim- 
mer together  till  nearly  dry.  Put  it  into 
a pan  or  bason,  with  nearly  half  a pound 
of  fresh  butter,  and  keep  stirring  till  the 
butter  be  quite  melted.  Beat  up,  in  ano- 
ther bason,  ten  or  a dozen  yolks  of  eggs, 
leaving  out  three  or  four  of  the  whites,  with 
half  a gill  of  brandy,  and  sufficient  sugar 
and  nutmeg.  Mix  the  contents  of  both  well 
together,  either  with  or  without  half  a pound 
of  fine  picked  and  cleansed  currants;  and 


put  it  in  a buttered  baking  dish,  surround- 
ed with  puff  paste. 

Pickled  Sturgeon. 

The  sturgeon,  or  accipenser  sturio  of 
the  Linnaean  system,  thou  h sometimes 
taken  in  the  British  rivers,  is  generally  im- 
ported from  Russia,  and  occasionally  from 
North  America.  It  mostly  abounds  in  the 
Volga,  the  Danube,  and  the  Vistula;  where 
it  has  frequently  been  found  the  prodigious 
size  of  eighteen  feet  in  length,  and  weigh- 
ing from  seven  to  eight  hundred  pounds. 
The  flesh,  which  resembles  veal,  is  very  de- 
licate, firm, and  white;  and,  w hen  roasted  or 
broiled,  is  most  highly  esteemed.  It  is,  how- 
ever, mostly  sold  here  in  a pickled  state. 
When  found  high  in theThames, which  very 
seldom  occcurs,  it  is  considered  as  the  pro- 
perty of  the  Lord  Mayor  of  London;  who 
usually  compliments  the  Sovereign,  by 
sending  it,  as  a present,  to  court  In  the 
Russian  rivers,  more  particularly,  it  is  no 
rarity;  but  gives  rise  to  several  consider- 
able branches  of  commerce.  The  sounds 
of  these  fish,  ingeniously  manufactured,  are 
the  true  Russian  isinglass;  and  the  caviar, 
for  which  Russia -is  equally  famed,  is  no- 
thing more  than  the  spawn  of  the  sturgeon 
properly  seasoned  and  dried.  The  me- 
thod of  pickling  sturgeon  is  described  as 
being  very's simple—  Draw  the  sturgeon; 
and,  if  a female,  reserve  the  spawn  to  make 
caviar.  Split  the  fish  down  tlie  back;  and, 
cutting  the  jowls  toward  the  body,  and 
the  several  rands,  or  long  pieces  of  flesh, 
very  fair,  let  the  tail  piece  be  the  shortest. 
Bind  each  of  the  pieces  close  with  tape, 
or  flag  similar  to  the  Russian  matting; 
well  season  them  with  salt;  and  boil  them 
for  an  hour  and  a half,  scumming  oft'  the  oil 
all  the  time,  and  supplying  hot  water  as 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK 


m 


the  liquor  boils  away,  as  the  sturgeon  will 
otherwise  be  rusty.  When  cool,  pack  it 
up  close  with  the  liquor  in  which  it  was 
boiled.  A small  proportion  of  vinegar  is 
sometimes  boiled  with  the  water;  and  this 
is  then  called,  saucing  a sturgeon. 

Roasted  Sturgeon. 

When  a whole  fresh  sturgeon  happens 
to  be  roasted,  in  England,  it  is  dressed 
exactly  like  a large  jack  or  pike,  and 
served  up  with  the  same  sauce.  The  best 
method  of  roasting  a piece  of  sturgeon  is 
as  follows — Mix  in  a stewpan  over  the  fire, 
a little  flower  and  butter,  with  some  onions, 
bunches  of  parsley  and  sweet  herbs,  one 
fourth  as  much  vinegar  as  water,  a few 
cloves,  a little  allspice,  and  sufficient  pep- 
per and  salt:  when  the  whole  has  well 
simmered  together,  take  it  off  the  fire;  and, 
on  it’s  getting  cool,  place  the  sturgeon  in 
the  liquid,  and  let  it  steep  for  about  two 
hours.  Then  put  it  on  a small  bird  spit, 
tie  it  on  the  roasting  spit,  aiid  baste  it  well 
with  butter:  making,  in  the  mean  time,  a 
rich  sauce,  with  cullis,  butter,  anchovies, 
Madeira  wine,  Seville  orange  or  lemon 
juice,  and  a little  sugar.  A small  entire 
sturgeon  may  also  be  thus  roasted. 

Boiled  Sturgeon. 

After  leaving  it,  for  some  hours,  in  a 
marinade  of  vinegar,  salt,  ginger,  and  all- 
spice, put  it  into  a fish  kettle  of  cold  wa- 
ter, with  a little  salt  and  vinegar;  and,  Avhen 
it  comes  to  a boil,  take  out  some  of  the  hot 
liquor,  and  supply  it’s  place  with  cold  wa- 
ter; and,  on  it’s  again  boiling,  so  as  for 
the  fish  to  be  sufficiently  done,  take  it  off 
the  fire.  Serve  it  up  with  anchovy  sauce. 
It  may  be  garnished  with  slices  of  orange 
or  lemon*  or  with  barberries. 


Broiled  Sturgeon. 

Divide  the  pieces  of  sturgeon  into  cut- 
lets of  nearly  an  inch  thick;  and,  after  dip- 
ping them  in  a mixture  of  oil  and  vinegar, 
broil  them  over  a very  clear  lire,  seasoning 
to  palate  with  salt  and  pepper  on  both  sides. 

I When  done,  which  will  be  in  a few  mi- 
nutes, arrange  the  pieces  round  the  dish, 

| and  put  a sauce  in  the  centre,  composed  of 
butter  and  vinegar,  beaten  up  with  lemon 
or  Seville  orange  juice. 

Steeple  Cream. 

This  cream  seems  to  owe  it’s  distinguish- 
ing appellation  merely  to  the  form  in  which 
it  is  served  up.  It  is  generally  thus  made — 
Put  into  a common  stone  bottle  five  ounces 
1 of  hartshorn  shavings,  and  two  ounces  of 
ivory  dust,  with  a small  quantity  of  gums 
Arabic  and  tragaeanth.  Fill  up  the  bot- 
tle to  the  neck,  with  pure  water;  and,  clos- 
j ing  it  carefully  up,  set  it  in  a pot  of  water, 
l with  hay  at  the  bottom,  over  the  fire,  and 
let  it  boil  for  six  hours.  If  the  bottle  be  open- 
ed, before  it  has  stood  an  hour  to  cool,  the 
liquid  will  fly  violently  out,  and  may  scald 
the  face  or  hands;  after  that  time,  strain 
it  off,  and  it  will  then  be  a strong  jelly. 
In  the  mean  while,  having  beaten  very  fine, 
in  a marble  mortar,  a pound  of  blanched 
almonds,  mix  them  wTell  in  a pint  of 
cream;  and,  when  this  has  stood  a little, 
strain  it  to  a pound  of  the  prepared  jelly. 
Then  set  it  over  the  fire,  to  get  scalding 
but  not  boiling  hot;  sweeten  it  to  palate 
with  fine  loaf  sugar;  put  in  a little  amber, 
on  taking  it  off,  and  almost  immediately 
pour  it  into  small  but  deep  conical  galli- 
pots or  tall  ale  glasses.  It  will  thus,  when 
turned  out  quite  cold,  have  somewhat  of 
the  steeple  semblance  from  which  it  oh- 
5 it 


39  3 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


tains  it’s  name;  and  is  to  be  served  up  in  | 
the  centre  of  a dish,  surrounded  by  small  j 
heaps  of  whisked  or  whipped  up  cream. 

Almonds  covered  u'ilh  Teeing. 

Make  an  iccing,  similar  to  that  for 
twelfth-night  cakes,  &e.  with  fine  sifted 
loaf-sugar,  orange-flower  water,  and  whisk- 
ed w hite'  of  eggs;  then,  having  blanched  : 
the  almonds,  roll  them -well  in  this  iceing, 
and  dry  them  in  a cool  oven. 

Common  Snioolh  Almonds. 

Well  cleanse  the  almonds,  and  put  them 
in  a preserving  pan  to  dry;  then  pour  su-  ' 
gar,  boiled  to  a smooth  state,  from  a spoon 
or  small  ladle,  about  a gill  at  a time,  over 
the  almonds,  keeping  them  often  stirred, 
and  turned  with  the  hand,  but  sometimes  i 
leaving  them  at  rest  that  they  may  dry.  | 
They  may  have  as  few  or  as  many  coatings 
as  are  judged  proper  for  the  occasion. 

Anniseeds  of  Verdun. 

These  agreeable  and  salutary  anniseeds 
are  prepared  exactly  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  foregoing  smooth  almonds;  being, 
however,  first  carefully  freed  from  their 
stalks,  dust,  <$cc.  by  picking  and  sifting. 

Shropshire  Pie. 

AFTER  making  a good  puff  paste,  cut 
up  two  rabbits,  and  two  pounds  of  fat  pork  ! 
into  small  pieces:  well  season  both,  with  ; 
salt  and  pepper;  and,  lining  the  dish  with  j" 
sheets  of  the  paste,  lay  in  the  mixed  pieces 
of  rabbit  and  pork.  Having,  in  the  mean 
time,  parboiled  the  livers  of  the.  two  rab- 
bits, beat  them  in  a mortar  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  fat  bacon,  a few  sweet  herbs, 
oysters  if  in  season  and  at  hand,  nutmeg, 
pepper,  and  salt;  then,  with  the  yolk  of 


egg,  and  a little  flour,  or  a few  bread-crumbs 
make  it  up  into  balls,  and  place  them  in 
different  parts  of  the  pie.  Some  also  put 
into  the  pie  artichoke  bottoms  cut  in  the 
form  of  dice,  and  even  pieces  of  the  combs 
of  cocks.  When  all  the  intended  contents 
are  in,  grate  a small  nutmeg  over  the  whole; 
pour  in  half  a pint  each  of  red  port  and 
water,  cover  the  pie  close,  and  bake  it  for 
an  hour  and  a half  in  a quick  but  not  too 
fierce  oven. 

Petit  Panics,  or  Little  Pies. 

For  the  convenience  of  making  petit 
patties,  fine  puff  paste  is  first  to  be  pre- 
pared, and  l olled  out  carefully  of  one  uni- 
form thickness,  as  it  will  otherwise  not 
bake  upright.  It  should  be  nearly  a quar- 
ter of  an  inch  thick;  and,  when  thus  roi- 
led out,  be  cut  according  to  fancy,  with 
proper  paste  cutters,  and  put  on  a baking- 
dish;  then,  having  dipped  a small  paste 
brush  in  yolk  of  egg  beat  up  with  a little 
water,  the  tops  are  to  be  rubbed  over  with- 
out by  any  means  egging  the  sides.  A 
cutter  three  sizes  smaller  than  that  with 
which  the  patties  were  cut  out,  is  now  to 
be  used  for  cutting  them  about  half  through 
in  the  middle;  when  they  should  immedi- 
ately be  set  in  a quick  oven,  where  they 
must  be  carefully  attended  during  the  few 
minutes  required  for  baking  them.  As 
they  must  never  be  high  coloured,  it  is  fre- 
quently necessary  to  cover  them  with  pa- 
per. When  they  are  done,  the  tops  are 
to  be  taken  off,  the  soft  paste  is  to  be  scrap- 
ed out  from  the  insides,  and  they  arc  to  be 
placed  on  white  paper  to  soak  up  the  but- 
ter from  them.  The  particular  article  for 
the  insides  of  these  patties,  being  ready 
prepared,  is  to  be  filled  in  only  a few  mi- 
nutes before  they  are  wanted  fbr  • 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  399 


Volevents. 

The  name  volevents,  derived  from  the 
French  vol  an  vent,  and  significant  of  such 
extreme  lightness  as  to  take  wing  with 
every  breath  of  wind,  is  applied  to  puff 
paste  cut  out  and  baked  in  shape  of  the  in-  j 
tended  pies,  either  oval  or  round,  for  the  ! 
reception  of  a composition  prepared  over 
the  fire,  after  the  same  manner  as  is  direct-  , 
ed  for  petit  patties  in  the  preceding  article,  i 
The  general  manner  of  making  a volevent 
of  moderate  size,  for  flesh,  fish,  &e.  is  as 
follows — Having  made  a delicate  puff  paste,  | 
roll  it  regularly  out  to  the  thickness  of 
about  a couple  of  inches;  and,  cutting  two 
pieces  of  it,  each  the  exact  size  of  the  dish, 
whether  round  or  oval,  in  which  it  is  to  be 
served  up,  wash  the  first  piece  with  yolk 
of  egg,  put  the  other  over  it,  mark  the 

middle  with  a cutter  two  or  three  sizes  | 

1 1 

smaller,  egg  the  top,  and  bake  the  vole- 
vent  of  a nice  light  brown  colour.  After 
it  is  properly  done,  take  off  the  central  part 
to  the  mark,  and  fill  it  with  whatever  may 
have  been  provided  for  the  purpose.  These  1 
volevents  are  chiefly  made  for  fowl,  or  fish, 
in  our  great  kitchens;  but  might,  witli  ad- 
vantage, be  brought  into  very  general  use, 
for  meats  and  fruits  of  all  sorts,  as.  they  are 
in  German v,  and  other  foreign  countries. 

( 

Oyster  Pie. 

PUT  oysters  in  a stewpan,  with  a little 
lemon  peel,  and  strain  to  them  their  own 
liquor,  with  any  necessary  additional  water 
just  to  cover  them.  "When  they  are  some- 
what scalded,  take  off  their  beards,  aod 
put  them  into  a dish  lined  with  puff  paste ; 
adding  butter,  a very  little  salt,  some  pep- 
per, and  beaten  mace.  Pour  in  part  of  the 
oyster  liquor,  sheet  the  top  with  paste,  ' 


brush  it  over  with  yolk  of  egg,  and  set  it 
in  the  oven,  "While  it  is  baking,  warm  to- 
gether a little  of  the  oyster  ■ liquor,  with 
some  good  cream  and  white  gravy,  but 
they  must  not.  boil;  and,  as  soon  as  the 
pie  is  dbne,  pour  it  in,  and  serve  it  up. 

Oyster  Patties  and  l ulevmts. 

The  puff  paste  for  the  patties  may  either 
be  prepared  according  to  the  method  di- 
rected for  petit  patties  in  general ; or  by 
lining  small  patty-pans,  putting  a bit  of 
bread  in  each,  covering  them  over,  baking 
them,  and  then  taking  out  the  bread  to 
make  room  for  the  ingredients.  In  either 
case,  the  oysters,  after  being  parboiled  and 
bearded,  are  to  be  cut  into  smaller  or  larger 
dice,  seasoned,  and  gently  stewed  with 
cream  and  white  gravy,  as  well  as  their 
own  liquor,  before  they  are  put  into  the 
patties  or  volevents.  Where  the  volevents 
are  large,  the  oysters  may  be  left  whole, 
in  the  same  manner  as  for  pies. 

Pallies  and  Volevents  of  Veal,  Mutton , Fowl, 
Turkey,  fyc. 

Veal,  mutton,  fowl,  turkey,  &c.  under- 
done, may  be  minced  for  patties,  or  cut  in 
larger  bits  for  volevents;  and,  being  pro- 
perly ragouted  or  fricasseed,  put  into  the 
baked  paste  of  the  patties  or  volevents. 
Fish  and  fruits,  also,  prepared  over  the 
fire,  may  be  conveniently  inclosed,  when 
sufficiently  done,  in  the  same  manner. 

Persian  and  Turkish  Sherbet. 

The  Persians  and  Turks  prepare  many 
sorts  of  sherbet,  from  the  choicest  fruits 
and  flowers;  it  being,  in  fact,  the  favourite 
diluting  drink  of  these  people,  who  are 
forbidden  the  use  of  wine  by  the  Maho- 
metan religion.  The.  name  is  derived  from. 


400 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  Arabic  infinitive,  islirub,  to  drink:  the 
French  call  it,  sorbet;  and  ourselves,  sherbet. 
The  method  pursued  by  the  Persians,  Turks, 
kc.  is  to  extract  the  fragrant,  rich,  and 
acidulated  juices,  of  the  finest  flowers  and 
fruits;  and  make  them,  with  the  addition 
of  sugar,  into  what  we  call  fruit  jellies  or  | 
lozenges,  which  are  dissolved  in  a glass  of 
the  purest  spring  water,  and  thus  form 
the  agreeable  beverage  denominated  slier*  | 
bet.  For  example,  they  evaporate  the  de-  | 
purated  juice  of  citrons  in  a water  bath, 
with  a slow  fire,  till  it  gets  to  nearly  the  J 
consistence  of  honey  ; melting,  in  the  moan  | 
time,  some  fine  powdered  loaf  sugar  in  a 
silver  dish,  and  continually  stirring  it  with  ; 
a spatula:  when  the  sugar  is  very  dry, 
they  sprinkle  over  it,  a little  at  a time,  the 
mucilage  of  citron;  continually  stirring  j 
and  moistening  it,  till  the  whole  has  suf- 
ficient humidity  to  unite  and  form  a paste, 
which  they  make  up  into  lozenges,  and 
keep  them  in  a dry  or  rather  warm  situa-  j 
tion,  for  use.  In  this  way,  they  prepare  i 
all  the  acid  juices;  such  as  gooseberries,  j 
barberries,  lemons,  kc.  With  the  juice  i 
of  oranges,  pomegranates,  and  other  less  ! 
acid  and  more  delicately  flavoured  fruits,  j 
they  proceed  differently:  only  well  heat- 
ing the  sugar,  in  a silver  dish;  and  adding 
to  it,  by  like  degrees,  the  fresh  juice,  itn-  j 
mediately  on  it’s  being  expressed,  stirred 
constantly  till  a paste  be  formed.  This  j 
paste  must  be  left  till  nearly  dry,  before  i 
it  can  be  made  into  lozenges;  which  must  I 
then  be  put  into  a box  lined  with  paper,  : 
and  kept  in  a dry  place.  These  are  va- 
riously prepared  with  orange-flowers,  roses, 
&c.  A favourite  sherbet  is  said  to  be 
made,  both  by  the  Persians  anil  Turks, 
with  violet  vinegar,  pomegranate  juice, 
and  sugar,  formed  into  lozenges 


Fine  7. c manacle. 

This  liquor,  and  all  our  refreshing  fruit 
waters,  made  from  the  recent  expressed 
juices  and  sugar,  or  the  respective  pre- 
parefl  jellies,  jams,  marmalades,  or  syrups, 
may  be  considered  as  so  many  species  of 
sherbets;  and,  indeed,  are  most  delicate 
when  made  nearest  after  the  oriental  fa- 
shion, with  the  jellies,  syrups,  cec.  Our 
eapiUaire,  may  be  regarded  as  a sort  of 
oriental  sherbet.  Lemonade,  which  forms 
one  of  our  commonest  sherbets,  is  ordinarily 
made  by  merely  expressing  the  juice  of 
three  or  four  lemons  in  a quart  of  cold 
spring  water,  adding  a quarter  of  a pound 
of  loaf  sugar  and  a few  slices  of  lemon. 
It  is  much  improved,  however,  by  a pre- 
i vious  infusion  of  some  of  the  yellow  rind 
in  a little  hot  water;  or  even  rubbing  the 
lumps  of  sugar  on  the  lemon  so  as  to  im- 
bibe the  essence  of  the  peel,  and  afterward 
passing  the  lemonade  through  a lawn  sieve 
' or  jelly-bag.  By  rasping  one  or  two  fine 
lemons,  and  squeezing  four,  to  half  a pint 
of  common  or  clarified  syrup,  adding  wa- 
ter to  palate,  and  straining  it  through  a 
sieve,  a very  good  lemonade  is  expedi- 
i tiously  prepared ; which,  also,  may  be  im- 
proved, by  substituting  cap i 1 laire  for  com- 
mon syrup.  One  of  the  best  methods  of 
making  a superior  lemonade,  is  by  mixing 
the  juice,  and  part  of  the  rinds,  of  any 
number  of  lemons,  with  a few  cloves,  a 
little  nutmeg,  some  Ginnamon,  plenty  of 
loaf  sugar,  and  sufficient  spring  water: 
then,  well  whisking  up  wi,th  the  whole  five 
whites  and  a single  yolk  of  egg  for  each  gal- 
lon of  water;  and,  when  it  has  boiled  over 
a brisk  fire  for  nearly  a quarter  of  an  hour, 
and  been  carefully  stirred  and  scummed, 

I run  it  through  a jelly-bag  first  wetted  and 


■l 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


401 


squeezed  dry,  and  let  it  stand  till  perfectly 
cold.  Seville  orange,  in.  the  proportion 
of  one  to  six  lemons,  both  of  rind  and  juice, 
will  afford  a still  finer  lemonade.  Great 
care  must  be  taken,  not  to  let  any  of  the 
spices  predominate. 

llich  Orangeade. 

In  general,  orangeade  is  to  be  prepared 
with  China  oranges,  exactly  on  the  same 
principle  as  lemonade  with  lemons;  each 
being  improved  by  a slight  addition  of 
the  other,  or  of  the  fragrant  rind  and  rich 
juice  of  the  Seville  orange.  A peculiarly 
rich  orangeade  may  be  made  as  follows — 
Steep  the  yellow  rinds  of  six  China  and 
two  Seville  oranges  in  a quart  of  boiling 
hot  water,  closely  covered  up,  for  five  or 
six  hours;  then  make  a syrup  with  a pound 
of  sugar  and  three  pints  of  water,  mix  the 
infusion  and  syrup  together,  squeeze  in  the 
juice  of  a dozen  China  oranges,  and  the  two 
Seville  from  which  the  rind  was  taken,  stir 
the  whole  well  together,  and  run  it  through 
a jelly  bag:  and,  afterward,  if  convenient 
or  agreeable,  a little  orange-flower  water; 
with  some  capillaire  syrup,  should  more 
sweetening  be  wanted.  Two  lemons  may 
be  used,  as  well  as  the  two  Seville  oranges; 
but  care  should  always  be  taken  not  to 
have  the  lemon  flavour  too  perceptible  in 
orangeade,  nor  the  orange  in  lemonade. 

Bergamot  Water. 

Make  a pint  of  syrup  ; and,  when  cold, 
squeeze  into  it  half  a dozen  fine  lemons, 
with  or  without  a Seville  orange  or  two 
China  oranges,  adding  as  much  water  as 
may  be  necessary:  then,  putting  in  a tea- 
spoonful of  genuine  essence  of  bergamot, 
run  it  through  a lawn  sieve,  and  it  is 
immediately  ready  for  drinking. 


Peach  and  Apricot  Waters. 

Both  these  waters,  as  well  as  those  of 
several  other  fruits,  are  readily  made  by 
mixing  two  or  three  table-spoonfuls  of  the 
respective  jams  with  a few  blanched  and 
pounded  bitter  almonds,  lemon  juice, 
cold  spring  water,  and  powdered  loaf  su- 
gar to  palate.  On  being  run  through  a 
lawn  sieve,  these  waters  are  immediately 
fit  to  drink. 

Genuine  British  Punch. 

It  will  scarcely  seem  credible,  that  the 
preparation  of  this  very  common  liquor, 
which  almost  every  Englishman  well  knows 
is  merely  composed  of  lemon  or  limejuice, 
with  or  without  that  of  Seville  orange,  and 
some  of  the  respective  rinds,  mixed  with 
sugar,  hot  water,  and  rum  and  brandy  in 
different  proportions,  is  so  little  understood 
in  France,  that  the  celebrated  Almanac 
des  Gourmands,  printed  in  1806,  gravely 
presents  a receipt  for  making  punch  with 
tea  instead  of  water  ; which  the  ingenious 
but  grossly  deceived  writer  informs  bis 
readers,  is  the  genuine  British  method,  as 
described  by  a French  officer  who  was 
long  a prisoner  of  war  in  England  and 
had  frequently  seen  it  made.  The  only 
way  of  accounting  for  which,  seems  to  be 
this;  that  the  said  officer,  having  constant- 
ly beheld  the  tea-kettle  on  the  fire,  for  the 
purpose  of  boiling  the  water  to  make  punch, 
sagaciously  discovered,  with  ail  the  suspi- 
cious cunning  which  characterizes  the  na- 
tives in  general  of  his  very  crafty  country, 
that  tea  must  necessarily  be  used.  Where- 
as, with  a little  more  sound  wisdom,  and  a 
little  less  subtle  craft,  he  might  plainly 
have  perceived,  what  is  never  made  any 
secret,  that  the  water  only  is  poured 
5 I 


402 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


immediately  into  the  bowl  on  the  seve- 
ral ingredients  which  have  been  men- 
tioned. The  grand  secret,  or  rather  art,  of 
making  genuine  British  punch,  consists  in 
the  preparation  of  a rich  and  delicate  sher- 
bet; this  being  accomplished,  with  the 
addition  of  the  best  genuine  West  India 
rum,  French  brandy,  and  pure  hot  or  cold 
water,  the  punch  may  be  too  strong,  too 
weak,  or  have  too  large  or  too  small  a pro- 
portion of  rum  or  brandy,  but  cannot  pos- 
sibly prove  bad  punch.  In  preparing 
sherbet  for  punch,  the  acids  of  cream  of 
tartar,  tamarinds,  and  various  other  pre- 
pared vegetable  acids,  as  well  as  that  par- 
ticularly denominated  the  citric  acid,  are 
occasionally  employed  ; but,  perhaps,  after 
all,  the  juices  of  limes,  lemons,  and  Seville 
oranges,  expressed  from  the  fresh  fruits, 
when  obtainable,  make  the  sort  of  sherbet 
which  seems  most  congenial  with  the  na- 
ture of  good  British  punch.  A fine  large 
bowl  of  this  liquor,  which  will  be  found  to 
please  most  palates,  may  be  made  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner — Procure  half  a dozen  ripe, 
sound,  and  fresh  lemons,  or  a proportionate 
number  of  limes,  and  a couple  of  Seville 
oranges.  Rub  off  the  yellow  rinds  of  three 
or  four  of  the  lemons,  with  lumps  of  fine 
loaf  sugar;  putting  each  lump  into  the 
bowl,  as  soon  as  it  is  sufficiently  saturated 
or  clogged  with  the  essence  or  grated  rind. 
Then  thinly  pare  the  other  lemons  and 
Seville  orange,  and  put  these  rinds  also  in 
the  bowl;  to  which,  adding  plenty  of  sugar, 
pour  a very  small  quantity  of  boiling  wa- 
ter, and  immediately  squeeze  the  juice  of 
nearly -all  the  fruit,  followed  by  a little 
more  hot  water.  Incorporate  the  whole 
well  together  with  the  punch  ladle;  and, 
putting  a little  of  the  sherbet  thus  composed 
into  a glass,  try  it’s  richness  and  flavour 


by  the  palate.  If  the  fruit  be  good,  a 
practised  punch  maker  will  find  little 
which  requires  to  be  regulated,  and  that 
little  can  soon  be  adjusted  by  supplving 
the  aqueous,  saccharine,  or  acid  deficien- 
cies, so  as  to  produce  a luscious  and  rich- 
bodied sherbet,  fit  for  the  reception  of  the 
spirit  which  is  to  give  it  animation.  If 
straining  should  be  found  necessary,  this 
is  the  period  for  using  a lawn  sieve,  through 
which  a little  more  hot  water  may  after- 
ward be  passed  ; and  a few  parings  of  the 
orange  and  lemon  rind  are  generally  con- 
sidered as  having  an  agreeable  appearance 
floating  in  the  bowl.  The  sherbet  being: 
thus  prepared,  to  make  it  into  genuine 
British  punch,  spirit  should  be  added  in 
the  proportions  of  a bottle  of  the  best  Ja- 
maica rum  to  every  pint  of  the  finest  Cog- 
niac  brandy;  the  entire  strength  or  weak- 
ness may  be  suited  to  the  general  inclina- 
tion of  the  company  for  which  it  is  prepar- 
ed. The  above  quantity  of  fruit,  with  about 
a pound  and  a half  of  sugar,  will  make  suf- 
ficient sherbet  for  a two  gallon  bowl.  Pine 
apple  rum,  and  capillaire  syrup  instead  of 
part  of  the  sugar,  may  be  used,  if  conveni- 
ent, with  considerable  advantage  to  the 
flavour;  though  it  will  prove  excellent 
punch,  without  either  of  these  auxiliaries, 
or  even  Seville  orange.  The  same  sort  of 
sherbet  may,  of  course  be  used  for  brandy 
punch,  or  rum  punch,  singly;  but  punch 
is  seldom  so  made  in  England:  most  per- 
sons, indeed,  mix  equal  parts  of  rum  and 
brandy.  Arrac  punch,  however,  is  always^ 
made  with  that  spirit  alone:  and,  usually, 
with  a simple  sherbet  of  lime  or  lemon 
juice  with  sugar;  as  the  flavour  of  the 
Sev  ille  orange  interferes  too  much  with  the 
peculiar  flavour  of  the  arrac,  which  proves 
so  grateful  to  most  tastes,  though  to  many 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


403 


very  unpleasant.  When,  with  the  richest 
sherbet,  sometimes  rendered  still  richer  by 
fruit  jellies  and  even  nutmeg,  wine  is  ming- 
led with  the  rum  and  brandy  instead  of 
water,  the  liquor  is  called  punch  royal. 
The  mixture  of  a small  quantity  of  ale  or 
porter,  highly  recommended  by  some,  in 
making  punch,  seems  only  advisable  when  ; 
it  is  rum  punch,  made  without  any  brandy, 
and  must  even  then  be  very  sparingly  in- 
troduced. This  article,  whatever  may  ap- 
pear it’s  value,  is  furnished,  with  regard  to 
it’s  principles,  by  one  of  the  lirst  practical 
punch  makers  in  Europe:  who  could  easily, 
by  dwelling  on  minute  circumstances,  have 
supplied  matter  for  a small  volume;  the 
essence  of  which  is,  however,  he  freely  con- 
fesses,  here  sufficiently  concentrated  for 
every  useful  purpose.  With  regard  to  the  j 
salubrity  of  punch:  when  drank  in  mode- 
ration, hot  in  winter,  or  cold  and  even  iced 
in  summer,  it  affords  a most  grateful  bever-  j 
age;  admirably  allaying  thirst,  promoting 
the  secretions,  and  conveying  animation  j 
to  the  spirits.  If,  however,  amid  the  hila-  1 
rity  excited  by  the  tempting  fragrance  and 
luscious  taste  which  the  balmy  bowl  seldom 
fails  to  inspire,  it  be  too  freely  and  too  ha- 
bitually drank,  it’s  powerful  combination 
of  spirit  and  acid,  instead  of  proving  fa- 
vourable to  the  constitution,  will  infallibly 
tend  to  bring  on  the  gout  even  sooner 
than  most  wines,  or  strong  cyder,  unless 
happily  prevented  by  using  a considerable 
degree  of  exercise.  Punch,  like  all  the 
prime  blessings  of  life,  is  excellent,  and 
even  salutary;  when  prudently  enjoyed, 
at  proper  seasons.  We  must  not  charge,  on 
them,  our  own  want  of  discretion;  by  which, 
alone,  they  are  ever  converted  to  evils. 
The  apparently  whimsical  English  name 
of  punch,  like  the  liquor  itself,  is  of  West 


India  origin  ; the  word,  in  the  aboriginal 
language,  signifying  simply  five,  being  the 
number  of  the  ingredients  there  used  : 
viz.  1.  acid,  or  lime  or  lemon  juice;  2. 
sweetness,  or  sugar;  3.  spirit,  or  rum,  &c. 
4.  water;  and,  5.  spicey  flavour,  or  nut- 
meg, &c.  It  is  singular,  too,  that  punch, 
the  word  for  five,  consists  of  just  five  letters. 
From  the  opposite  natures  of  the  several 
ingredients,  punch  has  also  been  sometimes 
called  the  liquor  of  contradictions. 

Malabar  Pickle ; or.  Pest  Indian  Pickle,  as 
made  on  the  Malabar  Coast. 

We  are  favoured  with  the  following  re- 
ceipt by  a distinguished  traveller — Pour 
hot  vinegar  on  a considerable  quantify  of 
cloves  of  garlic;  cover  it  up  close  ; and, 
when  it  becomes  thoroughly  softened,  press 
out  all  thejuice.  Add,  to  this,  turmeric  in 
powder;  and,  after  it  has  stood  two  days, 
forcibly  express  the  whole  of  the  liquid. 
Then  add  thejuice  of  capsicum,  or  Cayenne 
pepper.  This  constitutes  the  pickle:  in 
which  there  can  scarcely  be  too  much  gar- 
lic or  turmeric;  and,  with  regard  to  pep- 
per, the  Indians  make  it  hotter  than  it  can 
here  possibly  be  eaten  by  Europeans. 

[ The  fruit,  or  other  vegetable  substances, 
of  whatever  kind,  being  prepared  in  the 
usual  manner,  by  salting  and  drying,  are 
to  be  put  into  this  pickle  ; and,  when  it  has 
well  penetrated,  which  soon  happens,  they 
will  prove  incomparably  fine. 

Genuine  Preparation  of  the  Famous  Chemical 
liquid  for  Boot  Tops,  & (c. 

MANY  of  the  liquids,  sold  under  various- 
denominations,  for  the  purpose  of  cleaning 
and  restoring  the  colour  of  boot  tops,  &c. 
are  found  very  imperfectly  to  answer  that 
purpose,  and  often  to  injure  the  leather. 


404 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


The  following  genuine  receipt  may  be 
fully  relied  on,  for  actually  producing  this 
desirable  effect;  as  well  as  for  readily  tak- 
ing out  grease,  ink  spots,  and  the  stains 
occasioned  by  the  juice  of  fruit,  red  port 
wine,  &c.  from  all  leather  or  parchment — 
Mix  in  a phial,  one  dram  of  oxy-muriate  of 
potash  with  two  ounces  of  distilled  water; 
and,  when  the  salt  is  dissolved,  add  two 
ounces  of  muriatic  acid.  Then,  shaking 
well  together, in  another  phial,  three  ounces 
of  rectified  spirit  of  wine  with  half  an  ounce 
of  the  essential  oil  of  lemon,  unite  the  con- 
tents of  the  two  phials,  and  keep  the  che- 
mical liquid  thus  prepared  closely  corked 
for  use.  This  chemical  liquid  should  be  ap- 
plied with  a clean  sponge,  and  dried  in  a 
gentle  heat;  after  which,  the  boot  tops  may 
be  polished  with  a proper  brush,  so  as  to  ap- 
pear like  new  leather.  For  this  valuable 
receipt,  we  are  indebted  to  an  eminent 
chemist. 

Barberry  T Vine. 

Bruise  the  ripest  barberries, picked  from 
their  stalks;  and,  to  every  two  quarts  cf 
picked  barberries,  put  a gallon  of  boiling 
water.  Let  it  remain,  at  least,  three  days, 
and  be  well  stirred  every  morning  and  even- 
ing: then,  drawing  off,  and  expressing 
through  a sieve,  all  the  juice,  put  it  into  a 
seasoned  cask,  on  three  pounds  of  sugar 
to  every  gallon  of  liquid.  When  it  has  re- 
mained in  the  cask  a few  months,  bottle  it 
off;  putting  into  every  bottle  a small  lump 
of  loaf  sugar.  This  is  not  only,  in  itself, 
a very  agreeable  wine,  both  with  regard  to 
colour  and  flavour,  as  well  as  salubrity; 
but  affords  one  of  the  very  best  known 
means  of  successfully  imitating,  genuine 
red  port,  claret,  &c.  in  this  country.  Some 
persons  prefer  boiling  the  barberries,  and 


fermenting  the  strained  liquid  in  an  open 
vessel,  for  a few  days,  previously  to  tun- 
ning it  up. 

Oyster  Atlcts. 

\ % , 

Blanch  some  of  the  finest  oysters;  and, 
having  bearded  them,  put  them  on  a small 
wood  or  silver  skewer,  egg  them  over, 
sprinkle  them  with  pepper  or  salt,  and 
cover  them  with  bread  crumbs  passed 
through  a hair  sieve:  repeat  the  egging, 
seasoning,  and  breading;  drop  over  them 
a little  clarified  butter;  and,  brushing  over 
•the  gridiron  with  melted  butter,  gently 
broil  the  atlets,  on  a slow  but  clear  fire, 
till  of  a nice  brown  colour,  and  send  them 
on  the  skewer  to  table. 

Excellent  and  Simple  Russian  Method  of  safely 

Packing  Ripe  Grapes,  and  other  delicate 

Fruits,  for  distant  Carriage. 

It  is  of  some  importance,  in  most  coun- 
tries, to  know  how  ripe  fruit  may  be  safe- 
ly conveyed  a great  distance.  The  Rus- 
sians send,  from  Astrakan  to  St.  Peters- 
burgh,  full  ripe  grapes,  and  other  fruits, 
in  little  waggons  without  any  springs,  yet 
the  fruit  constantly  arrives  quite  perfect. 
Their  method  is  as  follows — They  first  put 
into  the  bottom  of  each  box  or  barrel, 
which  should  be  of  a moderate  size,  a layer 
of  canary  seed  about  half  an  inch  in 
depth;  then,  lightly  packing  in  the  fruit, 
without  the  smallest  pressure,  to  near 
the  top  of  the  box  or  barrel,  pour  in  as 
much  more  canary  seed  as  it  appears  ca- 
pable of  containing.  The  polished  surface 
of  the  seed  occasioning  it  to  run  like  water 
toward  the  bottom,  and  occupy  every  space, 
the  cask  or  chest  is  occasionally  beat  on 
the  sides,  with  the  gentle  stroke  of  a ham- 
mer, &c.  till  no  more  sinks  from  the  sur- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  40. 


face.  The  head  or  Ird  is  then  put  on;  in 
which  a small  hole  is  left,  for  more  seed  to 
be  put,  if  found  necessary  on  again  beat- 
ing the  cask  or  box,  till  not  a grain  more 
can  gain  admittance.  This  small  hole 
being  stopped,  the  fruit  may  be  sent,  by 
any  sort  of  conveyance,  and  to  whatever 
distance  is  required,  during  the  time  it 
will  naturally  keep;  and,  as  the  seed  is 
neither  damaged  nor  lost,  it  thus  finds  a 
market  as  well  as  the  fruit. 

Anatolian  Sweetmeats,  without  Sugar. 

THESE  Anatolian  sweetmeats  form  a 
considerable  article  of  the  Turkish  or  Gre- 
cian commerce  with  Russia;  and  are,  in 
truth,  a most  wholesome,  nutritive,  and 
agreeable  food.  They  are  prepared  from 
different  fruits,  and  particularly  ripe  grapes. 
The  whole  art  consists  in  boiling  the  juice 
or  pulp  of  the  respective  fruits  with  starch 
made  from  pure  wheat  starch,  and  which 
is  itself  an  article  of  food,  till  the  whole 
becomes  transparent,  and  has  lost  all  it’s 
rawness.  The  greatest  care  is  taken,  while 
boiling,  to  prevent  it’s  burning;  and,  on 
it’s  being  thus  sufficiently  boiled,  it  is  put 
into  shallow  vessels,  and  exposed  to  the 
influence  of  the  sun  till  it  evaporates  to 
dryness.  Sugar  may  be  put  in,  or  not,  ac- 
cording to  the  taste  of  the  preparer;  but, 
where  the  fruits  are  ripe  and  sweet,  it  is 
by  no  mean  necessary.  These  sweetmeats 
are  enriched  with  almonds  and  other  de- 
licacies, while  they  are  in  a soft  state,  and 
afterward  disposed  in  various  forms;  but 
the  most  general  method  of  forming  grape 
juice  hus  prepared,  is  to  dip  in  a piece  of 
string,  repeatedly,  till  it  becomes  about 
the  thickness  of  a thumb,  when  it  is  hung 
up  to  dry.  This  is,  perhaps,  the  cheapest 
possible  way  of  making  sweetmeats;  and, 


if  the  juice  be  fine,  boiled  immediately  on 
it’s  being  expressed  from  the  fruit,  and 
otherwise  properly  managed,  as  above  di- 
rected, they  are  extremely  pleasant. 

Dried  Apricots  of  Damascus  and  Aleppo. 

At  Damascus  and  Aleppo,  apricots  are 
dried  and  prepared  much  better  than  on 
the  coast  of  Anatolia;  or,  indeed,  any 
where  else.  It  must,  however,  be  premised, 
that  the  apricots  of  Damascus  and  Aleppo 
are  the  finest  in  the  world.  The  apricot 
is  there  grafted  on  the  sweet  almond;  anc^ 
though  this  fact  was  mentioned  by  Dr. 
Russel,  in  his  Natural  History  of  Aleppo, 
a great  many  years  ago,  it  is  astonishing 
that  it  has  not,  even  yet,  come  into  practice, 
either  in  our  own  country  or  any  other  part 
of  Europe.  It  would,  in  truth,  prove  to  us 
a new  and  most  delicious  fruit,  being  equal- 
ly juicy  with  the  peach.  The  method  of 
preparing  these  incomparable  apricots,  is 
simply  thus — After  stoning  and  flattening 
the  apricots,  they  are  powdered  over  with 
starch,  stewed  a very  little,  and  dried  in 
the  sun  or  over  an  oven.  When  thus  pre- 
pared, particularly  at  Damascus,  they  are 
most  exquisitely  delicious. 

Art  of  making  Austrian  Wine  in  all  Countries. 

The  following  curious  receipt  is  literally 
translated  from  a celebrated  German  oeco- 
nomical  writer — Pick  red  or  purple  grapes 
from  their  stalks,  into  a pail;  then  put 
them  in  a vat,  strewed  over  with  white 
mustard  seed  in  the  proportion  of  about 
half  a pint  to  ten*  gallons.  The  vat,  after 
bruising  the  grapes  with  a wooden  masher, 
must  be  well  covered,  and  the  mash  every 
day  thoroughly  stirred^  In  eight  or  ten 
days,  it  is  to  be  pressed,  and  have  the  ex- 
pressed mash  or  must  passed  with  the  li- 
5 k 


406* 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


quor  into  the  barrel,  the  height  of  a band  be-  j 
ing  left  unfilled.  It  must  now  be  very  often 
stirred,  both  day  and  night,  with  a proper 
stick,  to  preyent  it’s  farther  fermentation. 
When  it  becomes  quiet,  and  settled,  the  j 
barrel  is  to  be  filled  up  with  more  must; 
but  not  with  old  wine,  as  the  mustard  meal  j 
is  necessary.  When  a large  quantity  of  this 
wine  is  to  be  made,  there  should  be  several 
vats,  in  none  of  which  the  mash  ought  j 
ever  to  be  more  than  two  feet  deep.  I he  j. 
German  receipt  gives  no  farther  directions  ; | 
but  tiie  barbel,  of  course,  is  to  be  closed,  and 
the  liquor  drawn  off  and  bottled  in  due  time, 
after  the  usual  method. 


German  Otjslcr  Powder. 


The  Germans  prepare  oyster  powder 
for  ragouts  and  sauces,  in  the  following 
curious  manner — Take  fresh  oysters  of 
any  sort,  beard  them,  and  put  them  in  a 
vessel  over  the  lire  to  get  out  the  super- 
fluous water;  after  which,  lay  them  to  cool, 
and  work  them  through  a colander.  This 
done,  place  them  on  an  oaken  board,  and 
chop  them  small  with  pounded  biscuit, 
mace,  and  finely  minced  lemon  peel,  so  as 
to  produce  a proper  dough  or  paste;  with 
which  make  up  thin  cakes,  put  them  on 
clean  paper,  and  set  them  with  the  board 
in  a gentle  oven.  When  they  are  baked 
quite  hard,  take  them  out,  and  immediately 
pound  them  into  a fine  powder,  and  keep 
it  in  boxes  perfectly  dry.  This  oyster  pow- 
der is  found  very  useful  when  oysters  are 
out  of  season,  as  well  as  in  such  inland 
parts  as  seldom  have  any.  Many  dishes 
and  sauces  are  much  improved  by  the 
agreeable  oyster  flavour  given  by  this 
powder,  which  should  be  made  when  oys- 
ters are  cheap  and  good.  The  cakes  may 
even  be  preserved  and  used  without  pound- 


i 


ing;  but  it  will  then  be  necessary  to  soften 
them,  previously  to  their  being  beaten  up 
and  used  for  culinary  purposes. 

Pine  Apple  Jce  Cream,  and  Water  Ice. 

Put  into  a bason  about  a gill  of  pine 
apple  syrup,  with  the  juice  of  two  lemons 
and  two  China  oranges:  make  it  agreeable 
to  the  palate,  if  necessary,  by  adding  more 
syrup;  then  put  it  into  the  freezing  pot, 
and  cover  it  over.  Set  the  freezing  pot  in  a 
pail,  with  pieces  of  ice  ail  round  the  pot; 
and  throw  on  the  ice  in  the  pail  plenty  of 
salt,  turning  round  the  pot  for  about  ten 
minutes:  then,  opening  the  freezing  pot, 
and  scraping  the  cream  from  the  sides, 
cover  it  again  closely  up,  and  continue 
turning  it  round  till  the  cream  becomes  of  a 
consistency  like  that  of  new  butter.  Fill, 
it  into  pine-apple  moulds;  and,  putting 
brown  paper  over  them,  place  them  in  the 
pail,  cover  them  with  ice  and  salt,  and  let 
them  remain  at  least  an  hour,  or  till  the 
shape  be  campleatly  formed,  taking  care 
that  no  water  gets  into  the  moulds.  The 
pine  apple  water  ice  may  be  made  exactly 
in  the  same  manner,  only  substituting  a 
like  quantity  of  pure  water  for  the  cream. 
Other  ice  creams  and  waters  may  be  made 
on  a similar  plan,  in  suitable  shapes;  and 
all  may  be  coloured  by  the  customary  me- 
thods of  giving  colours  to  confectionary. 
There  must  be  no  spare  of  salt,  to  be  mixed 
with  the  ice- in. the  pail;  or  the  contents  of 
the.  pine  apple  shapes,  and  other  larger 
articles,  will  not  be  thoroughly  frozen. 
The  moulds  must  always  be  dipped  in  wa- 
ter, previously  to  turning  out  the  subject 
on  the  dish  in  which  it  is  sent  Lo  table. 

French  Husks. 

Mix,  in  a pan,  with  a large  wooden 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


spoon,  three  quarters  of  a pound  of  pow- 
dered loaf  sugar,  and  half  a pint  of  yolk 
of  eggs:  then  put  in  a large  handful  of 
carravvay  seeds,  with  a pound  of  flour;  j 
and,  working  the  whole  well  together,  roll 
out  the  paste  upward  of  a foot  in  length,  ' 
and  about  the  thickness  of  the  lower  part  1 
of  the  arm.  Lay  it  on  a plate,  with  three  j 
or  four  sheets  of  paper  beneath;  and,  flat- 
tening it  down  with  the  hand,  so  as  to  be  j 
nearly  an  inch  and  a half  high  in  the  mid-  J 
die,  but  sloping  down  almost  even  with  the  ! 
plate  toward  the  edges  on  each  side,  set  ! 
it  in  a gentle  oven,  and  let  it  be  very  J 
moderately  baked,  that  it  may  not  break  in  I 
cutting.  Wet  the  paper,  which  will  bring 
it  off  warm;  and,  with  a sharp  knife,  cut  I 
it  into  rusk  forms  not  more  than  a third  of  j 
an  inch  thick,  lay  them  on  a wire,  and  set  . 
it  in  an  oven.  When  they  are  dry,  crisp, 
and  of  a nice  light  brown  colour,  they  are 
fit  for  use.  The  car  raw  ay  seeds  may  be 
omitted,  by  those  who  dislike  their  flavour. 

Biscotins. 

These  biscotins,  as  they  are  called  in 
France,  being  a sort  of  delicate  biscuit, 
somewhat  in  the  nature  of  our  cracknels, 
are  made  in  the  following  manner — Into 
half  a pound  of  sugar,  boiled  to  the  fea- 
thery state,  throw  half  a pound  of  sifted 
flour;  instantly  stirring  them  together  so 
as  to  form  a paste,  but  no  longer  keeping  j 
it  near  the  fire.  Then  roll  it  out,  on  a dres- 
ser, or  board,  sifted  over  with  sugar:  knead 
it  quick;  beat  it  in  a mortar,  with  a little 
white  of  egg  and. orange-flower  water,  add- 
ing either  inusk  or  ambergrease  if  agree- 
able; well  incorporate  the  whole,  without 
anymore  sugar;  and  work  it  into  a firm 
and  compact  paste.  The  whole,  being  well  j 
incorporated,  make  it  up  into  little  balls  !j 


407 

about  the  size  of  the  end  of  the  thumb,  or 
rather  larger;  place  them  on  paper,  a little 
flattening  their  tops;  and,  having  ready 
some  boiling  water  on  the  fire,  throw  them 
in,  and  they  will  presently  sink  to  the  bot- 
tom. When,  they  rise  to  the  surface,  take 
them  out  with  a skimmer,  and  place  them 
on  paper  to  dry.  Afterward,  arrange  them 
on  tin  plates,  with  paper;  and  bake  them 
i.,11  an  oven  till  they  become  of  a fine  colour. 
If,  when  baked,  they  should  llot  freely  quit 
the  paper,  moisten  it  by  the  pressure  of  a 
wet  cloth,  and  they  may  then  readily  be 
detached. 

Breakfast  To  urtniongs: 

These  delicate  tourtulongs,  so  named 
in  French  from  their  tortuous,  crooked,  or 
circular  form,  are  a very  delicious  article  for 
the  breakfast  table.  They  are,  in  substance, 
though  not  in  form,  allied  to  the  biscotins 
and  cracknels,  being  thus  directed  to  be 
made — Mix  well  together  a pound  of  flour, 
with  four  beaten  eggs  and  a very  small 
quantity  of  salt,  and  about  two  ounces  of 
pow  dered  loaf  sugar.  Having,  in  the  mean 
while,  some  boiling  water  over  the  fire,  roll 
out  the  paste,  and  make  it  into  pieces  the 
thickness  of  the  little  finger,  and  from  four 
to  six  inches  long;  join  the  two  ends  of 
them  in  two  circular  or  oval  rings;  and 
throw'  them,  a few  at  a time,  into  the  boil- 
ing water.  As  they  rise  to  the  surface,  put 
them  into  a pan  cf  cold  water,  and  there 
let  them  remain  till  next  morning:  when, 
draining  them  at  the  top  of  an  inverted 
sieve,  place  them  on  a tin  plate  without  any 
paper  beneath;  set  them  in  a hot  oven; 
and,  on  their  rising  very  much,  the  more 
the  better,  provided  they  are  not  burnt, 
but  are  of  a fine,  brown  colour,  they  w i!L 
be  ready  for  eating. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK 


408 

Artificial  Oranges  and  Lemons. 

Procure  an  orange  or  lemon  shaped 
alabaster  mould,  in  three  pieces;  and, 
binding  two  pieces  together,  keep  them 
for  two  or  three  hours  covered  with  water. 
Boil  to  a proper  height,  and  made  of  a pro- 
per colour  with  the  usual  confectionary 
colourings,  as  much  sugar  as  will  fill  the 
shape:  and,  pouring  it  in,- expeditiously 
put  on  the. lid  or  third  piece  of  the  shape 
or  mould;  by  suddenly  turning  which,  the 
artificial  fruit  will  he  rendered  hollow. 
When  cold,  it.  must  be  taken  out,  and  care- 
fully handled,  to  prevent  breaking.  The 
only  differences  between  these  oranges, 
lemons,  and  other  fruits,  consist  in  the 
moulds  and  colours.  In  a similar  way,  and 
with  the  same  moulds,  artificial  fruits  may 
also  be  finely  made  with  wax. 

Pickled  Nasturtiums. 

Put  the  green  fruit  or  seed  knobs  of  | 
the  nasturtium,  called  nasturtiums,  with 
the  short  attached  bits  of  vine  or  stalk,  in-  | 
to  a strong  brine  of  salt  and  cold  water, 
for  three  or  four  days:  then,  making  a 
pickle  with  white  wine  vinegar,  horse- 
radish, shallots,  pepper,  salt,  and  allspice, 
pour  it  scalding  hot  on  the  nasturtiums,  and 
almost  immediately  return  it  back  to  be 
again  just  boiled  up.  After  which,  a se- 
cond time  pour  it  on  and  off;  and,  when 
it  gets  cold,  finally  put  it  to  the  nasturtiums, 
and  cover  them  up  close  with  bladder  and 
leather  tied  round  the  top  of  the  jar.  They 
may  be  eaten  either  as  common  pickles, 
or  to  serve  the  purpose  of  capers,  for  which 
they  are  one  of  the  best  substitutes.  In- 
deed, from  their  agreeable  warmth,  they 
are  sometimes  even  preferred  to  that  most 
excellent  pickle. 


Tourons. 

Blanch  sweet  almonds,  with  a very  few 
bitter,  and  some  pistachio  nuts;  then  drv, 
harden,  and  cut  them  into  small  slips.  Cut, 

! also,  into  little  bits,  preserved  orange  and 
| lemon  peel,  with  a few  crisp  orange  flowers 
and  sugar.  Put  on  sheets  of  paper  drops 
of  this  composition  about  the  size  of  wal- 
nuts, and  bake  them  carefully  of  a light 
brown  colour. 

Rich  Morelia  Cherry  Wine. 

This  very  fine  wine  is  thus  made — Hav- 
ing picked  off  from  their  stalks  the  ripest 
I and  soundest  morella  cherries,  bruise  them 
well  without  breaking  the  stones,  and  let 
the  whole  stand  twenty  four  hours  in  an 
I open  vessel.  Then  press  out  all  the  juice; 
and,  for  every  gallon,  add  two  pounds  of 
fine  loaf  sugar.  Put  it  into  a cask;  and, 

I when  the  fermentation  ceases,  stop  itclose- 
ly  up.  Let  it  stand  three  or  four  months; 
then  bottle  it,  and  in  two  more  months  it 
will  be  fit  to  drink.  Some  crack  the  stones; 
and  hang  them,  with  the  bruised  kernels, 
in  a bag  from  the  bung,  while  the  wine 
! remains  in  the  cask. 

Whole  Preserved  Mulberries. 

Draw,  from  any  mashed  or  bruised  mul- 
| berries,  by  placing  them  over  the  fire,  a 
| pint  of  strained  juice;  to  which  sift  three 
! pounds  of  powdered  loaf  sugar,  and  make  it 
! into  a rich  syrup,  over  the  fire,  carefully 
scummed.  Then,  taking  it  off,  put  in  two 
pints  of  scarcely  ripe  mulberries,  let  them 
remain  till  thoroughly  warm,  set  them 
over  the  fire  gently  to  simmer  a short  time, 
keep  them  in  the  syrup  till  next  day,  and 
again  gently  boil  them  till  the  syrup  will 
stand  when  cold  in  a round  drop.  1 his 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  409 


is  the  proof  that  they  are  in  a proper  state; 
and  they  may,  accordingly,  when  quite 
cold,  be  put  up  in  pots  for  use.  These 
mulberries  may  at  any  time,  if  required,  be 
dry  preserved  in  the  usual  way;  by  drain- 
ing them  from  the  syrup,  arranging  them 
on  plates  or  slates  sifted  over  with  loaf 
sugar,  turning  and  drying  them  gradually 
in  a stove  or  cool  oven,  and  putting  them 
up  in  papered  boxes.  It  is  best,  for  these 
purposes,  that  the  whole  mulberries  should 
be  rather  under  than  over  ripe. 

Oyster  Ketchup. 

Tins  useful  and  ready  assistant  in  mak- 
ing an  agreeable  oyster  sauce  for  fish,  &c. 
while  oysters  are  out  of  season,  should  be 
kept  in  the  store  of  every  respectable  house- 
keeper. Oyster  ketchup  is  justly  esteemed  a 
very  valuable  article,  and  the  following  will 
be  found  a most  admirable  receipt  for  it’s 
preparation — Beard  a quantity  of  oysters, 
and  boil  them  a little  up  with  their  li- 
quor; then,  having  strained  them  till  dry, 
pound  them  as  fine  as  possible  in  a mor- 
tar. In  the  mean  time,  boil  up,  with 
some  spring  water,  the  beards  of  the  oys- 
ters; and,  straining  it  to  the  first  oyster 
liquor,  boil  the  pounded  oysters  in  the 
mixed  liquors,  with  some  finely  beaten 
mace  and  white  or  long  pepper.  Some 
persons  add  a very  little  mushroom  ket- 
chup, vinegar,  or  lemon  juice;  but  the  less 
the  natural  flavour  is  overpowered,  the 
better  will  the  oyster  ketchup  prove,  only 
that  spice  is  necessary  for  it’s  preservation. 
This  oyster  ketchup,  will  keep  perfectly 
good  a much  longer  time  than  oysters  are 
ever  out  of  season  in  England. 

Devonshire  Squab  Pie. 

The  genuine  original  method  of  making 


Devonshire  squab  pie,  is  by  cutting  equa* 
quantities  of  apples  and  onions:  and,  hfav- 
ing  lined  the  dish  with  a good  crust,  put- 
ting in  alternate  layers  of  the  mixed  apples 
and  onions,  well  seasoned,  sugared,  and 
spiced,  with  fine  mutton  chops;  add- 
ing sufficient  water,  covering  it  up,  and 
baking  it  in  a brisk  oven.  It  is  now,  how- 
ever, seldom  so  made;  a few  thin  slices  of 
onions,  only,  being  strewed  over  consider- 
able layers  of  apples;  or,  rather,  over  the 
layers  of  meat,  which  is  alone  seasoned,  the 
apples  being  separately  sugared  and  spiced. 
Indeed,  it  is  by  no  means  uncommon  en- 
tirely to  leave  out  the  onions,  still  calling 
it  squab  pie;  though,  in  fact,  it  is  then 
merely  apple  pie  with  mutton.  When  thus 
well  made,  however,  with  a good  puff  paste, 
it  is,  perhaps,  a more  delicate  composition. 

Genuine  Bassora  Art  of  obtaining  the  Finest 
Ottar  of  Boses. 

For  this  account  we  are  indebted  to  a 
distinguished  traveller,  who  has  witnessed 
the  entire  process,  and  on  whose  informa- 
tion the  fullest  reliance  may  be  placed. 
This  gentleman  assures  us,  that  our  finest 
English  roses  are  equal  in  fragrance  to 
those  of  Bassora;  and  that,  therefore,  in 
his  opinion,  by  using  them  in  like  quan- 
tities, the  same  effects  might  be  here  pro- 
duced. There  are,  near  the  city  of  Bas- 
sora, large  gardens  or  fields  entirely  of 
roses;  from  which  vast  a quantity  of  rose 
water,  is  made,  and  exported  to  India  as 
an  article  of  commerce.  The  leaves  or 
petals  of  five  thousand  roses,  distilled  with 
a gentle  fire,  afford  about  six  gallons  of 
rose  water ; which  is  put  in  a large  bottle, 
containing  that  quantity,  called  a demi- 
gean.  The  mouths  of  these  bottles  being 
lightly  covered,  they  are  exposed  forty 
5 L 


410 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


days  to  the  sun;  which  takes  off  all  em- 
pyreumatic  scent;  and,  at  this  period,  a 
few  drops  of  oil  or  essence  of  roses  are 
seen  to  swim  on  the  surface  of  the  water. 
These  drops  are  carefully  taken  up  on  a 
hit  of  cotton  fastened  at  the  end  of  a stick, 
and  squeezed  out  inlo  a phial.  The  same 
cotton  is  always  used;  and,  if  any  of 
the  rose  water  happen  to  be  taken  up  by 
the  cotton,  it  sinks  to  the  bottom  of  the 
phial.  Though  little  oil  or  essence  be  thus 
obtained,  it  is  an  ottar  of  the  first  quality; 
being  esteemed  the  very  best,  and  selling 
at  the  highest  price.  It  is  to  be  remem- 
bered, that  the  roses  are  not  distilled  for 
obtaining  the  ottar,  but  the  rose  water; 
the  ottar,  therefore,  is  only  a concurrent 
profit.  At  Bassora,  they  often  literally 
sleep  on  beds  of  roses;  putting  them  be- 
tween two  sheets,  and  laying  on  them  all 
night,  without  taking  cold,  in  that  exceed- 
ingly hot  climate:  nor  are  the  roses  con- 
sidered as  at  all  the  worse  for  being  thus 
occasionally  used. 

Incomparable  Cossak  Method  of  Pickling 

Sturgeon , in  Marinato,  or  Vinegar  Jelly. 

This  valuable  article  is  another  original 
communication  from  the  same  respectable 
source  as  the  preceding  receipt  and  many 
others  in  this  favoured  collection.  There 
are  several  species,  or  rather  varieties,  of 
the  sturgeon,  some  of  which  are  never 
more  than  two  feet  long.  This  last  kind 
is  often  taken  alive  to  St.  Petersburgh; 
where  it  is  called  sterlet,  and  sells  for  from 
fifty  to  sometimes  four  or  five  hundred 
roubles  a single  fish,  on  account  of  the  dif- 
ficulty of  conveying  them  alive  the  pro- 
digious distance  of  fifteen  or  eighteen  hun- 
dred miles,  from  the  mouth  of  the  southern 
l ivers.  For  pickling,  fish  cu  from  three  to 


nine  inches  diameter  are  preferred.  The 
head  and  part  of  the  tail  are,  for  this  pur- 

I pose,  taken  oil’ ; and,  the  fish  being  cut  into 

II  pieces  of  the  same  length  as  it’s  thickness, 
j salt  is  rubbed  over,  and  they  are  left  some 
|j  hours  to  drain.  The  draining  is  very  es- 
i sential;  but  regard  must  be  paid  to  the 
1 heat  of  the  weather,  that  the  fish  may  not 

j spoil.  The  pieces  of  sturgeon  are  next 
; tied  round  with  packthread  or  mat,  and 
j boiled  in  vinegar  and  water,  with  whole 
pepper,  till  quite  done,  the  oil  being  care- 
fully skimmed  off.  It  is  then  put  to  cool; 
: and,  the  fat  or  oil  left  being  removed,  the 
pot  is  set  on  the  fire,  just  to  melt  the  jelly, 
ij  Afterward,  the  fish  is  carefully  taken  out, 
j'  and  each  piece  wiped  dry:  when,  the  jelly 
j being  examined,  more  vinegar  and  pepper 
: are  added,  and  the  jelly  is  boiled  till  it 
j becomes  strong;  or  isinglass,  being  there 
cheap,  is  added  to  strengthen  the  jelly. 
The  sturgeon  is  then  neatly  packed  in  small 
casks,  and  the  hot  jelly  is  poured  over  it. 
When  the  jelly  has  stood  till  quite  cold, 
clarified  butter,  or  melted  mutton  fat,  is 
poured  on  the  top,  and  the  head  of  the 
cask  put  in.  Through  a hole  bored  in  the 
head,  more  melted  clarified  butter,  or  mut- 
ton fat,  is  poured  in,  and  the  cask  a little 
beaten  till  it  will  admit  no  more.  On  the 
fat’s  getting  quite  cold,  a peg  is  drove  into 
the  hole;  and,  if  the  barrel  be  sound,  and 
air  tight,  the  pickled  sturgeon  will  keep 
good  a long  time.  All  fish  may  be  thus  pre- 
pared; but,  as  the  water  which  all  fish  are 
boiled  in  does  not  become  jelly,  the  jellies 
of  other  fish,  &c.  must  be  used.  No  fish, 
however,  keeps  so  long  as  the  sturgeon. 
This  is  an  article  of  commerce,  far  surpas- 
sing common  salted  sturgeon;  which  is 
cured  with  salt,  in  the  same  manner  ; s 
! pork,  and  kept  merely  in  it’s  brine.  This 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


41 L 


marinato,  or  vinegar  jelly  pickled  sturgeon, 
is  very  wholesome  food,  and  quite  cheap 
in  South  Russia.  It  is,  indeed,  most  de- 
licious; and  so  very  nourishing,  that  no- 
thing can  be  more  so:  at  the  same  time, 
it  is  of  light  and  easy  digestion. 

Love  in  Disguise. 

This  is  considered  as  forming  a very 
pleasing  side  dish.  The  reason  for  calling 
it  love  in  disguise  is  obvious.  It  consists 
of  a calf’s  heart  first  stuffed,  and  afterward 
covered  an  inch  thick,  with  good  force- 
meat; then  rolled  in  vermicelli,  put  into  a 
baking  dish  with  a little  water,  and  sent  to 
the  oven.  When  done,  serve  it  up  with 
it’s  own  gravy  in  the  dish. 

Baked  Fears. 

If  the  pears  are  small,  they  may  be  baked 
whole,  when  pared,  with  the  stalks;  but,  if 
large,  should  be  cut  in  halves,  and  cored. 
Instead  of using  red  port  wine,  boil  the  juice 
of  two  or  three  Seville  oranges  or  lemons, 
with  a little  of  the  peel,  and  some  cloves 
and  cinnamon,  in  a pint  and  a half  of  wa- 
ter for  a quarter  of  an  hour:  then,  strain- 
ing the  liquor  to  the  pears,  in  a proper 
baking  pan,  add  plenty  of  either  moist  or 
loaf  sugar,  with  a few  cloves,  and  a little 
cochineal;  and,  covering  the  pan  with 
writing  paper,  as  brown  is  apt  to  communi- 
cate an  ill  flavour,  tie  them  down  close, 
and  send  them  to  the  oven.  It  is  better 
to  have  them  baked  two  or  three  days  be- 
fore they  are  used.  They  may  be  stewed, 
instead  of  baked;  but  baking  is  far  pre- 
ferable. 

Sago. 

THESE  farinaceous  grains,  denominated  i 
fiago,  aje  prepared  from  the  medullary  sub-  | 


stance  of  a species  of  the  palm  tree,  being 
the  cycas  circinalis  of  the  Linnaean  system, 
which  grows  in  the  Molucca  Isles,  and 
other  islands  of  the  East  Indies;  where  the 
natives  macerate  it  in  water,  form  it  into 
cakes,  and  eat  them  as  bread.  The  grains 
| of  sago,  as  imported  into  Europe,  and  sold 
i in  our  shops,  are  prepared  in  a manner 
j similar  to  those  of  tapioca.  They  furnish, 
a most  nourishing  and  agreeable  jelly,  when 
boiled  with  water,  milk,  or  in  soup.  They 
should  generally  be  cleaned  or  washed ; and, 
compleatly  to  dissolve  them,  the  first  dc- 


should  afterward  be  a second  time  boiled 
for  at  least  half  an  hour.  We  call  by  the 
sole  name  of  sago,  the  several  excellent 
nutritious  and  gelatinous  preparations  of 
these  grains,  for  weak  or  consumptive 
valetudinarians,  whose  powers  of  digestion 
are  greatly  impaired.  One  of  the  best  pre- 
parations of  this  sort  is  as  follows — Soak  half 
an  ounce  of  sago,  for  about  an  hour,  in  cold 
water ;.  then  pour  off  the  water,  wash  the  sago 
with  a little  more,  throw  that  also  away,  and 
gently  boil  it  in  a quart  of  fresh,  with  a little 
lemon  rind,  a few  cloves,  and  some  cinna- 
mon, closely  covered  up.  When  the  grains 
are  quite  clear,  put  in  a gill  of  red  port 
wine,  as  much  water,  a little  lemon  or  Se- 
ville orange  juice,  with  sugar  to  palate; 
and  stir  them  in  over  the  fire,  but  do  not 
let  the  sago  again  boil.  More  effectually 
to  prevent  the  evaporation  of  the  wine, 
particularly  where  little  is  used,  it  may  be 
put  into  the  bason  in  which  the  sago  is 
served  up.  Where  there  is  great  debility 
and  indigestion,  the  sago  should  be  strained, 
and  the  undissolved  grains  not  eaten.  The 
unconcocted  grains  are,  indeed,  often  found 
too  flatulent  for  the  stomachs  of  invalids, 
and  afford  little  nutriment.  In  phthisical. 


412 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


cases,  a decoction  of  sago  in  milk  is  to  be 
preferred;  for  wine  and  spices  are  not 
medicinally  allowable,  where  the  patient 
has  strong  febrile  symptoms. 

Milk  Sago. 

The  preparation  of  sago  with  milk,  re- 
quires the  same  previous  soaking  and  wash- 
ing as  with  water,  wine,  and  spices.  A 
very  small  quantity,  slowly  simmered  in 
new  milk,  till  about  half  reduced,  will  be 
found  very  good  and  nourishing,  without 
either  spice  or  sugar.  Where,  however, 
a little  flavouring  or  sweetness  is  desired, 
the  use  of  a single  laurel  leaf,  or  a bit  of 
cinnamon  and  lemon  peel,  boiled  in  the 
milk,  with  a lump  or  two  of  sugar,  may  be 
safely  enough  indulged. 

Boiled  Sago  Pudding. 

Boil  a quarter  of  a pound  of  cleansed 
and  washed  sago  in  a quart  of  new  milk, 
tili  it  be  quite  soft;  and,  when  cold,  put 
in  six  yolks  of  eggs  and  three  whites,  with 
half  a glass  of  white  wine,  half  a nutmeg, 
and  a little  grated  bread.  Sweeten  to  pa- 
late; make  it  up  into  three  puddings;  boil 
them  half  an  hour;  and  serve  them  up 
with  a sauce  of  melted  butter,  sugar,  and 
white  wine. 

Baked  Sago  Pudding. 

In  a quart  of  cream,  or  new  milk,  boil 
aquarter  of  a pound  of  cleansed  and  washed 
sago,  with  a couple  of  laurel  leaves,  a little 
lemon-peel,  and  some  cinnamon;  then, 
taking  out  the  laurel,  lemon  peel,  and  spice, 
mix  up  half  a dozen  yolks  of  eggs,  with 
three  whites;  grate  a little  nutmeg;  sweeten 
to  palate;  put  in  a table-spoonful  of  brandy, 
or  twice  as  much  orange-flower  water;  and, 
having  a nice  puff  paste  round  the  dish. 


put  in  the  pudding,  and  bake  it  in  a gentle 
oven.  1 his  will  be  found  a most  delicious 
as  well  as  a most  nourishing  pudding. 

Scotch  Broth.  " 

Let  the  fat  be  well  taken  off  from  a fine 
neck  of  mutton;  cut  a large  scrag,  and 
the  thin  part  of  the  best  end  where  the 
bones  start  out,  which  may  either  be  boiled 
down  with  the  scrag,  or  will  be  very  nice 
broiled.  Boil,  with  the  scrag,  two  tea- 
cupsful  of  Scotch  barley,  an  onion,  turnips, 
ahd  four  heads  of  celery,  with  carrots  and 
herbs.  M hen  it  has  gently  stewed  four 
hours,  put  in  the  remainder  of  the  neck  of 
mutton,  to  be  sufficiently  done  for  eating, 
and  serve  it  up  on  a separate  dish.  This 
will  be  experienced  an  admirable  way  of 
boiling  a neck  of  mutton,  as  well  as  of  pro- 
ducing excellent  Scotch  broth. 

Fried  French  Roses. 

Mix  well  somewhat  more  than  half  a 
pint  of  fine  sifted  flour,  with  two  eggs,  a 
table-spoonful  and  a half  of  orange-flower 
water,  nearly  a gill  of  cream,  and  sugar  to 
suit  the  palate.  The  batter  being  well 
combined,  melt  fine  lard,  or  rather  clarified 
butter,  in  a frying  pan;  and,  first  dipping 
the  rose  shape  or  mould  in  the  fat,  till  well 
heated,  take  it  out,  fill  it  with  the  mixture, 
and  again  put  it  into  the  frying  pan.  When 
sufficiently  done,  strike  the  handle  of  the 
mould  against  the  wrist,  and  the  rose  will 
instantly  fall  out.  These  roses  are  served 
up  with  sifted  loaf  sugar  over  them. 

Black  John’s  famous  Preparation  for  Clean- 
ing Plate. 

\ 

This  receipt  was  purchased  from  a negro 
servant  famous  for  cleaning  plate  in  a very 
superior  stile — Take  four  balls  of  the  purest 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


whiting,  crumbled  <o  a fine  powder,  the 
finer  the  better;  two  pennyworth  each  of 
spirit  of  wine  and  camphor,  spirit  of  harts- 
horn, and  spirit  of  turpentine;  half  an 
ounce  of  quicksilver;  and  a pennyworth  | 
of  rose  pink.  Put  the  quicksilver  into  a j 
phial,  with  about  half  the  turpentine,  and 
shake  it  til!  the  quicksilver  be  killed;  then 
mix  all  the  ingredients  together,  and  the 
whole  is  fit  for  use.  The  quicksilver  and 
a little  turpentine  should  be  first  beat  up 
with  a skewer  in  a large  cup,  till  as  thick 
as  a salve;  and,  after  it  is  thus  made,  suf- 
fered to  grow  dry,  a little  of  it  being  wetted 
with  water  when  used.  The  mixture  is 
to  be  rubbed  on  the  plate  with  soft  leather; 
which  must  be  carefully  kept,  as  it  gets 
the  better  for  use. 

Plate  Powder. 

In  most  of  the  articles  sold  as  plate  pow- 
ders, under  a variety  of  names,  there  is  an 
injurious  mixture  of  quicksilver;  which  is 
said  to  sometimes  so  far  penetrate  and 
render  silver  brittle,  that  it  will  even  break 
with  a fall.  Whiting,  properly  purified 
from  sand,  applied  wet,  and  rubbed  till 
dry,  is  one  of  the  easiest,  safest,  and  cer- 
tainly the  cheapest,  of  all  plate  powders; 
jewellers  and  silversmiths,  for  small  articles, 
seldom  use  any  thing  else.  If,  however, 
the  plate  be  boiled  a little  in  water,  with 
an  ounce  oi  calcined  hartshorn  in  powder 
to  about  three  pints  of  water,  then  drained 
over  the  vessel  in  which  it  was  boiled,  and 
afterward  dried  by  the  fire,  while  some 
soft  linen  rags  are  boiled  in  the  liquid  till 
they  have  wholly  imbibed  it,  these  rags 
will,  when  dry,  not  only  assist  to  clean  the 
plate,  which  must  afterward  be  rubbed 
bright  with  leather,  but  also  serve  admira- 
bly for  cleaning  brass  locks,  finger  plates,  &c. 


413 

Best  Method  of  Cleaning  Pine  Block  Tin  Dish 
Covers,  Patent  Pewter,  $c. 

Where  the  polish  is  gone  blf,  let  the 
articles  be  first  rubbed  over  the  outside  with 
a little  sweet  oil,  on  a piece  of  soft  linen 
cloth;  then,  clear  it  off  with  dry  pure  whit- 
ing, quite  free  from  sand,  on  linen  cloths, 
which  will  make  them  look  as  well  as  when 
new.  The  insides  should  be  rubbed  with 
rags  moistened  in  wet  whiting,  but  with- 
out a drop  of  oil.  Always  wiping  these 
articles  dry,  when  brought  from  table,  and 
keeping  them  free  from  steam  or  other 
damp,  greatly  facilitates  the  trouble  of 
cleaning  them.  Indeed,  where  these  cau- 
tions are  long  disregarded,  particularly 
with  regard  to  tin,  the  articles  soon  get 
beyond  the  power  of  being  ever  restored 
to  their  pristine  beautiful  brightness. 

Remedy  for  Colic , and  even  a Bloody  Flux. 

Simmer,  slowly,  over  the  fire,  in  a co- 
vered saucepan,  half  a pint  of  spring  water 
and  a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  cinnamon, 
till  reduced  one  half;  then  add  a quartern 
of  the  best  brandy,  and  let  it  continue 
simmering  till-  again  one  half  is  reduced: 
after  which,  beat  up  the  yolk  of  an  egg, 
stir  it  in,  and  sweeten  to  palate  with  fine 
loaf  sugar.  Drink  this  morning  and  night  j 
and,  if  very  bad,  at  noon  also.  It  is  said 
to  have  effected  cures,  after  skilful  physi- 
cians had  pronounced  it  impossible  for 
the  patients  to  live  an  hour  longer. 

Blackberry ' Jam,  excellent  for  Stone  and 
Gravel. 

PlJT  quite  red  but  not  ripe  blackberries 
into  ajar,  and  cover  it  closely  up.  Set  the 
jar  in  a kettle  or  deep  stewpan  of  water 
over  the  fire,  as  a water  bath ; and,  when 
5 M 


414 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


it  has  remained  simmering  five  or  six  hours, 
force  the  pulp  or  juice  through  a sieve: 
then,  to  every  pint  of  juice,  add  two  pounds 
of  powdered  loaf  sugar,  boiling  and  scum- 
ming it  in  the  same  manner  as  for  any 
other  jam  or  jelly.  The  party  affected  is 
directed  to  take  a tea-spoonful  every  night; 
and,  if  necessary,  to  repeat  it  in  the  morning. 
This  simple  remedy  is  said  to  be  very  ef- 
fectual in  giving  relief.  A good  jam  may 
be  made,  in  a similar  manner,  with  the 
ripe  blackberries;  and  both,  like  other 
jams,  should  be  kept  with  brandy  papers 
©ver,  and  closely  covered. 

Genuine  Opodeldoc. 

W HAT  is  sold,  as  an  article  of  quackery, 
under  tire  name  of  opodeldoc,  is  variously 
made  and  disguised,  on  the  basis  of  the  old 
chemical  opodeldocs;  but  rendered,  in  ge- 
neral, far  less  efficacious  by  such  alterations. 
The  genuine  opodeldoc,  known  to  and  ac- 
knowledged by  chemists,  is  a solution  of 
soap  in  ardent  spirit,  with  the  addition  of 
camphor  and  essential  oils;  and  directed 
to  be  used,  externally,  against  rheumatic 
pains,  sprains,  bruises,  and  other  similar 
complaints.  The  modern  dispensatories, 
however,  seem  to  have  resigned  the  name 
of  opodeldoc  entirely  to  quackery;  though 
the  substance  may  be  considered  as  still 
retained  in  the  several  saponaceous  tine- 
lures  and  liniments;  which,  all  agree,  pos- 
sess great  efficacy  in  removing  local  pains, 
when  rubbed  on  the  affected  part.  They 
are  different,  however,  from  the  gelatinous 
mixture  called  opodeldoc,  and  to  which 
such  wonderful  effects  are  ascribed  by  the 
respective  venders.  One  instance,  in- 
deed, within  our  knowledge,  has  occurred, 
where  a friend  who  had  used  the  most  po- 
pular of  the  advertised  opodeldocs,  as  an 


embrocation  to  his  shoulder,  was  perse- 
cuted for  a great  many  months  after  with 
the  strong  taste  of  camphor  in  all  his  food, 
which  the  opodeldoc  seems  to  have  im- 
moveably  lodged  in  the  habit.  The  fol- 
lowing embrocation,  or  genuine  compound 
opodeldoc,  it  is  presumed,  will  be  found 
free  from  all  objections,  and  particularly- 
efficacious  in  the  most  violent  sprains  and 
bruises  of  horses  and  cattle,  as  well  as  of 
the  human  species — Mix  an  ounce  of  spirit 
of  sal  ammon  iac,  with  a quarter  of  an  ounce 
of  spirit  of  opodeldoc,  or  the  compound  sa- 
ponaceous liniment;  and,  when  wanted 
for  use,  add  half  an  ounce  of  the  best  white 
wine  vinegar,  shake  the  whole  well  toge* 
ther,  and  rub  the  part  affected  till  it  ap* 
pears  lathered  as  with  soap.  This,  when 
properly  prepared  and  applied,  never  fails 
of  success,  in  all  kinds  of  bruises,  sprains, 
&c.  and  it  is  wonderfully  efficacious  in  such 
recent  rheumatic  affections  as  admit  of 
cure  by  external  remedies  alone. 

Fine  Italian  Liqueur,  called  Perfetto  Amore , 
or  Perfect  Love. 

Infuse,  for  twelve  hours,  the  finely  shred 
yellow  rinds  of  four  large  and  fresh  Seville 
oranges,  or  half  a dozen  lemons,  in  a gal- 
lon of  the  best  French  brandy;  with  a 
quarter  of  a pound  of  currants,  two  dozen 
coriander  seeds,  as  many  cloves,  some  cin- 
namon, and  a very  little  salt.  Then  draw 
off,  by  distillation,  two  quarts  of  spirit. 
Having,  in  the  mean  time,  made  a clarified 
sy  rup,  with  two  quarts  of  water,  two  pounds 
of  sugar,  and  the  whites  of  two  or  three 
eggs;  and  combined  a small  quantity  of 
roche  alum,  with  a very  little  cream  of  tar- 
tar, and  some  cochineal,  in  a marble  mor- 
tar, moistened  with  boiling  water,  and 
strained;  mix  the  whole  well  together, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


435 


pass  the  liqueur  through  filtering  paper, 
and  keep  it  in  bottles  carefully  stopped 
for  use. 

French  Parfait  Amour,  or  Perfect  Love. 

This  fine  French  liqueur  is  made,  with- 
out distillation,  in  the  following  manner — 
Pound  the  rinds  of  three  cedraties,  or-  of 
four  lemons,  in  a mortar;  and  infuse  them, 
with  a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  cochineal,  in 
three  quarts  of  brandy,  for  twenty -four 
hours.  Then  melt  two  pounds  of  sugar 
in  six  quarts  of  boiling  water;  and,  when 
dissolved,  throw  into  the  syrup  eighteen 
wTell  pounded  bitter  almonds.  Pour  the 
syrup  into  the  brandy;  adding  a dram  and 
a half  of  cinnamon,  and  three  tea-spoonfuls 
of  coriander  seeds.  Next  day,  dissolve  a 
quarter  of  a dram  each  of  roche  alum,  and 
crystal  mineral,  in  a glass  of  hot  water; 
and,  pouring  off  about  half,  being  the  clear 
only,  into  the  composition,  let  the  liquor 
stand  six  days,  and  then  finally  run  it 
through  a flannel  jelly  bag. 

Pioasted  Swan , or  Cygnet. 

The  swan,  when  full  grown,  and  quite 
at  liberty,  can  never  be  domesticated ; and, 
being  a bird  of  passage,  would  periodically 
quit  this  country,  so  as  not  to  leave  a single 
swan  behind,  unless  confined  or  otherwise 
restrained.  Swans  are  considered,  in  Eng- 
land, as  royal  birds;  and,  in  the  Thames, 
one  of  the  great  rivers  where  they  chiefly 
abound,  the  Lord  Mayor,  Aldermen,  and 
the  rest  of  the  Corporation  of  London,  an- 
nually go,  in  the  city  state  barges,  both 
up  and  down  the  river,  for  the  purpose  of 
surveying  and  marking,  or  rather  pinion- 
ing, the  cygnets,  or  young  swans;  that  is, 
cutting  off  the  end  joint  of  one  wing,  to 
prevent  their  periodical  .flight.  The  busi- 


ness of  these  expeditions,  though  very  se^ 
rious  to  the  immediate  objects,  has  ob- 
tained, from  some  whimsical  or  ludicrous 
circumstances,  the  denomination  of  swan 
hopping.  The  corporation  of  the  good 
city  of  London,  though  these  are  always 
days  of  festivity,  do  not,  we  believe,  indulge 
themselves  with  eating  any  of  the  swans, 
either  old  or  young.  In  ancient  times,  the 
swan  formed  a grand  dish  at  every  famous 
festival;  and  in  those  days  of  magnificence, 
size  was  undoubtedly  regarded  as  an  es- 
sential. We  are  not  acquainted  with  the 
history  of  it’s  disappearance,  either  as  to 
time  or  cause;  and  think  it  deserves  to 
be  restored  to  favour,  if  not  to  fashion.  A 
swan,  and  particularly  a cygnet  or  young 
swan,  is  by  no  means,  when  well  dressed, 
indifferent  eating;  and  we  heartily  recom- 
mend the  gentlemen  of  the  corporation, 
who  ought  to  be  good  judges  of  good  eat- 
ing, to  try,  on  their  next  swan  hopping 
excursion,  the  effect  of  the  following  re- 
ceipt for  roasting  a swan  or  cygnet — Be- 
fore trussing  and  spitting  a fine  young  swan, 
or  cygnet,  prepare  a well  seasoned  stuf- 
fing, the  same  as  for  other  wild  water  fowl, 
with  which  rub  and  line  the  inside.  If 
wished  to  have  a fine  large  and  plump  ap- 
pearance, mash  and  season  a sufficient 
quantity  of  fine  potatoes;  with  which,  and 
three,  or  four  dozen  of  well  roasted  ches- 
nuts,  fill  and  sew  it  neatly  up.  Thus  pre- 
pared for  the  spit;  lay  it  down  to  the  fire, 
baste  it  with  fresh  butter,  and  let  it  be 
thoroughly  roasted.  When  nearly  done, 
dredge  it;  and,  as  soon  as  it  becomes  of  a 
fine  deep  golden  colour,  take  it  up,  dish  it, 
and  garnish  with  water  cresses,  slices  of 
Seville  orange  or  lemon,  &,c.  Serve  it  up 
with  plenty  of  rich  gravy,  currant  jelly, 
and  apple  sauce,  all  in  separate  tureens 


4 16 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


The  corporation  of  the  city  of  Norwich, 
who  pav  groat  attention  to  this  delicious 
article  of  food,  have  a building  which  they 
call  the  Swannery;  where  their  cygnets, 
or  young  swans,  are  carefully  fed  and  fat- 
tened for  the  table.  We  seriously  recom- 
mend the  adoption  of  a similar  establish- 
ment, to  our  worthy  friends  the  corpora.- 
lion  of  the  city  of  London.  Considerable 
numbers  of  fine  young  swans  are  sold  at 
Norwich,  mostly  about  Christmas,  at  a 
guinea  each;  they  are  very  fat,  and  really 
delicious.  The  author  of  Le  Gentilhomme 
Cultivateur,  who  certainly  never  tasted  a 
Norwich  swan,  says  that  <c  there  are  per- 
sons whose  taste  leads  them  to  a liking  of 
every  thing  that  is  extraordinary,  and  who 
pretend  that  the  young  swan  is  a delicate 
meat:  when,”  adds  the  delicate  French- 
man, “ we  would  fatten  a cygnet,  to  gratify 
this  caprice,  it  should  be  taken  from  the 
mother  at  the  age  of  five  or  six  weeks,  shut 
up  in  a gloomy  and  quiet  corner,  and  have 
plenty  of  oats  and  milk,  with  pure  water  to 
drink.” 

Collared  Swan. 

After  boning  a swan,  part  the  two  sides, 
and  soak  them  all  night  in  white  wine,  salt, 
pepper,  allspice,  cloves,  and  mace.  Next 
day,  mince  a considerable  quantity  of  sage, 
well  seasoned  with  pepper;  and,  having 
beaten  up  the  yolks  of  a sufficient  num- 
ber of  eggs,  take  out  the  two  sides  of  the 
swan,  and  plentifully  spread  the  mixture 
over  them.  Then  roll  and  tie  them  up  in- 
to collars;  and  boil  them  in  the  usual  man- 
ner, with  strong  broth,  or  cullis,  a little 
white  wine,  some  whole  pepper,  and  a few 
blades  of  mace.  When  served  up,  cut  the 
collars  in  halves,  and  garnish  round  with 
minced  Westphalia  ham;  the  boiled  head 


of  the  swan  being  fitfed  erect  on  the  col- 
lars, in  the  centre  of  the  dish. 

Swan  Pie. 

Skin,  bone,  and  parboil,  the  swan  : then 
season  it  well  with  salt  and  pepper;  lard 
it  with  bacon;  and  put  it,  with  plenty  of 
butter,  into  a very  thick  crust.  Let  it  be 
well  soaked  in  the  oven;  and,  when  taken 
out,  pour  in  melted  butter  through  a fun- 
nel. It  will  keep  good  a long  time. 

Potted  Swan. 

HAVING  boned  as  well  as  skinned  a swan, 
beat  the  flesh  in  a mortar,  and  carefully 
take  out  the  strings  while  pounding;  then 
add  some  clear  fat  bacon,  a little  at  a time, 
and  beat  it  with  the  swan  till  the  whole  is 
of  a light  flesh  colour.  This  appearance 
denotes  that  there  is  a sufficient  quantity 
of  bacon;  and,  when  the  whole  is  of  a con- 
sistence like  that  of  dough,  it  has  been 
beaten  enough.  Season  it  with  salt,  pep- 
per, cloves,  mace,  and  nutmeg,  all  finely 
powdered,  well  mixed  with  the  flesh,  and 
beaten  a little  together  in  the  mortar. 
Then  put  it  in  an  earthen  pot  or  deep  pan, 
with  a little  red  wine  and  some  pure  water, 
spreading  two  pounds  of  fresh  butter  on 
the  top.  Cover  it  over  with  a coarse  paste, 
bake  it  in  an  oven  heated  as  for  bread,  take 
off  the  coarse  covering,  turn  the  contents 
into  a dish,  squeeze  out  gently  the  mois- 
ture, put  it  in  a potting  pot,  let  it  stand  till 
cold,  pour  over  it  clarified  butter,  and  next 
day  tie  on  it  a covering  of  paper.  This 
will  be  found  an  excellent  method  for  pot- 
ting geese,  duc^  • game  of  all  sorts,  &c.  and, 
though  tlesh  is  certainly  the  better  for  be- 
ing joung  and  tender,  there  is  no  way, 
perhaps,  in  which,  where  it  is  even  old  and 
tough,  it  can  be  so  well  rendered  agreeable 


417 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


and  wholesome  food,  as  by  thus  potting  it. 
The  convenience,  too,  of  having  potted 
meats  always  ready  in  a house,  is  very  great. 

Art  of  making  Wafers. 

The  art  of  making  wafers  is  curious,  yet 
sufficiently  simple.  They  are  composed 
bg  mixing  the  finest  sifted  wheaten  flour 
with  white  of  eggs,  dr  a thin  solution  of 
isinglass,  and  a very  small  portion  of  yeast; 
which,  being  well  incorporated,  and  re- 
duced to  a proper  consistence  by  the  ad- 
dition of  gum  water,  the  batter  is  spread 
on  tin  plates,  or  a bordered  flat  iron  form, 
of  the  thinness  required  for  the  wafers,  and 
placed  over  a charcoal  fire.  It  is  thus  ex- 
peditiously baked;  and  then  cut  out,  with 
sharp  circular  instruments,  to  small  or  large 
round  sizes.  By  this  process,  however, 
the  wafers  produced  are  merely  white; 
and  have  little  or  no  gloss,  like  the  com- 
moner sorts.  To  improve  them  in  this 
latter  respect,  the  sheet  of  thin  paste  must 
be  washed  over  with  a solution  of  gum  or 
isinglass,  when  first  put  on  the  tin  plate 
or  iron  form.  The  respective  colouring 
matter,  whatever  it  may  be,  is  previously 
to  be  introduced,  and  worked  up  with  the 
ingredients  for  the  paste.  Red.  may  be 
made  with  a solution  of  Brazil  wood,  beet 
root  juice,  or  Vermillion;  blue,  with  indigo 
or  verditer;  yellow,  with  saffron,  carthamus, 
gamboge,  turmeric,  or  French  berries; 
brown,  with  Spanish  liquoricejuice;  green, 
with  spinach  juice,  ora  union  of  blue  and 
yellow,  &c.  and  black,  with  fine  ivory  or 
lamp  black.  Even  the  whiteness  may  be 
easily  improved,  if  required;  among  other 
ways,  by  a solution  of  gum  ammoniac. 
Coloured  wafers,  of  all  sorts,  generally  es- 
cape the  ravages  of  insects,  which  often 
damage  and  devour  the  plain  white.  The 


wafer  paste,  when  baked,  may  be  cut  out 
with  even  a common  thimble,  where  there 
is  no  lozenge  or  wafer  cutter  at  hand.  It 
is  greatly  to  be  feared,  that  the  vermillion 
pretended  to  be  used  for  common  \Vafers 
is  almost  wholly  red  lead;  and,  as  these 
are  not  even  glazed,  they  should  be  as 
little  as  possible  wetted  by  the  lips.  Wa- 
fers, in  general,  ought  to  be  carefully  kept 
from  very  young  children;  who,  invited 
by  their  pleasing  colours,  are  often  tempt- 
ed to  eat  them,  and  maj  thus  be  greatly 
I and  even  fatally  injured.  The  glutinaceous 
substance  of  wafers,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
colours,  if  much  be  eaten,  may  occasion 
dangerous  stoppages  in  the  intestines. 

Rocambole. 

TiIE  rocambole,  in  Latin  named  ophio- 
scordon,  is  a species  of  garlic;  frequently 
called  Spanish  garlic,  or  Spanish  shallot. 
It  has  a bulbous  root,  somewhat  approach- 
ing that  of  common  garlic;  but  it  is  milder, 
and  has  more  the  flavour  of  shallots.  It 
produces  a stalk,  which  grows  to  the  height 
of  about  two  feet:  the  shoots  which  pre- 
cede it,  usually  five  in  number,  are  flat, 
having  a mingled  odour  of  leek  and  gar- 
lic; and,  enveloping  the  stalk  in  it’s  ascent 
to  a certain  height,  they  detach  themselves 
from  it,  and  bend  toward  the  earth.  The 
upper  part  of  the  stalk  vis  bare,  green,  and 
smooth  or  sleek:  it  then  winds,  makes  a 
spiral  turn  or  two,  and  is  terminated  by  a 
head  enveloped  in  a white  caul  or  mem- 
branaceous covering;  which,  soon  opening, 
discovers  small  bulbs,  at  first  of  a purplish 
colour,  afterward  whitish,  mixed  with  flow- 
ers like  those  of  garlic.  These  small  flow- 
ers constitute  the  fruiter  seed.  This  plant 
is  cultivated  by  it’s  bulbous  root,  or  by  the 
seed,  in  the  same  manner  as  onions,  garlic, 

5 N 


418 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


and  other  hot  bulbous  roots  of  the  same 
genus.  Like  them,  too,  their  state  of  ma- 
turity is  ascertained  by  the  drying  or  wi- 
thering of  the  stalks.  The  seed,  which  is 
in  France  called  the  rocambole,  is  greatly 
employed  in  culinary  operations,  and  far 
more  than  the  bulb  or  root.  The  French 
also  use  rocambole  medicinally,  as  being 
milder  than  garlic,  and  in  some  cases  more 
efficacious.  From  twenty  to  twenty-five 
seeds,  or  rocamboles,  bruised  and  well 
mingled  with  half  a pint  of  white  wine, 
broth,  or  hot  milk,  being  immediately  ta- 
ken, often  cure  those  violent  bowel  com- 
plaints which  will  not  yield  to  ordinary 
remedies. 

Rose  Drops. 

Beat  very  fine,  and  pass  through  a lawn 
sieve,  a pound  of  double  or  treble  refined 
loaf  sugar;  then,  beat  to  a fine  powder, 
and  sift,  half  an  ounce  of  dried  red  roses. 
Mix  both  well  together ; and,  wetting  it 
with  as  much  lemon  juice  as  will  make  it 
into  a stifl  paste,  set  it  on  a slow  fire,  and 
keep  stirring  it  till  the  whole  be  quite  scald- 
ing hot:  then,  dropping  it  on  paper,  set 
it  near  the  fire,  and  next  day  the  drops 
will  come  freely  off.  Keep  them  dry,  in 
neatly  papered  boxes. 

Genuine  Patirosa  Lozenges. 

Clip  off  all  the  whites  from  the  finest 
red  rose  buds,  and  dry  the  red  part  only 
in  the  sun;  then  pound  an  ounce  of  them 
in  a mortar,  and  sift  the  powder.  Wet  a 
pound  of  treble  refined  loaf  sugar,  or  white 
sugar  candy  in  powder,  with  the  best  double 
distilled  rose  water  or  fresh  juice  of  roses  ; 
and,  boiling  it  to  a candy  height,  put  in 
the  powder  of  roses,  with  the  juice  of  a 
lemon,  and  mix  all  well  together.  Pour  it 


on  marble,  or  the  back  of  a dish,  and  cut 
it  into  lozenges  after  the  usual  manner. 
What  are  generally  sold  in  the  shops  for 
patirosa  lozenges,  are  only  coloured  com- 
mon lozenges,  made  up  with  sugar  and  a 
solution  of  gum  tragacanth  in  rose  water. 

Cinnamon,  Clove,  Pepper,  or  Ginger  Drops,  Sfc. 

All  these  drops,  and  many  others,  may 
respectively  be  made  on  one  plan,  in  the 
following  manner — Boil,  for  a quarter  of 
an  hour,  in  a vessel  closely  covered,  a quar- 
ter of  an  ounce  of  either  of  the  articles,  in 
about  half  a gill  of  white  wine:  then  strain 
the  liquid  to  as  much  double  refined  sugar 
as  will  make  it  a sort  of  paste;  and,  after 
mixing  it  well  over  the  fire,  drop  it  on 
plates  or  paper,  let  the  drops  dry  of  them* 
selves,  and  keep  them  in  boxes  lined  with, 
paper. 

JVasseV. 

This  is  a delicacy  of  past  ages,  which 
we  find  thus  named  and  described  in  a very 
old  collection;  it  does  not  appear  known 
to  modern  writers  on  domestic  or  culinary 
subjects.  Wassel  is  a word  of  Saxon  origin, 
literally  signifying,  “ Health  be  to  you!” 
The  wassel  cup  is  often  mentioned  by  old 
English  authors,  and  sometimes  wassel  ale. 
We  believe  that,  in  a few  remote  parts  of 
the  united  kingdom,  it  is  still  customary, 
at  Christmas,  for  men  and  women,  called 
wassellers,  to  go  about,  from  house  to 
house,  singing,  dancing,  and  drinking 
healths  out  of  a great  bowl  or  wassel  cup 
of  ale  ; more  particularly,  on  twelfth  night. 
This  wassel,  therefore,  was  probably  a 
Twelfth  night,  Christmas,  or  other  wassel 
time,  favourite  dish.  Be  that  as  it  ma}’-,  the 
following  is  the  method  in  which  it  is  di- 
rected to  be  prepared — Boil  half  a dozen 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


419 


whole  cloves  in  three  pints  of  cream;  and, 
finely  beating  up,  in  some  more  cream, 
the  yolks  of  five  or  six  eggs,  stir  them  well 
together.  In  the  mean  while,  warm  a 
little  tent.  Malmsey,  or  other  wine:  and, 
having  arranged  sippets  of  fine  manchet,or 
French  bread,  with  plenty  of  powdered 
loaf  sugar,  in  a deep  dish,  pour  in  first  the 
hot  wine,  and  then  the  cream  ; strewing 
over  powdered  cinnamon,  ginger,  and 
sugar,  and  sticking  it  well  with  blanched 
almonds. 

Curious  Persian  Cold  Soup. 

The  Persians  make  a kind  of  soup  very 

different  from  any  thing  we  use;  of  which 

starch,  being  with  them  a great  article  of 

food,  forms  the  principal  ingredient.  They 

first  compose  a sort  of  sherbet,  or  lemonade, 

with  the  juice  of  fruits  sweetened;  and, 

if  the  fruit  used  have  in  itself  no  tartness,  i 

they  generally  squeeze  in  lemon  juice  or  j 

tamarind  water,  almost  constantlv  addins'  ! 

© | 

some  rose  water.  The  sherbet,  which  is  j 
very  variously  combined,  being  thus  or 
otherwise  prepared,  they  boil  the  finest 
starch  in  water,  to  the  consistency  of  a 
strong  paste;  and,  putting  in  the  juice  of  j 
some  fruit  different  from  that  of  the  slier-  ! 
bet,  they  take  out  a little  of  the  mixture 
with  a spoon,  and  drop  small  portions  of 
it  into  cold  water.  These  drops,  which 
harden  sufficiently  not  to  stick  together, 
are  pyriform,  or  pear  shaped,  and  about 
the  size  of  peas  or  horse  beans.  The 
drops,  being  taken  carefully  out  with  a 
spoon,  so  as  not  to  break  them,  are  put  in- 
to the  sherbet  sufficiently  to  render  it  to- 
lerably thick,  and  spices  are  sometimes 
added.  This  soup,  which  is  the  first  thing 
served  up  at  table,  is  eaten  with  spoons; 
and,  however  strange  such  a dish  may  ap-  ! 


pear,  a gentleman  who  has  been  in  Persia, 
and  from  whom  we  received  this  original 
receipt  with  many  others,  assures  us  that 
they  are  exceedingly  pleasant  and  grate- 
ful to  the  stomach.  When  ice  can  be  pro- 
cured, they  are  made  as  cold  as  possible. 

Russian  Cold  Soups. 

The  Russians,  in  summer,  eat  cold  soups 
aswellast  lie  Persians.  T hey  areusu  ally  com- 
posed of  a cold  rich  broth,  or  jellied  gravy 
soup,  from  which  the  fat  has  been  entirely 
taken  off,  made  somewhat  acid;  into  which 
they  put  slices  of  salted  cucumbers,  and 
various  saliad  herbs.  Sometimes  the  soup 
is  maigre,  and  composed  of  the  jelly  of 
fish;  the  water  in  which  many  sorts  of  fish 
are  boiled  becoming  constantly  a strong 
jelly.  These  soups  are,  in  Russia,  of  so 
many  various  kinds,  and  so  much  depend 
on  the  taste  of  the  cook,  that  it  would  be 
endless  to  give  specific  receipts.  All  may 
endeavour  to  suit  their  own  palates,  and 
please  those  of  their  guests.  These  soups 
are  esteemed  exceedingly  wholesome  and 
refreshing  in  warm  weather;  and  never 
weaken  or  relax  the  stomach,  as  hot  soups 
are  said  to  do.  Bits  of  ice  are,  in  Russia,, 
generally  put  into  the  dish. 

Persian  Fruit  Balls. 

Tins  curious  article  consists  of  the 
pulp  of  fruit,  frequently  a mixture  of  se- 
veral different  sorts,  with  sugar  and  spice, 
or  without  spice,  worked  up  into  little  balls 
with  rice  powder  or  flour,  and  fried  in  fresh 
butter  till  they  are  well  done.  These  Per- 
sian fruit  balls,  either  hot  or  cold,  are  very 
delicate.  The  fruit  must  be  moist  enough 
to  let  the  rice  swell,  and  the  balls  remain 
half  an  hour  after  being  formed  before 
they  are  put  into  the  frying  pan. 


420 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Cold  Persian  Pilau. 

Tuts  is  a very  favourite  Persian  dish, 
however  singular  it  may  seem  to  Euro- 
peans; and  is,  in  fact,  very  good,  as  may 
be  easily  experienced.  It  is  thus  made  in 
Persia — Rice  is  first  boiled  in  water,  with 
a little  salt,  cinnamon,  and  sugar;  or  any 
other  agreeable  taste  is  given  to  it  by 
different  ingredients,  and  some  entirely 
omit  the  salt.  No  more  water  should  be 
put  to  the  rice  than  it  will  be  likely  to  im- 
bibe; should  it  prove  more,  when  the  rice 
is  thoroughly  done,  it  must  be  drained  off, 
and  the  rice  left  to  become  quite  cold.  It 
is  then  put  into  a dish;  has  a milk  or 
cream,  made  with  blanched  almonds  blend- 
ed with  rose  or  orange-flower  water  and 
sugar,  poured  over  it;  and  is  immediately 
served  up.  This  is  a very  nourishing  food 
for  weak  stomachs:  and,  as  these  cold  pi- 
laus may  be  varied  at  pleasure,  and  are 
sometimes  highly  seasoned  with  Indian 
curry,  or  rendered  hot  with  spice  and  cap- 
sicum, as  well  as  swreetened,  acidulated, 
spiced,  and  perfumed,  though  no  meat 
must  ever  enter  the  composition,  they 
offer  a fine  field  for  European  culinary  skill 
x t and  speculation. 

Oxford  Cake. 

SlFT  half  a peck  of  fine  dry  flour,  and 
mix  with  it  a large  table-spoonful  of  well 
pounded  salt,  with  half  an  ounce  of  cinna- 
mon, a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  nutmeg,  and 
a dram  each  of  cloves  and  mace,  all  first 
finely  beaten  and  sifted  with  the  salt.  Add 
three  quarters  of  a pound  of  sugar  ; and 
well  work,  by  little  and  little  at  a time,  a 
pound  and  a half  of  fresh  butter  into  the 
flour,  so  as  to  occupy  about  three  hours  in 
the  working  it  all  up.  Then  put  in  a quart 


of  cream,  a pint  of  ale  yeast,  a gill  of  Ca- 
nary or  mountain  wine,  and  three  grains 
of  ambergrease,  dissolved  in  the  volks  of 
eight  and  whites  of  four  eggs,  with  a gill 
of  rose  water.  Mingle  the  whole  with  the 
flour,  and  knead  them  well  together.  After 
laying  the  paste  for  some  time  near  the  fire, 
put  in  a pound  of  stoned  and  minced  rai- 
sins of  the  sun,  and  three  pounds  of  nicely 
picked  and  cleansed  currants;  and,  mak- 
ing up  the  cake,  bake  it  three  hours  in  a 
1 gentle  oven.  When  it  is  baked,  frost  it  on 
the  top  with  rose  water  and  the  white  of 
an  egg  beaten  together,  sift  over  it  plenty 
of  fine  loaf  sugar,  and  again  set  it  in  the 
oven  to  dry. 

Crackling  Cream. 

Beat  up  the  yolks  of  five  or  six  eggs, 
and  pour  in  new  milk  while  beating  them  ; 
adding  powdered  loaf  sugar,  and  a little 
rasped  lemon  rind.  Set  the  dish  over  a 
stove,  and  keep  continually  stirring  till  the 
cream  begins  to  form.  Slacken  the  fire, 
and  stir  the  cream  incessantly;  turning  it 
to  the  sides  of  the  dish  or  vessel,  till  little 
or  none  remain  at  the  bottom,  while  a bor- 
der appears  round  the  top,  with  particular 
care  that  the  cream  does  not  burn.  When 
it  is  ready,  heat  afire  shovel,  or  salamander, 
red  hot,  and  give  it  a fine  colour:  then, 
with  the  point  of  a knife,  loosen  the  whole 
border,  that  it  may  remain  entire.  After- 
ward, put  it  again  in  the  same  dish,  or 
vessel;  and  let  it  dry  in  the  oven  till  very 
little  be  left,  and  it  actually  crackles  in  the 
mouth  on  eating  it. 

Blackberry  Wine. 

Put  a quantity  of  cleanly  picked  full 
ripe  blackberries  into  a vessel,  and  pour 
j in  as  many  quarts  of  cold  water  which  has 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


421 


first  been  boiled,  as  there  are  of  fruit. 
Bruise  them  well,  and  let  the  whole  stand 
twenty-four  hours,  stirring  it  together  oc- 
casionally during  that  time.  T hen  express 
, all  the  juice,  and  run  it  through  a sieve  or 
jelly  bag,  on  a pound  and  a half  of  sugar 
to  each  gallon  of  liquid ; stir  it  till  thorough- 
ly dissolved;  put  it  in  a well  seasoned  bar- 
rel ; and,  adding  a little  dissolved  isinglass, 
or  other  fining  liquid,  let  it  remain  open 
till  next  day,  and  then  bung  it  up.  This 
is  a very  pleasant  wine,  and  may  be  bot- 
tled off  in  about  two  months. 

Rich  Raspberry  Wine , and  Raspberry  Brandy. 

Bruise  the  finest  ripe  raspberries  with 
the  back  of  a spoon ; and  strain  them, 
through  a flannel  bag,  into  a stone  jar,  on 
a pound  of  double  refined  powdered  loaf 
sugar  for  each  quart  of  juice.  Stir  it  well 
together,  and  cover  it  closely  up  for  three 
days ; then,  pouring  off  the  clear,  put  two 
quarts  of  good  mountain,  sherry,  or  the 
best  raisin  wine,  to  every  quart  of  the  rasp- 
berry juice,  bottle  it  off,  and  it  will  be  fit 
to  drink  in  a fortnight.  This  is  a most 
delicious  wine;  and  if,  instead  of  the  white 
wine,  an  equal  quantity  of  fine  French 
brandy  be  used,  and  additional  sugar  if 
found  to  be  necessary,  will  prove  a far 
more  delicate  raspberry  brandy  than  when 
made  by  steeping  the  fruit.  Common 
raspberry  wine  may  be  made  after  the 
same  manner  as  blackberry  wine  in  the 
preceding  receipt. 

Sicilian  Mode  of  Dressing  a Loin  of  Pork , so 
as  to  eat  like  Wild  Boar. 

Score  or  cut  down  a loin  of  pork,  as  if 
for  dividing  it  into  chops ; but  without 
chopping  through  the  end  bone,  which 
must  be  left  entire  to  keep  the  whole  toge- 


ther. Put  plenty  of  chopped  sage  between 
the  scores  or  cuts;  and  soak  the  meat,  in 
equal  quantities  of  vinegar  and  water,  for 
ten  or  twelve  days.  Then,  putting  in 
more  sage,  tie  it  up  close;  and  bake  it  with 
the  rind  downward,  in  some  of  the  vine- 
gar and  water.  When  done,  serve  it  up 
with  it’s  own  skimmed  liquor,  alittle  sugar, 
and  a glass  of  red  wine.  It  may  also  be 
eaten  with  currant  jelly  sauce.  The  skin, 
or  rind,  instead  of  being  hard  and  crack- 
ling, becomes  a fine  rich  brawny  jelly. 
This  is  considered  as  a very  excellent  dish. 

Oil  of  Jessamine  and  other  Flowers. 

Moisten  w ell  carded  cotton  with  oil  of 
benzoin;  and,  having  arranged  it  on  a hair 
sieve  in  a bason  or  dish,  cover  the  layer  of 
cotton  with  fresh  gathered  jessamine  flow- 
ers about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  thick, 
put  over  them  another  dish  reversed,  apd 
envelope  both  dishes  with  a cloth.  When 
the  flowers  have  digested  for  three  or  four 
hours,  take  them  away  lightly,  and  add  a 
layer  of  fresh  ; repeating  the  same  process 
at  least  ten  or  twelve  times.  On  finding 
the  cotton  to  be  well  charged  with  odour, 
put  it  in  a press,  and  squeeze  out  all  the 
oil;  which  proves  very  fragrant,  and  must 
be  kept  in  a phial  closely  stopped.  Oil  of 
jessamine  is  more  used  in  perfumery  than 
in  medicine;  it  is  proper,  however,  like 
most  of  the  fine  odours,  to  gratify  the  ole- 
factory  nerves,  and  fortify  the  brain.  By 
the  same  process  may  be  prepared  the  re- 
spective oils  of  other  odoriferous  flowers. 

German  Method  of  Breeding  Meal  Worms,  for 
Nightingales  and  other  Singing  Birds,  Sfc. 

Put  as  much  dough  as  the  size  of  a 
threepenny  loaf,  in  a sufficiently  large 
and  deep  earthen  pot,  and  strew  over  it  a 
.5  O 


422 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


handful  of  flour.  Then,  having  put  in  ten 
or  twelve  live  meal  worms,  on  a sheet  of 
wet  coarse  paper  placed  above  the  floured 
dough,  tie  over  the  pot  a paper  cover, 
pierced  well  with  a large  pin,  and  set  it  in 
a warm  situation.  In  a month,  these  meal 
worms  will  be  increased  to  some  thousands; 
beside  cock  roaches,  which  are  equally 
good  for  most  birds,  and  even  for  fowls. 
Meal  worms  are  to  be  got  at  any  miller’s, 
cornchandler’s,  or  baker’s,  &c.  by  wetting 
a thick  woollen  rag,  and  laying  it  beneath 
the  meal  sacks,  or  in  holes  and  corners  ad- 
jacent, for  a night  or  two.  Many  may  be 
taken  this  way,  with  double  advantage  to 
the  dealer:  as  they  are  not  only  thus  caught, 
and  prevented  from  consuming  the  flour; 
but  prove  good  both  for  feeding  birds,  the 
use  of  anglers, &c.  There  is,  indeed,  no  bet- 
ter bait  for  most  fish  which  bite  at  bottom, 
than  a meal  worm.  With  regard  to  the 
cock  roaches,  bred  with  the  meal  worms,  if 
the  pot  containing  them  be  set  in  the  mid- 
dle of  an  aviary,  during  the  day  time,  and 
have  a hole  or  sort  of  trap  door  cut  in 
the  cover,  with  a stick  placed  for  them  to 
run  up,  they  will  by  degrees  come  out,  and 
the  watchful  birds  will  not  suffer  a single 
©ne  to  escape.  In  the  night,  while  any 
continue  to  remain,  the  stick  should  be 
withdrawn,  and  the  hole  closed.  Both  the 
meal  worms  and  cock  roaches,  will  keep 
multiplying  all  the  year  round,  in  this  pan,  if 
kept  near  an  oven  or  in  any  other  warm  si- 
tuation; putting  in,  from  time  to  time,  a 
woollen  rag,  a bone,  a very  old  shoe,  or  a 
crust  of  bread  either  wet  or  dry.  Almost 
any  thing  is  by  these  insects  converted  to 
food,  and  they  require  very  little  moisture. 
At  Vienna,  and  in  many  other  parts  of  Ger- 
many, meal  worms  are  sold  both  by  mea- 
sure and  by  the  hundred;  the  former  way 


when  they  sell  mixed  sizes,  the  latter  when 
the  largest  are  selected  by  the  purchaser. 

Roast  Beef  with  Oystei's. 

Bone  any  fine  roasting  piece  of  ox  beef; 
and,  having  made  a good  forcemeat,  stuff 
it  like  a fillet  of  veal,  and  tie  it  up  in  a si- 
milar round  form:  then,  covering  it  over 
with  caul  and  paper,  roast  it  till  nearly 
done,  at  a brisk  fire;  after  which,  take  off 
the  paper  and  caul,  brown  it  nicely,  and 
serve  it  up  with  oyster  sauce.  The  sauce 
may  be  thus  made — Wash  and  beard  the 
oysters;  and,  throwing  them  into  cold  wa- 
ter, boil  the  oyster  liquor  obtained  cn 
opening  them,  with  the  beards,  a small 
quantity  of  gravy,  a little  ketchup,  and  a 
bit  each  of  lemon  peel  and  mace.  Then, 
straining  off  the  liquor  to  the  oysters,  put 
the  whole  into  a saucepan,  with  sufficient 
fresh  butter  and  cream.  When  near  boil- 
ing, thicken  it  with  flour  and  water;  and 
season  to  palate,  with  salt,  long  or  Cay- 
enne pepper,  and  lemon  juice.  It  may  be 
poured  over  the  meat,  but  is  generally 
served  up  in  a sauce  tureen.  This  is  a 
good  oyster  sauce  for  beef  steaks,  &c. 

Almond  Custard. 

Blanch  and  beat  two  ounces  of  fine 
sweet  almonds,  with  four  or  five  bitter  al- 
monds or  apricot  kernels;  moistening  with 
orange-flower  or  rose  water,  to  prevent 
oiling:  and,  having  boiled  a pint  of  cream, 
with  some  sugar  and  cinnamon,  a very  lit- 
tle mace  and  nutmeg,  and  a bit  of  fresh  rind 
of  lemon,  rub  the  pounded  almonds  to  it 
through  a hair  sieve;  add  a little  syrup  of 
clove  gilliflowers,  or  of  roses,  beat  up  with 
the  yolks  of  three  eggs;  and  bake  the  mix- 
ture in  custard  cups,  or  a small  dish  lined 
or  rimmed  with  puff  paste. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK,  423 


Macaroni  Rice. 

PUT  a pound  of  rice  in  five  pints  of  cold 
water,  and  boil  it  very  gently  for  two  hours, 
when  it  will  have  become  the  consistency 
of  a thick  paste;  then  add  two  pints  of 
milk,  either  new  or  skimmed,  with  two 
ounces  of  finely  grated  strong  Cheshire  or 
even  Dutch  cheese,  and  a little  pepper  and 
salt,  with  or  without  allspice.  After  boil- 
ing the  whole  very  slowly  for  another  hour, 
it  will  be  ready  for  eating,  and  produce  near- 
ly eight  pounds  of  macaroni  rice.  This  is  a 
very  excellent  (Economical  dish  ; perhaps, 
one  of  the  cheapest  foods  which  can  pos- 
sible be  made.  It  is,  in  short,  a very  good 
substitute  for  the  best  Italian  macaroni 
made  with  Parmasan  cheese,  &c.  so  much 
relished  at  the  tables  of  the  great,  in  this 
and  every  other  country  of  Europe. 

Soup  Jardiniere;  or,  the  Gardener's  Wife’s 
Soup. 

CUT  fine  carrots,  and  turnips,  in  pieces 
of  about  an  inch  long,  and  only  the  thick- 
ness of  a straw;  withalittleparsley  root,  if 
it  be  very  young.  Boil  them  gently,  in 
some  good  fresh  stock  or  broth,  till  quite  ten- 
der; with  aleek,andtwo  heads  of  celery,  tied 
up  in  a bunch,  which  must  be  taken  out  on 
serving  up  the  soup.  Boil  tender,  but  as 
whole  as  possible,  a dozen  small  onions, 
and  serve  them  up  with  the  soup,  which 
must  be  seasoned  to  palate  with  salt  and 
pepper. 

Rice  Fritters  or  Fried  Balls. 

Boil,  in  water,  a quarter  of  a pound  of 
rice  till  it  becomes  tender,  and  drain  it  dry 
on  a sieve.  In  the  mean  time,  boil  half  a 
pint  of  cream,  with  a pint  each  of  beaten 
cinnamon  and  grated  lemon  rind,  till  half 


the  cream  be  reduced;  stirring  it  from  the 
sides  of  the  pan,  and  adding  two  ounces  of 
powdered  loaf  sugar,  the  rice,  and  two  yolks 
of  eggs  beaten  up  with  a table-spoonful  of 
brandy.  Keep  the  whole  well  stirred, 
while  mixing  over  the  fire;  and,  taking  it 
off,  stir  in  a well  beaten  up  egg,  and  put 
it  on  a plate  or  small  dish  to  cool.  Make 
it  into  balls  the  size  of  a small  walnut;  and 
fry  them,  in  fine  hot  hog’s  lard,  of  a nice 
light  brown  colour.  Drain  them  on  an  in- 
verted sieve;  and,  dishing  them  up,  dredge 
them  well  with  fine  loaf  sugar,  over  which 
hold  a salamander  or  other  hot  iron. 

Excellent  Mutton  Ham. 

Get  the  finest  and  largest  leg  of  mutton, 
the  fatter  the  better,  cut  very  full  in  the 
loin,  the  day  after  the  sheep  was  killed. 
Rub  it  well  over  with  common  salt  im- 
mediately; and,  twenty -four  hours  after, 
mix  two  ounces  each  of  bay  salt  and  coarse 
sugar,  with  an  ounce  of  saltpetre,  and  rub 
this  well  over  also.  Tie  tightly  round  the 
knuckle,  which  must  be  well  stuffed  with 
the  salt,  &,c.  apiece  of  packthread  to  keep 
out  the  air.  Turn  the  ham  every  day  in 
the  brine;  to  which  add  some  pounded 
juniper  berries,  with  a few  bay  leaves  and 
sprigs  of  basil  and  marjoram.  It  must  be 
kept  in  a cool  place,  and  daily  well  basted 
with  the  brine,  for  twelve  days  or  a fort- 
night. Then,  taking  it  out,  lay  it  on  a 
board,  with  a considerable  weight  over  it, 
for  at  least  four  hours  : after  which,  hang 
it  up,  and  smoke  it,  like  other  hams  in 
general ; or  with  oak  saw  dust,  juniper, 
and  horse  litter  or  straw,  till  it  becomes  a 
little  dry.  It  must  not  be  dried  too  quick. 
These  directions  being  well  observed,  the 
mutton  ham  will  be  truly  excellent,  and 
very  different  from  what  is  ever  to  be  pur- 


424 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


chased,  or  even  often  met  with  in  pri- 
vate families. 

Elder  Rob,  or  Extract  of  Elder  Berries . 

Put  ripe  elder  berries  into  a jar,  and 
bake  them  sufficiently  soft  to  run  through 
a coarse  cloth  or  sieve;  boil  the  pure  li- 
quid till  it  becomes  very  thick,  stirring  it  all 
thetimeof  it’sbeingonthe  fire.  Four  or  five 
pints  of  juice  should  be  frequently  reduced 
to  one.  When,  of  a proper  consistence, 
put  it  up  in  pots,  and  keep  it  closely  covered. 

Seely  Mahomet  Zeeke’s  Pills  for  the  Plague. 

This  receipt  is  given  in  the  oriental  man- 
ner. “ The  lives  of  all  men,”  says  that 
celebrated  Arabian  physician,  Seely  Ma- 
homet Zeeke,  “ are  in  the  hands  of  God: 
and,  when  it  is  so  written,  we  must  die! 
However,  it  has  pleased  God  to  save  many 
persons  from  the  infection  of  that  horrid 
disease,  the  plague,  by  taking,  daily,  dur- 
ing it’s  continuance,  one  or  two  pills  of  the 
following  composition — Myrrh  and  aloes, 
each  half  an  ounce;  and  saffron,  a quarter 
of  an  ounce:  with  pulverized  myrtle  ber- 
ries sufficient  to  make  up  the  mass,  when 
the  whole  is  well  pounded  and  mixed  to- 
gether.” 

Dr.  Carmichael  Smith’s  Celebrated  Remedy  \ 

for  pi'eventing  the  Contagion  of  Infectious 

Diseases,  in  Hospitals,  Prisons,  fyc. 

For  this  celebrated  remedy  Dr.  Smith 
was  liberally  rewarded  by  the  British  Par- 
liament. It  has  been  found  of  great  use 
in  preventing  the  contagion  of  the  yel- 
low fever ; and,  indeed,  all  kinds  of  putrid 
infection.  The  method  prescribed  is  as 
follows — Put  some  heated  sand  in  a small 
pipkin,  and  placeman  it  a tea-cup  with  half 
an  ounce  of  strong  vitriolic  acid:  when  it 


becomes  a little  warm,  add  to  it  half  an 
ounce  of  purified  nitre  in  powder;  stirring 
the  mixture  with  a slip  of  glass,  or  the  small 
end  of  a tobacco  pipe.  This  process  should 
be  repeated,  from  time  to  time;  the  pip- 
kin being  set  over  a lamp,  or  one  of  the 
regular  fumigating  lamps  for  the  purpose 
used.  This  has  so  often  been  tried  with 
success,  in  infirmaries,  gaols,  &c.  at  land, 
and  in  hospital  and  other  ships,  that  it  is 
held  to  possess  a specific  power  on  putrid 
contagion,  gaol  fevers,  &c. 

Cruickshank’s  Liniment  for  a Lumbago. 

The  lumbago  is,  in  fact,  the  rheumatism, 
when  it  attacks  the  loins  and  small  of  the 
back;  as  it  is  called  ischia,  or  the  sciatica, 
when  it  rages  in  the  hip.  The  present  is 
a genuine  receipt  of  that  late  celebrated 
surgeon,  Mr.  Cruickshank,  and  possesses 
very  great  efficacy — Make  into  a liniment 
spirit  of  sal  ammoniac,  six  ounces;  olive 
oil,  two  ounces;  and  pounded  camphor,  one 
ounce:  apply  it  plentifully  to  the  part  af- 
fected, and  it  will  seldom  fail  of  giving  ease 
in  this  very  painful  complaint,  as  well  as  in 
the  sciatica  and  other  rheumatic  affections. 

Spice  Gingerbread  Nuts,  or  Small  Cakes. 

PUT,  in  a pint  of  treacle,  half  a pound  of 
j butter,  with  a good  quantity  of  powdered 
ginger  and  finely  chopped  candied  lemon 
peel;  just  give  them  a boil  over  the  fire, 
and  let  the  whole  stand  to  cool.  Then 
mix  in,  with  a spoon,  as  much  flour  as  will 
make  it  a stiffish  paste;  and,  buttering  the 
tin  baking  plate,  lay  it  on,  with  the  spoon, 
in  pieces  for  nuts  or  small  cakes,  and  set 
them  in  the  oven.  To  ascertain  when  they 
are  done,  take  one  out,  and  let  it  cool; 
and  if,  on  it’s  getting  cold,  it  becomes  hard, 
they  are  enough  baked. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


White  Piclded  Mushrooms. 

CUT  off  the  roots  of  the  nicest  and  whit- 
est small  button  mushrooms,  and  wash 
them  very  clean  with  salt  and  water;  then 
again  wash  them  in  milk  and  water  with 
a little  salt;  and  afterward  blanch  them 
over  the  fire,  by  boiling  them  in  milk  and 
water  only.  In  the  mean  time,  having 
boiled  and  well  scummed  some  of  the  best 
white  wine  vinegar,  with  spices,  put  the 
drained  mushrooms  into  it ; and,  at  the 
bottom  of  small  glasses,  put  first  the  spice; 
next  the  mushrooms;  and,  when  the  vine- 
gar is  quite  cold,  pour  it  in,  nearly  to  the 
top,  fill  up  with  sweet  oil,  cover  the  glasses 
with  bladder  and  paper,  and  tie  them  up 
close. 

Elder  Wine. 

There  are  innumerable  receipts  for 
making  this  very  salubrious  wine,  both 
with  the  common  dark  red  and  with  white 
elderberries.  White  elder  berries,  however, 
are  so  very  scarce,  and  differ  so  little  from 
the  red,  except  in  colour,  that  no  particu- 
lar distinction  need  be  noted  in  the  pro- 
cess. Common  sense  will  dictate  sufficient- 
ly, to  avoid  what  might  affect  the  respec- 
tive colours,  when  making  red  or  white 
wine  of  any  sort.  The  fault  which  prevails  I 
in  most  made  wines,  that  of  introducing  j 
too  many  ingredients,  by  blending  several 
sorts  of  juices,  varieties  of  spices,  &c.  and  1 
thus  destroying  the  particular  character 
which  should  distinguish  each,  very  gene- 
rally affects  this  most  popular  of  our  family  j 
wines;  but,  indeed,  an  excess  of  spice  is 
in  elder  wine  the  more  to  be  tolerated,  as 
we  seldom  drink  it  otherwise  than  hot,  and 
all  mulled  wines  are  expected  to  be  more 
or  less  spiced.  The  following  process, 


425 

will  be  found  to  succeed  greatly  in  avoid- 
ing the  chief  defects,  and  securing  all  the 
virtues,  of  genuine  elder  wine — To  a 
bushel  of  ripe  and  picked  elder  berries,  put 
ten  gallons  of  soft  water:  and,  when  they 
have  soaked  a few  days,  simmer  them  in  the 
same,  with  some  grossly  pounded  ginger 
and  a little  allspice,  or  any  more  favourite 
spices,  tied  in  a bag,  for  at  least  half  an 
hour ; after  which,  let  them  boil  about  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  longer.  Then,  strain- 
ing off  the  liquor,  and  squeezing  out  as 
much  as  possible  of  what  remains  from  the 
berries,  measure  the  entire  quantity  of 
juice;  and,  to  every  quart,  when  a little 
cool,  or  only  milk  warm,  put  a pound  of 
moist  sugar.  In  the  mean  time,  throw  the 
expressed  berries,  on  their  getting  quite 
cold,  into  some  fresh  water ; to  be  again  pres- 
sed, for  the  purpose  hereafter  mentioned. 
The  juice  being  stirred  till  the  sugar  is  quite 
dissolved,  is  to  be  boiled  with  the  spice 
bag  for  about  half  an  hour,  well  stirred 
and  scummed  all  the  time.  After  stand- 
ing in  a tub  to  cool,  till  only  the  warmth 
of  new  milk,  work  it  with  some  good  ale 
yeast  spread  on  a hot  toast;  and  let  it  stand 
till  the  fermentation  has.  thrown  up  a good 
head,  which  will  not  be  more  than  two  or 
three  days.  Take  away  the  toast,  skim  off’ 
the  head  of  yeast,  and  tun  the  liquor  in  a 
well  seasoned  cask.  As  the  cask  must  he 
from  time  to  time  filled  up,  to  prevent  the 
wine  from  fretting,  or  working  over,  about 
two  gallons  of  liquor  should  be  either  re- 
served, or  m?de  from  the  last  pressings  of 
the  berries,  for  this  purpose.  When  the 
hissing  is  quite  gone  off,  but  by  no  means 
sooner,  a pint  of  brandy  may  be  added  for 
every  six  gallons  ; and,  tvvo  or  three  days 
after,  bung  it  up  close,  when  it  will  be  found 
fit  for  use  or  the  bottle  in  three  months. 
r>  p 


426 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Panada. 

Boil,  for  not  more  than  two  minutes, 
some  slices  of  crumb  of  bread,  with  a blade 
of  mace,  in  a quart  of  water;  then,  taking 
oat  the  bread,  and  finely  bruising  it  in  a 
bason,  mix  as  much  of  the  water  as  will 
make  it  a proper  consistence.  Put  in  a 
bit  of  fresh  butter,  grate  a little  nutmeg, 
and  sweeten  it  to  palate.  If  wine  be  re- 
quired, though  it  is  much  best  without,  by 
no  means  boil  it  with  the  water  and  bread. 
This. is  a delicate  diet  for  weak  stomachs. 

German  Egg  Soup. 

Beat  up  the  yolk  of  an  egg  with  a pint 
of  water;  and,  putting  in  a piece  of  butter 
the  size  of  a small  walnut,  and  two  or  three 
lumps  of  sugar,  keep  stirring  it  continually 
over  the  fire  till  it  begins  to  boil.  Pour  it 
quick  from  the  saucepan  to  a mug,  and 
back  again,  till  it  is  smoothly  mixed  and 
has  a great  froth,  when  it  will  be  fit  to  drink. 
This  is  particularly  ordered  in  a bad  cold, 
or  for  any  valetudinarians  with  whose 
stomachs  egg  will  agree.  It  is  sometimes 
called  buttered  water;  and  many  of  the 
Germans  are  so  extremely  fond  of  it,  that 
they  often  take  no  other  supper. 

Genuine  Northamptonshire  Gooseberry  Fool. 

The  good  people  of  Northamptonshire 
maintain,  that  all  our  best  London  cooks, 
in  making  gooseberry  fool,  are  themselves 
little  better  than  fools.  There  is  no  way, 
these  Northamptonians  insist,  equal  to  their 
own,  for  which  the  following  is  a genuine 
and  original  receipt — After  topping  and 
tailing,  or  taking  off  cleanly,  the  two  ends 
of  the  gooseberries ; scald  them  sufficiently 
with  a very  little  water,  till  all  the  fruit 
breaks.  If  they  have  too  much  water,  they 


are  infallibly  spoiled.  The  water  must  not 
be  thrown  away,  being  rich  with  the  finest 
part  of  the  fruit;  to  prove  how  well  it 
is  worth  preserving,  let  it  only  stand  till 
cold,  and  it  will  be  found  a very  excellent 
jelly.  When  the  gooseberries  are  become 
| quite  cold,  masji  them  all  together.  Pass- 
ing them  through  a sieve,  according  to  the 
practice  of  professed  cooks,  entirely  spoils 
them.  The  fme  natural  flavour,  which  re- 
sides in  the  skin  or  rind,  no  art  can  replace; 

I the  skins  must  remain  unseparated  in  the 
( general  mash.  Sweeten  with  fine  powder- 
j ed  loaf  sugar:  but  add  no  nutmeg,  or  other 
spice;  as  they  destroy  the  fine  peculiar 
flavour  of  the  gooseberry,  which  cannot  be 
improved.  Add  rich  cream,  and  it  is  ready 
for  being  eaten:  those  who  eat  it  once, 
will  be  ready  enough  to  eat  it  again  when- 
ever it  comes  in  their  way.  The  vouiw 
folks  of  Northamptonshire,  after  eating  as 
much  as  they  possibly  can  of  this  goose- 
berry fool,  are  said  frequently  to  roll  down 
a hill,  and  begin  eating  again.  This  provin- 
cial joke  serves,  at  least,  to  demonstrate  the 
estimation  in  which  gooseberry  fool  thus 
made  is  there  commonly  held. 

Tartar  Remedy  for  a Dry  Cough  and  Dif- 
ficulty of  Breathing. 

We  are  favoured,  by  a most  respectable 
traveller,  with  the  following  account  of  a 
cure  performed  on  himself  w hile  in  Tartary. 
— “ In  the  year  1777,”  says  this  gentleman, 
who  has  greatly  enriched  our  collection 
with  a variety  of  original  foreign  articles, 
“ I had  a dry  cough,  and  felt  great  difficul- 
ty of  breathing,  for  several  months.  A 
Tartar  cured  me  thus — He  boiled  four  or 
five  large  onions  in  about  a pint  of  water, 
till  the  onions  w ere  almost  dissolved.  The 
little  water  and  onions  were  w7ell  squeezed ; 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


added  and  boiled.  A lump  of  new  butter 
from  the  churn,  of  seemingly  between  a 
quarter  and  half  a pound  weight,  was  now 
stirred  in;  followed,  when  sufficiently  cool, 
by  the  yolks  of  four  eggs,  so  as  to  make  the 
butter  unite  with  the  milk.  This,  seasoned 
with  pepper  and  salt,  I eat  for  supper  ; and, 
next  morning,  after  a very  great  expecto- 
ration, I took  the  same  preparation  for  my 
breakfast.  The  expectoration  continued; 
and,  in  three  days,  I could  run  up  a steep 
hill,  being  perfectly  cured.”  This  is  a cu- 
rious fact;  as  oils  are  the  only  remedies 
known  by  the  faculty  to  promote  expec- 
toration, which  often  disagree  with  and  too 
greatly  relax  the  stomach. 

Arabian  Method  of  Preserving  Eggs , $ c. 

The  Arabs  fill  a vessel  with  eggs,  and 
pour  on  them  date  syrup,  so  as  entirely  to 
cover  the  whole;  a board,  or  small  nice 
clean  stone,  being  put  over  the  eggs,  to  pre- 
vent their  swimming.  They  acquire  no 
sweet  taste,  and  they  do  not  evaporate. 
Treacle  is  no  way  different,  in  this  pre- 
servative quality,  from  date  syrup.  Meat, 
too,  is  thus  preserved  by  the  Tartars  for  a 
long  time,  and  becomes  very  tender?  but 
it  must  be  well  washed,  to  get  out  the 
sweet  taste.  The  Arabs,  however,  do  not 
dislike  this  sweetness,  for  they  often  dress 
meat  with  sugar:  as  is,  also,  much  practised 
in  Sicily;  where,  perhaps,  this  taste  was 
introduced  by  the  Saracens,  now  called  the 
Arabs,  who  long  possessed  that  country* 

Oriental  Vases  for  Cooling  Wine. 

An  imitation  of  the  oriental  manner  of 
cooling  water  has  lately  been  introduced 
into  this  country,  chiefly  for  cooling-wine: 
but,  that  the  true  principle  is  not  here  un- 


427 

derstood,  will  be  evident  in  the  follow- 
ing true  description  of  the  cooling  vases, 
or  jars,  used  in  Turkey,  and  particularly  in 
Asia ; where  the  heats  are  very  great,  and 
a draught  of  cold  water  is  a delicious  treat. 
Their  vases,  which  generally  hold  near  a 
quart,  are  very  thin,  and  made  of  clay,  burnt 
only  to  a degree  sufficient  to  prevent  their 
dissolving  with  the  liquid  which  they  are  to 
contain.  They  are  so  very  porous  that, 
when  tilled  with  water,  the  outside  soon 
appears  covered  with  drops;  which,  the 
vase  being  set  in  the  open  air,  quickly  eva- 
porate. A third  part  of  the  water,  or  very 
dearly  that  quantity,  must  exude  through 
the  sides  in  less  than  an  hour,  and  it  often 
does  in  a much  shorter  time;  the  quicker  this 
evaporation,  the  colder  the  water  grows-. 
Dry  hot  winds  will  occasion  the  water  to 
be  so  cold,  that  itseems  like  ice.  With  colder 
winds,  which  are  moist,  the  evaporation  is 
slow,  and  the  water  never  becomes  equally 
cold.  The  whole,  in  fact,  depends  on  the 
quickness  of  the  evaporation.  Now  the 
vessels  which  are  here  lately  come  into 
fashion  are  strong,  and  made  with  elegant 
ornaments  in  relief;  and  the  manner  of 
using  them  is  by  dipping  them  in  and 
nearly  filling  them  with  water,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  it’s  surrounding  the  bottle  which 
is  put  into  them.  They  should  not,  how- 
ever, be  thicker  than  a halfpenny.  Jars 
made  so  as  to  contain  a bottle  and  a pint 
of  water  each  will  render  wine,  in  about 
three  quarters  of  an  hour,  cold  enough 
even  to  lose,  according  to  some  opinions, 
much  of  it’s  flavour;  for,  indeed,  wine  may 
be  too  cold.  It  is  true,  that  these  thin  jugs 
are  often  broken ; but,  though  they  are  of 
an,  elegant  shape,  that  does  not  enhance 
their  price,  and  they  consequently  cost 
very  little. 


428 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Persian  Manner  of  Cooling  Apartments  dur- 
ing excessive  Heats. 

Though  it  seldom  happens,  in  England, 
that  the  heat  is  so  insupportable  as  to  ren- 
der any  expedient  requisite  for  cooling 
rooms;  such  a resource  may  prove  import- 
anti  y agreeable,  and  even  useful,  for  the 
chambers  of  the  sick,  and  under  peculiar 
circumstances  of  weakness,  &c.  In  the 
Gulph  of  Persia,  and  particularly  at  Bas- 
sora,  the  heats  are  much  greater  than  in 
India,  where  the  sun  is  nearly  vertical,  a. 
few  degrees  making  very  little  difference: 
the  true  reason  of  which  is,  because  in  In- 
dia, at  this  time  of  the  year,  they  have 
rains  almost  constantly;  in  the  Gulph  of 
Persia  never,  except  in  winter  or  late  in 
autumn.  The  room  to  be  made  cool  in 
the  Persian  manner  must  have  two  win- 
dows open,  on  opposite  sides,  exactly  so  cor- 
responding as  for  the  wind  to  blow  through 
them  with  what  we  call  a thorough  air; 
in  the  direct  current  of  which  it  is  so  gene- 
rally dangerous  to  remain,  on  account  of 
the  sudden  and  forcible  check  thus  given 
to  perspiration.  All  other  windows  in  the 
room,  but  these  two,  must  be  closely  shut; 
in  Bassora,  they  even  wall  them  up  during 
the  summer.  Before  each  of  the  two  win- 
dows, is  hung  a coarse  open  sackcloth, 
which  covers  the  whole.  These  cloths  are 
constantly  kept  wetted  with  water,  to  which 
vinegar  may  be  added  in  particular  cases. 
The  air  in  the  room  will  thus  become  quite 
cool,  and  deliciously  pleasant.  What  is 
most  remarkable,  this  never  makes  any 
article  in  the  room  damp  ; but,  if  any  thing, 
drier.  No  light  must  be  admitted  into  the 
room,  except  through  these  pieces  of  sack- 
cloth. At  first,  the  room  appears  dark ; 
but  the  eye  soon  gets  accustomed  to  it,  and 


finds  this  a favourable  circumstance.  It  is, 
indeed,  esteemed  very  beneficial  both  for 
sore  and  weak  eyes;  while,  in  fevers,  a 
room  thus  cooled  frequently  does  full  as 
much  good  as  medicine. 

Method  of  Preserving  Common  Cream. 

This  is  a useful  article  of  sea  stock  for 
short  voyages,  and  may  in  other  cases  be 
found  very  serviceable  or  convenient — 
Dissolve  twelve-  ounces  of  loaf  sugar  in 
water,  over  a moderate  fire,  or  in  a water 
bath,  and  let  it  afterward  boil  for  about 
two  minutes;  after  which,  add  immediately 
twelve  ounces  of  the  finest  and  freshest 
cream,  and  thoroughly  incorporate  the 
whole  over  the  fire.  Then  suffer  it  to  cool, 
pour  it  into  a bottle,  and  cork  it  up  close. 
If  kept  in  a cool  place,  it  will  continue  fit 
for  use  several  weeks,  and  even  months ; 
and,  as  sugar  is  commonly  wanted  when 
there  is  occasion  for  cream,  the  cream  is 
thus  preserved  without  any  sort  of  ad- 
ditional expence. 

Baked  Herrings. 

Having  scaled,  gutted,  and  well  washed, 
the  freshest  and  finest  herrings,  lay  them 
on  a cloth  to  dry;  then  pare  an  onion,  cut 
it  into  thin  slices,  and  put  a piece  in  the 
belly  of  each  herring.  Mix  some  black 
ground  pepper,  salt,  and  a little  Cayenne 
pepper;  with  which  plentifully  rub  both 
sides  of  every  herring,  and  arrange  them, 
in  regular  layers,  in  a deep  pan.  Put  the 
remainder  of  the  seasoning  and  onions  at 
the  top,  with  a little  more  salt  and  a few 
bay  leaves;  and  pour  over  a mixture  of 
two  thirds  vinegar  and  one  third  water 
fully  sufficient  to  cover  the  herrings  with 
liquor.  Put  a sheet  of  white  paper,  cover- 
ed with  a sheet  of  brown,  over  the  top  of 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  429 


the  pan*  tie  it  close,  and  let  them  be  well 
baked  in  a slack  oven.  They  are  to  be 
eaten  cold. 

Effect  of  Mustard  in  a Fit  of  Apoplexy. 

The  following  instance  of  the  wonder- 
ful effect  of  mustard  on  such  an  alarming 
occasion  as  a fit  of  apoplexy,  which  seems 
sufficiently  authenticated  by  having  ap- 
peared in  the  most  respectable  London 
newspapers,  June  1779,  deserves  to  be  re- 
corded— “ At  the  Eton  Anniversary,  held 
at  the  Crown  and  Anchor  Tavern  in  the 
Strand,  an  elderly  gentleman  suddenly 
dropped  from  his  chair  in  a state  of  insen- 
sibility. The  waiters  were  immediately 
dispatched  for  medical  assistance ; but,  dur- 
ing the  interval,  one  of  the  company  sug- 
gested the  idea  of  dissolving  three  table- 
spoonfuls of  mustard  in  a glass  of  warm 
water.  This  was,  accordingly,  mixed  up; 
and,  with  some  difficulty,  administered: 
and  such  was  the  advantage  attending  this 
singular  remedy,  that  in  less  than  half  an 
hour  the  gentleman  felt  himself  so  far  re- 
covered as  to  be  able  to  return  to  the  club 
room,  join  the  company,  and  eat  a hearty 

I 

supper.” 

Gamine  Italian  Capillaire  Syrup. 

The  genuine  Italian  capillaire,  so  cele- 
brated for  coughs  and  disorders  of  the  breast, 
and  esteemed  finer  than  any  other,  is  made 
in  the  following  very  simple  manner.  Pick, 
while  they  are  young,  and  without  seeds, 
two  ounces  of  the  fresh  leaves  of  the  true 
maidenhair  from  their  stalks,  and  pour 
over  them  a pint  of  boiling  water.  Let  it 
stand  closely  covered  up  eighteen  hours; 
and  then,  filtering  it  through  paper,  add 
to  it  two  pounds  of  the  purest  honey,  boil 
them  together  a few  minutes,  and  strain 


the  syrup  through  flannel.  Orange-flower 
water  may  be  used ; but,  when  the  honey 
is  pure,  there  needs  no  addition.  By  pure 
honey,  is  meant  that  which  runs  freely 
from  the  comb,  without  heat  or  pressure. 
Clarified  honey,  indeed,  will  agree  with 
many  persons  who  cannot  bear  the  common 
sort,  as  it  is  freed  from  wax  by  the  clarify- 
ing process  of  being  melted  and  carefully 
scummed  in  a water  bath ; but  the  pure 
honey,  which  flows  naturally  from  the 
comb,  will  agree  with  those  who  cannot 
even  bear  the  common  honey  thus  clarified. 
Some  few  stomachs,  indeed,  have  a sort  of 
natural  antipathy  to  honey,  which  makes 
them  reject  it  in  the  purest  state  ; but  these, 
if  a very  small  quantity  of  powdered  cin- 
namon be  introduced,  will  always  imme- 
diately find  this  pure  virgin  honey  agree- 
able. Scarcely  any  honey  is  better  than 
our  own  pure  spring  honey;  but  that  of 
Italy  is  thinner,  and  has  a very  fragrant 
smell,  though  it  wants  the  briskness  of  the 
Narbonne  flavour. 

Corner ve  of  Hedge  Mustard , for  the  Cw'c  of 
a True  Asthma. 

The  commondiedge  mustard,  which  is  a 
species  of  the  genus  erysimum,  in  the  Lin- 
naean  system,  grows  beneath  almost  everv 
hedge,  under  walls,  by  road  sides,  and  among 
rubbish,  where  it  flowers  in  May  and  June. 
It  has  a long  spike  of  pods  stuck  close  to 
the  stalk,  and  three  or  four  small  flowers  at 
the  top.  It  possesses  a warm  and  acrid 
flavour;  and,  when  cultured,  is  sometimes 
used  as  an  early  pot  herb.  The  seeds, 
internally  taken,  are  diuretic,  and  promote 
expectoration,  &c.  They  are  recommended 
in  the  sciatica,  gout,  and  other  pains  of  the 
joints.  The  juice  has  been  employed  with 
unparalleled  success  in  ulcers  of  the  throat; 

5 Q. 


430 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


and  for  removing  hoarseness,  where  the 
voice  was  almost  lost,  and  the  spirits  were 
low,  occasioned  by  loud  or  long  speaking. 
It  is  much  relished  both  by  sheep  and  goats, 
but  rejected  by  cows,  horses,  and  swine. 
The  conserve  of  hedge  mustard,  is  consi- 
dered as  a never  failing  remedy  for  the 
true  asthma,  and  other  obstinate  coughs 
which  are  not  of  a convulsive  or  nervous 
nature — Beat,  in  a mortar,  equal  quantities 
of  the  leaves  of  hedge  mustard  and  virgin 
lioney,  so  as  to  make  a thin  conserve.  Ita- 
lian honey  is  best  for  asthmatic  persons, 
but  any  clean  and  pure  kind  of  honey  will 
generally  prove  effectual.  It  may  be  taken 
quite  at  discretion,  according  to  the  state 
of  the  disease,  and  the  benefit  experienced. 
Hedge  mustard,  both  seed  and  herb,  is  me- 
dicinally considered  as  warm,  dry,  attenu- 
ating, opening,  and  expectorant.  It  is 
vulnerary,  causes  plentiful  spitting,  and 
renders  breathing  easier.  Externally,  it  is 
recommended  in  occult  cancers  and  hard 
swellings  of  the  breast. 

Famous  Ancient  Arista  an  Confection. 

This  famous  confection  is  said  to  have 
been  invented  by  Aristmus,  who  was  a 
King  of  Sardinia  in  times  of  the  remotest 
antiquity.  It  is  thus  described,  according 
to  the  best  information  which  can  now  pos- 
sibly be  collected  on  the  subject' — Slice 
very  thin  a scruple  of  assafoetida  for  every 
ounce  of  pure  honey  intended  to  be  used; 
and,  grinding  them  thoroughly  together 
m a marble  mortar,  put  the  whole  into  a 
deep  pan,  and  set  that  in  a vessel  of  water 
over  a gentle  fire,  as  a water  bath.  Stir  it 
frequently,  till  the  assafoetida  be  perfectly 
dissolved,  and  then  strain  it  through  a 
coarse  linen  cloth.  Next  mix,  in  a mortar, 
for  every  four  scruples  of  assafoetida  and 
every  four  ounces  of  honey,  one  dram  of 


' finely  powdered  cinnamon;  two  scruples 
of  powdered  ginger;  and  one  scruple  of 
the  lesser  cardamom  seeds,  cleared  from 
the  husks,  and  reduced  also  to  fine  powder, 

; with  the  assistance  of  a quarter  of  an  ounce 
| of  the  finest  sugar.  These  being  all  per- 
I fectly  mixed,  add  them  to  the  assafoetida 
j and  honey  while  they  are  yet  warm,  unite 
| them  perfectly  by  long  stirring,  and  keep 
| the  confection  thus  made  carefully  tied  up 
| for  use.  A tea-spoonful  of  this  confection 
j is  considered  as  a proper  dose;  and,  for 
those  who  can  bear  the  taste  of  assafoetida, 
it  is  an  admirable  medicine.  Though  the 
repulsive  flavour  of  assafoetida  is  not  to  be 
| conquered,  it  is  prodigiously  softened  by 
this  combination  of  ingredients.  What, 

; however,  appears  to  have  been  considered 
as  the  principal  object  with  the  illustrious 
inventor,  was  principally  the  dissolution  of 
j the  substance  of  the  assafoetida,  so  as  to 
! make  it  readily  and  certainly  take  effect; 

| and  this  it  accomplishes  with  such  compleat 
I success  that,  though  the  dose  here  pre- 
i scribed  contains  only  two  or  three  grains 
1 of  that  drug,  it  is  in  it’s  effect  equal  even 
to  ten,  and  affords  immediate  relief.  It’s 
principal  virtue  consists  in  curing  that 
flatulent  colic  to  which  hypochondriac  per- 
sons are  particularly  subject:  but,  it  is  by 
no  means  limited  to  this  disease  alone;  on 
the  contrary,  wherever  assafoetida  is  useful, 
this  will  be  found  one  of  the  very  best  ways 
of  preparing  it;  and,  beside  the  commonly 
esteemed  excellence  of  that  potent  drug 
in  head  aches,  convulsions,  and  all  the 
train  of  hysteric  complaints,  it  proves  a 
most  sovereign  remedy  in  those  stubborn 
convulsive  or  nencus  asthmas  which  pure 
honey  alone,  or  even  united  with  any  of 
the  usually  accompanying  expectorants, 
such  as  hedge  mustard,  &c.  as  noticed  in 
the  preceding  receipt,  generally  fails  t» 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


431 


cure.  So  that,  in  these  two  excellent  re- 
medies, may  happily  be  found  relief, 
through  the  medium  of  honey,  in  both 
these  very  different  species  of  asthma;  which 
are  often  confounded  together,  and  each  of 
which  so  greatly  baffles  most  of  the  best 
common  cough  medicines. 

Mixture  for  Cleaning  Stone  Stairs,  Hall  Pave- 
ments, 8$c. 

Boil  together  half  a pint  each  of  size 
and  stone  blue  water,  with  two  table-spoon- 
fuls of  whiting,  and  two  cakes  of  pipe  ma- 
ker’s clay,  in  about  two  quarts  of  water. 
Wash  the  stones  over  with  a flannel  slightly 
wetted  in  this  mixture;  and,  when  dry, 
rub  them  with  flannel  and  a brush.  Some 
persons  recommend  beer,  but  water  is 
much  better  for  the  purpose. 

Cleaning  Floor  Cloths. 

AFTER  sweeping  and  cleaning  the  floor 
cloths,  with  a broom  and  damp  flannel,  in 
the  usual  manner,  wet  them  over  with  milk, 
and  rub  them  till  beautifully  bright  with  a 
dry  cloth.  They  will  thus  look  as  well  as 
if  they  were  rubbed  first  with  a waxed 
flannel,  and  afterward  with  a dry  one;  with- 
out being  so  slippery,  or  so  soon  clogging 
with  dust  or  dirt. 

Best  Preparation  of  Black  Lead,  for  Cleaning 
Cast  Iron  Stoves,  8gc. 

Mix  powder  of  black  lead  with  a little 
common  gin,  or  the  dregs  of  red  port  wine, 
and  lay  it  on  the  stove  with  a piece  of  linen 
rag;  then,  with  a clean,  dry,  and  close, 
but  not  too  hard  brush,  dipped  in  dried 
black  lead  powder,  rub  it  till  of  a beauti- 
ful brightness.  This  will  be  found  to  pro- 
duce a much  finer  and  richer  black  varnish 
on  the  cast  iron,  than  either  boiling  the 


black  lead  with  small  beer  and  soap,  or 
mixing  it  with  white  of  egg.  Sec.  which  are 
the  best  methods  commonly  practised. 

Pickled  Reel  or  Green  Capsicums. 

d HERE  is,  perhaps,  no  pickle  more  sim- 
ply prepared  than  that  of  capsicums;  and 
it  is,  probably,  in  our  cold  climate,  much 
wholesomer  than  most  others,  it  is,  like- 
wise, of  a very  pleasing  appearance,  whe- 
ther green  or  red.  The  latter  colour  will 
soon  appear  by  keeping,  beforepickled,  even 
where  the  fruit  is  gathered  green.  The 
mode  of  pickling  them,  either  red  or  green, 
is  simply  thus — Put  the  capsicums  in  ajar, 
boil  up  some  vinegar  with  about  a handful 
of  salt  to  two  quarts,  and  pour  it  hot  over 
them,  so  as  compleatly  to  cover  the  whole. 
Close  up  the  jar  in  the  same  manner  as  for 
other  pickles;  and,  after  a fortnight  or 
three  .weeks,  they  will  be  fit  for  use.  Spice 
is  quite  unnecessary;  as  they  have  an 
agreeable  flavour,  and  are  in  themselves 
nearly  as  hot  as  Cayenne  pepper. 

Spanish  Patties. 

Blanch  a piece  of  fat  bacon,  a piece  of 
veal,  and  the  breast  of  a young  fowl  or 
turkey,  in  a little  scalding  water;  mince 
them  very  small;  and  season  with  a little 
finely  pounded  salt,  pepper,  and  all  the 
different  spices.  Pound  it  in  a marble 
mortar,  with  a small  quantity  of  garlic  and 
rocambole;  then,  put  it  in  small  patties  of 
puff'  paste,  bake  them,  and  serve  them  up 
hot. 

Roasted  Woodcocks  or  Snipes. 

There  is  no  sort  of  difference  in  the 
manner  of  roasting  woodcocks  and  snipes. 
They  are  both  sometimes  roasted  without 
drawing;  the  trails,  as  their  entrails  are 


432 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


denominated,  which  are  considered  as  one 
of  the  greatest  of  delicacies,  being  spread 
simply  on  a toast.  Butter,  in  this  case,  is 
the  only  sauce,  as  gravy  is  thought  to  di- 
minish the  fine  flavour.  It  seems,  however, 
a more  fashionable  way,  to  take  out  the 
trail  previously  to  roasting  either  of  these 
birds,  and  boil  it  in  a small  quantity  of 
good  cull  is,  with  fresh  butter.  "When  the 
birds  are  not  full  fed,  they  are  also  covered, 
while  roasting,  with  bards  or  slices  of  fat 
bacon.  A few  minutes  before  they  are 
done,  the  sauce  made  with  the  trail  is  pour- 
ed over  a toast  at  the  bottom  of  a dish, 
and  the  birds  are  placed  on  it. 

Roasted  Larks , Wheat  Ears , and  other  Small 
Birds. 

Put  them  on  a proper  lark  spit,  with  a 
thin  slice  of  fat  bacon  between  each;  and, 
tying  this  spit  oil  a larger,  lay  them  down 
to  roast.  Baste  them  a little  with  butter, 
and  strew  over  them  some  fine  bread  crumbs 
till  they  are  nearly  done;  then  let  them 
nicely  brown,  take  them  up,  and  send  them 
to  table  with  fried  crumbs  round  them, 
and  melted  butter  in  a small  sauce  boat. 
The  method  of  frying  bread  crumbs,  for 
this  or  any  similar  purpose,  is  by  rubbing 
them  through  a hair  sieve,  or  fine  colander, 
into  a very  clean  frying  pan  containing  a 
bit  of  fresh  butter,  and  stirring  them  over 
the  fire  till  they  are  of  a nice  light  brown 
colour;  after  which,  they  are  to  be  drained 
a few  minutes  on  the  back  of  a sieve,  and 
heaped  round  the  dish  almost  as  high  as 
the  birds.  Larks,  at  a moderate  fire,  will 
generally  be  well  roasted  in  twenty  minutes; 
wheat  ears,  and  such  smaller  birds,  in 
about  a quarter  of  an  hour.  They  are 
sometimes  accompanied  by  one  cupful  of 
melted  butter,  and  another  of  gravy. 


Roasted  Pheasants  and  Partridges. 

Ti-IERE  is  nothing  particular  in  roasting 
of  pheasants  or  partridges,  both  being 
done  in  the  plainest  manner.  Before  tak- 
ing them  up,  however,  they  should  be  well 
basted  with  butter,  have  some  flour  shook 
over  them,  and  be  sprinkled  with  a very 
little  salt:  then  dish  them  up  with  a little 
common  gravy ; and  send  them  to  table 
with  poivrade  sauce,  and  bread  sauce,  in 
separate  boats,  or  small  tureens.  The  poi- 
vrade sauce  may  be  made  by  boiling  a gill 
of  vinegar,  a table-spoonful  or  two  of  veal 
stock,  a few  shallots,  and  a little  anchovy 
liquor,  cayenne  pepper,  and  salt:  the  bread 
sauce,  by  boiling  for  a few  minutes,  and 
beating  up  with  a fork,  some  nice  crumbs 
of  bread  with  a little  broth,  onion,  and  fresh 
butter;  and  then,  adding  a little  cream, 
pepper,  and  salt.  A small  turkey,  or  even 
chickens,  are  sometimes  roasted  and  served 
up  in  precisely  the  same  manner  as  these 
pheasants  and  partridges. 

Roasted  Pigeons. 

PUT  into  the  pigeons  plenty  of  chopped 
scalded  parsley;  mixed  with  a bit  of  fresh 
butter,  aud  seasoned  with  pepper  and  salt. 
Then  spit  them  on  a lark  spit,  baste  them 
with  butter,  dredge  them  with  flour,  sprinkle 
them  with  a little  salt,  and  serve  them  up 
with  parsley  and  butter  in  the  dish. 

Raffs  and  Rees. 

These  birds  are  chiefly  bred  in  Lincoln- 
shire and  the  Isle  of  Ely;  where  they  feed 
so  freely,  when  kept  in  separate  cages,  and 
supplied  with  white  bread,  scalded  by  pour- 
ing over  it  new  milk,  and  mixed  with  a lit- 
tle sugar,  that  they  would  actually  die  of 
extreme  fatness  if  they  were  not  timely 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


433 


killed.  After  wringing  their  necks,  the 
skin  is  stripped  entirely  off  without  dis- 
turbing the  feathers;  and  sometimes,  for 
the  curiosity,  this  skin  is  replaced  after 
they  are  roasted.  They  are,  however,  ge- 
nerally served  up  with  the  gravy  under 
them,  accompanied  by  some  bread  sauce,  in 
the  same  manner  as  pheasants,  partridges, 
&c.  crisp  crumbs  of  bread  being  arranged 
round  the  edge  of  the  dish. 

Quails,  Lap-dings,  Fieldfares,  &;c. 

THESE  sorts  of  birds,  like  the  preceding, 
are  roasted,  and  served  up  with  gravy  in 
the  dish,  and  a boat  of  bread  sauce,  in  the 
same  manner  as  partridges,  &c.  They  are 
sometimes  roasted  with  thin  slices  of  fat 
bacon-  put  over  them ; particularly,  when 
not  fat  in  themselves. 

Plovers  and  Plovers  Eggs. 

T here  are  two  sorts  of  plovers,  the  green 
and  the  grey.  They  are  both  well  known 
birds  of  passage,  greatly  frequenting  the 
northern  parts  of  Great  Britain;  and,  par- 
ticularly, the  Hebrides,  where  they  are  often 
seen  in  flights  of  many  thousands.  They 
delight  to  feed  on  arable  land,  near  the  sea, 
and  may  easily  be  enticed,  by  a good  imi- 
tation of  their  note,  within  reach  of  a fowl- 
ing piece.  In  the  month  of  October,  they 
arc  readily  taken  by  nets;  when  judiciously 
set,  with  a view  to  the  circumstance  that, 
like  sea  fowl,  they  fly  against  the  wind. 
Though,  in  stormy  weather,  they  gene- 
rally retire  to  some  sheltered  situation,  they 
never,  like  land  fowls  in  general,  roost  on 
trees  or  hedges,  but  sit  on  the  ground  in  a 
manner  similar  to  du  ks  or  geese.  When 
the  w inter  advances,  and  the  plovers  form 
an  acquaintance  with  teal  and  other  shy 
birds,  they  are  more  difficult  to  get  at. 


Their  flesh  somewhat  resembles  that  of 
widgeons,  teal,  and  other  w^ater  fowl , but 
it  is  milder,  and  more  nutritive.  Plovers 
eggs,  which  are  often  found  in  great  num- 
bers, are  much  esteemed  by  many  persons, 
and  form  a fashionable  dish.  These  eggs 
are  dressed  different  wrays;  but  it  is 
most  usual  merely  to  boil  them  with  the 
shell,  and  serve  them  up, either  hot  or  cold, 
in  a napkin.  Green  plovers  are  roasted 
in  the  same  way  as  wmodcocks  and  snipes, 
but  generally  without  drawing;  a toast 
being  placed,  when  they  are  nearly  done, 
to  receive  the  trail,  as  it  then  begins 
to  fall  from  the  birds.  The  grey  plovers 
are  also  often  roasted;  but  they  are  not 
unfrequently  stew^ed  in  rich  seasoned  and 
spiced  gravies.  When  roasted,  they  are 
dished  up  in  the  same  manner,  and  ac- 
companied by  the  same  sauce,  as  w'ood- 
cocks  and  snipes. 

Grouse,  Hcalhcocks,  or  Moor  Game. 

1 IIESE  fine  large  birds  are  found  chiefly 
inwmody  and  mountainous  northern  situa 
tions,  on  widely  extended  heaths  and  moors, 
far  more  frequently  in  Scotland  than  in 
England.  The  male  is  sometimes  turn  feet 
long,  and  weighs  four  pounds,  w hile  the  fe- 
male is  seldom  more  than  half  the  same 
length  and  weight.  They  breed  late  in 
the  summer,  when  the  female  deposits  and 
hatches  six  or  seven  eggs.  The  young  birds 
subsist  at  first  on  ants  eggs,  and  the  wild 
berries  of  the  mountains  ; toward  autumn, 
they  frequently  descend  from  their  elevated 
stations,  and  feed  on  corn.  As  they  be- 
come older,  their  principal  food  consists 
of  the  tender  tops  of  heath,  and  the  cones 
of  the  pine  tree  or  fir;  which  communicate 
a delicate  flavour,  and  render  them  speedily 
fat.  Grouse  shooting  is  a very  favourite 
5 R 


434 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


diversion  in  many  parts  of  Scotland;  but 
there  are  few  places  in  England  where  they 
can  be  said  to  abound.  They  are  roasted 
in  the  same  manner  as  turkey  poults,  &c. 
with  the  head  twisted  under  the  wing  ; and 
served  up  with  a rich  gravy  in  the  dish, 
and  bread  and  poivrade  sauces  in  separate 
boats  or  sauce  tureens.  They  are  some- 
times stuffed,  like  fowls,  &c.  but  some  think 
the  flavour  best  preserved  by  only  putting 
a bit  of  butter,  with  a little  pepper  and  salt, 
inside  each  bird;  as  should,  at  least,  always 
be  done,  with  roasted  fowl  of  all  kinds.  A 
squeeze  of  lemon,  or  Seville  orange,  on 
slicing  the  breast,  and  before  taking  off 
the  bone,  with  a small  sprinkle  of  finely 
pounded  long  pepper  and  salt,  is  very 
agreeable  to  most  palates,  on  cutting  up 
these  and  other  birds  or  fowls. 

Peacocks  and  Guinea  Hens,  or  Pea  and 
Guinea  Fowls. 

JlTST  as  the  foregoing  birds  are  dressed 
like  partridges,  so  are  these  pea  and  Guinea 
fowls  roasted  in  the  manner  of  pheasants: 
and  all  are  served  up,  generally,  with  the 
same  sort  of  plain  gravy,  and  bread  sauce  ; 
but,  with  these,  there  is  also  egg  sauce 
often  taken  to  table  in  a separate  boat.  In 
fact,  there  is  no  material  variation  between 
roasting  any  of  these  birds  or  fowls,  and 
the  more  common  fowls  or  chickens  of  our 
poultry  yards,  only  that  they  are  often 
served  up  with  different  accompanying 
sauce.  They  are  all,  sometimes  larded. 

Roasted  Fowls,  Chickens,  and  Turkey 
Poults,  <5fc. 

All  sorts  of  common  poultry,  whether 
cocks,  capons,  or  pullets,  are  more  parti- 
cularly called,  when  full  grown,  by  the 
general  name  of  fowls ; and,  while  young, 


chickens.  Turkey  poultsi  the  word  poult 
being  derived  from  the  French  poulet,  a 
chicken,  are  young  or  chicken  turkies 
Poule,  is  l lie  French  fora  hen;  and  pou- 
lette,  whence  the  origin  of  our  word  pul- 
let, a young  or  maiden  hen.-  It  is  not  so 
certain  that,  from  the  French  poule,  a hen, 
with  a vicious  pronunciation  of  the  first 
letter,  we  derive  our  word  fowl ; as  it  ap- 
pears far  more  likely  we  owe  it  to  the  Saxon 
word  fugel,  or  the  Danish  fuyl,  both  of 
them  words  of  exactly  the  same  meaning. 
Our  word  capon,  is  from  the  Latin  capo, 
signifying  the  same  thing;  chick,  or  chick- 
en, from  the  Saxon  cicen.  These  fowls, 
whether  cocks,  hens,  capons,  pullets,  or 
chickens,  are  all  to  be  roasted,  as  wTell  as 
turkey  poults,  &c.  in  the  same  manner; 
being  basted  while  doing  with  butter, 
dredged  when  nearly  done  with  flour,  and 
lastly  sprinkled  with  a very  little  fine  salt. 
As  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained,  a large 
fowl,  or  capon,  will  commonly  require  to  be 
roasted  three  quarters  of  an  hour;  a pullet, 
or  one  of  a middling  size,  half  an  hour; 
and  small  chickens,  twenty  minutes:  tur- 
key poults,  in  proportion  as  they  resemble 
either  of  the  above  in  size.  The  fire  must 
always  be  very  quick  and  clear  when  they 
are  laid  down  to  roast.  They  may  all  be 
served  up  with  gravy  under,  and  bread  and 
egg  sauces  in  separate  boats ; but  roasted 
fowls,  & c.  are  occasionally  accompanied  by 
a number  of  ether  different  sauces,  &c.  such 
as,  for  example,  roasted  fowls  and  mush- 
rooms, roasted  fowls  and  truffles,  roasted 
fowls  and  chesnuts,  and  several  others. 
Many  persons  like  roasted  fowls  of  all  sorts 
stuffed  with  a delicate  forcemeat  of  nice 
veal  or  fowl,  with  a little  scraped  lean  ham, 
minced  fat  bacon  and  beef  or  veal  suet, 
chopped  parsley,  and  herbs,  fresh  lemon  peel 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


435 


finely  minced  hard  yolks  of  eggs,  a bit  of  i 
anchovy,  powdered  long  pepper,  and  salt; 
the  whole  beat  in  a mortar,  and  mixed  with 
fine  bread  crumbs  and  whites  of  eggs,  and 
plentifully  placed  so  as  to  plump  out  the 
fowl,  which  must  be  tied  closely  both  at 
the  neck  and  rump  to  keep  in  the  stuffing. 
The  head  of  a turkey  poult  must  be  left 
on,  turned  round,  and  fastened  to  the  first  , 
skewer.  Both  turkey  poults  and  fowls  are 
frequently  larded. 

Admirable  Mock  Pheasant. 

If  a fine  fowl  be  properly  dressed,  ac- 
cording to  the  following  directions,  there 
are  very  few  persons  who  will  readily 
discover  that  it  is  not  a pheasant.  This 
is  best  proved,  when  moat  expedient;  that 
is,  when  two  pheasants  are  wanted,  and 
there  is  only  one — Get,  in  this  case,  a fine 
young  fowl,  as  nearly  as  possible  the  size 
of  the  pheasant  to  be  matched.  Pick  it 
neatly,  with  the  head  on;  and  truss  it, 
when  drawn,  with  the  head  turned  exactly 
like  that  of  the  pheasant.  Lard  both  in  the 
same  manner  as  each  other,  all  over  the 
breast  and  legs,  with  bacon  cut  in  small 
pieces;  paper  them  over  the  breast;  and, 
when  they  are  just  done,  dredge  them  with 
flour,  baste  them  with  a little  fresh  butter, 
let  them  get  a line  white  froth,  and  put 
them  both  in  the  same  dish.  The  dish 
must  contain  some  good  gravy,  and  may 
be  garnished  with  water  cresses.  Pheasant 
poults,  or  young  pheasants,  may  in  like 
manner  be  imitated  with  chickens. 

Wild  Water  Fowl;  such  as  Wild  Geese , 

Ducks  and  Flappers,  pun  Birds,  Teal, 

Widgeons,  fyc. 

These  wild  water  fowl  and  sea  birds, 
with  many  others,  which  greatly  abound 


in  very  severe  winters,  have  most  of  them 
more  or  less  of  a piscous  or  fishy  flavour, 
which  is  necessary  to  be  diminished  before 
they  can  be  considered  as  agreeable  food. 
This  unpleasant  rankness  more  particularly 
prevails  in  the  larger  species;  particularly, 
in  wild  geese,  and  still  more  in  swans,  &c. 
which  have  never  been  at  all  domesticated. 
In  some  of  these,  more  trouble  is  necessary 
to  render  them  eatable,  than  they  are,  per- 
haps, after  all,  really  worth.  That,  how- 
ever, cannot  be  said,  with  regard  to  wild 
ducks,  sud  the  inferior  species  above  enu- 
merated; which,  in  general,  require  very 
little  reduction  of  their  strong  natural  fla- 
vour.  Indeed,  where  not  actually  tainted, 
as  it  were,  with  fishiness,  the  flesh  seems 
even  of  a superior  relish  to  that  of  the 
generality  of  domesticated  ducks,  in  the 
estimation  of  all  the  best  judges  of  good 
eating.  One  of  the  most  effectual  simple 
expedients  for  reducing  or  annihilating  the 
fishy  taste  to  which  all  water  fowl  are  sub- 
ject, and  which  can  never  prove  prejudicial, 
is  by  well  washing  their  insides  with  vine- 
gar and  water ; then,  drying  them  thorough, 
ly  with  a cloth,  and  plentifully  stuffing  them 
with  chopped  sage,  onion,  shallots,  and 
sometimes  even  garlic,  seasoned  with  finely 
pounded  pepper  and  salt,  and  a little  Cay- 
enne  pepper.  In  addition  to  this  stuffing, 
which  must  be  carefully  fastened  in  at  both 
ends,  they  should  be  basted,  for  a short 
time  after,  being  put  down  to  roast,  with 
hot  water,  salt  and  onion,  mixed  in  the 
dripping  pan;  and,  then,  be  continually 
basted  with  fresh  butter,  till  they  require 
dredging  with  flour,  sprinkling  with  a little 
salt,  and  are  enough  done.  There  is  no 
difference  in  roasting  or  serving  up  these 
respective  wild  water  fowl,  but  what  is  suf- 
ficiently obvious,  as  arising  merely  from 


436 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


their  relative  sizes.  None  of  them  should 
be  over  done;  and  all  should  be  served  up 
with  a rich  and  good  gravy  under,  and 
shallot  or  poivrade  sauce  in  a boat.  The 
flappers,  it  may  be  proper  to  mention,  are 
the  young  wild  ducks;  which  are  thus  de- 
nominated, by  poulterers,  cooks,  &c.  to 
distinguish  them  from  ducklings,  or  the 
young  of  tame  ducks.  Shallot  sauce  may 
be  made  for  roasted  fowls,  by  putting  into 
a saucepan,  with  a gill  of  gravy  and  a 
table-spoonful  of  vinegar,  six  or  seven  shal- 
lots chopped  very  fine;  adding  some  pep- 
per and  salt,  stewing  them  for  two  or  three 
minutes,  and  then  pouring  the  sauce  into 
a boat  or  small  tureen. 

Roasted  Goose , and  Apple  Sauce. 

Put  plenty  of  finely  chopped  sage  and 
onion,  and  some  French  bread  crumbs, 
seasoned  with  pepper  and  salt,  into  the 
goose;  fasten  it  tightly  at  the  neck  and 
rump;  place  some  buttered  writing  paper 
over  the  breast;  and,  laying  it  down  first 
at  a small  distance  from  the  fire,  approach 
it  nearer  by  degrees,  and  keep  it  well  bast- 
ed all  the  time  of  roasting.  When  the 
breast  begins  rising,  take  off  the  paper; 
and,  having  well  dredged  and  finely  brown- 
ed the  goose,  take  it  up  before  the  breast 
again  at  all  sinks,  that  it  may  not  appear 
in  the  smallest  degree  flattened  when  on  the 
table.  Serve  it  up  with  a good  gravy  in 
the  dish,  and  sufficient  apple  sauce  in  a 
tureen,  boat,  or  bason,  The  following  is 
an  excellent  method  of  making  apple  sauce 
either  for  geese  or  pork — Put  quarters  of 
the  best  boiling  apples,  cleanly  pared  and 
cored,  into  a saucepan,  vvitli  a stick  or  two 
of  cinnamon,  a few  cloves,  some  lemon 
peel,  and  a little  water.  Boil  them,  closely 
covered,  very  slowly,  till  the  apples  are 


ji  quite  tender;  when,  taking  out  the  spices 
and  lemon  peel,  and  adding  some  fresh 
| butter,  with  sugar  to  palate,  put  it  in  the 
jj  sauce  tureen,  boat,  or  bason,  and  send  it 
i hot  to  table. 


Thf.  chief  difference  in  roasting  a green 

I o o 

j or  a full  grown  goose,  for  a young  goose 
j is  never  called  a gosling  in  culinary  lan- 
guage, consists  in  leaving  out  the  sage  and 
onion,  and  putting  only  a seasoning  of  pep- 
per and  salt  in  the  belly.  Green  geese  are 
commonly  accompanied  either  by  green 
peas,  or  gooseberry  sauce;  the  peas  being 
, boiled  in  the  usual  way,  and  the  goose- 
berry sauce  made  in  the  same  manner  as 
for  mackarel.  Good  gravy  must  always 
be  put  in  the  dish,  but  never  poured  over 
any  thing  roasted;  as  it  washes  off  the  flour 
j and  salt,  as  well  as  takes  off  the  agreeable 
crispness,  and  makes  the  flesh  eat  insipid. 

Roasted  Ducks , and  Ducklings. 

The  ducks  are  roasted  precisely  in  the 
1 same  manner  as  geese;  and  the  ducklings, 
or  young  ducks,  like  green  geese:  both  are 
also  generally  served  up  with  some  re- 
spective sauce,  &c.  The  dish  for  ducklings, 
and  even  green  geese,  is  sometimes  gar- 
nished with  water  cresses. 

Oysters  Fried  in  Batter. 

JUST  blanch,  but  by  no  means  suffer  to 
boil  up,  a dozen  or  more  of  the  finest  and 
largest  oysters,  in  their  own  liquor;  and, 
saving  the  liquor,  lay  them  on  a cloth  to 
dry,  while  making  the  following  batter — 
Take  a couple  of  table-spoontuls  of  silted 
flour;  and,  breaking  an  egg  in  a bason, 
beat  up  the  flour,  egg,  strained  liquor  of 
the  oysters,  a little  miik,  and  a very  small 


457 


quantity  of  pepper  ana  salt,  with  a large 
wooden  spoon.  Into  this  batter  put  the 
oysters,  bearded  or  not;  and  having,  in  the 
mean  time,  some  clarified  butter,  or  line 
lard,  ready  melted,  in  a perfectly  clean 
frying  pan,  or  stewpan,  put  in  the  oysters 
singly  with  a fork  or  the  point  of  a skewer, 
and  fry  them  nicely  brown.  They  may 
be  served  up  alone,  after  being  slightly 
sprinkled  with  very  fine  salt,  and  dished  on 
a napkin;  or,  with  stewed  spinach  or  fried 
parsley,  &e.  under  them,  in  the  dish.  1 hey 
may  be  garnished  with  water  cresses,  slices 
of  lemon,  barberries,  or  parsley. 

Almond  Cheesecakes. 

POUND  a quarter  of  a pound  of  the  best 
sweet  almonds,  and  half  an  ounce  of  bitter, 
both  blanched;  and  beat  them  well  up  in 
a bason,  with  the  yolks  of  three  or  four 
eggs,  and  an  ounce  of  sifted  loaf  sugar. 


a knife,  on  a plate  or  in  a cup,  and  put 
this  to  the  almonds,  with  some  grated  rind 
of  lemon  or  Seville  orange,  and  a table- 
spoonful  of  any  fine  fruit  jam,  a little  nut- 
meg, a quarter  of  a gill  of  brandy,  and  a 
table-spoonful  of  orange-flower  water. 
Sheet  the  pan  with  puff  paste,  cut  out  with 
a paste  cutter;  and,  filling  them  about  half 
full  with  the  thus  prepared  cheesecake,  set 
them  in  the  oven,  where  they  will  in  a very 
short  time  be  sufficiently  baked.  They 
are  excellent  eating,  with  either  apricot 
or  green  gage  jam. 

Spitchcocked  Eds. 

Scour  well  with  salt,  and  wash,  but  by 
no  means  skin,  two  fine  large  eels;  bone 
them,  flatten>  them  well,  and  cut  them  in 
lengths  of  between  three  and  four  inches. 
Put  butter  in  a stewpan,  with  some  nicely 


chopped  onion  or  shallots,  parsley,  thyme, 
sage,  andalittle  salt  and  popper ; and,  when 
the  butter  is  melted,-  add  a couple  of  beaten 
up  j'olks  of  eggs,  off  the  fire,  with  a squeeze 
of  Seville  orange  or  lemon  juice,  and  mix  the 
whole  together.  In  the  mean  time,  have 
ready  some  nice  bread  crumbs;  and,  dip- 
ping in  a piece  of  the  eel,  roll  it  in  the  bread 
crumbs  to  make  as  much  as  possible  ad- 
here. Broil  them  on  a thoroughly  clean 
gridiron,  first  rubbed  over  with  suet,  till 
they  are  of  a fine  brown  colour;  then  lay 
them  on  a cloth,  to  soak  up  the  superfluous 
! moisture;  and  arrange  them  round  the 
inside  of  the  dish,  with  a little  parsley  in 
I the  centre,  and  small  sprigs  on  the  border. 
Serve  up  with  anchovy  sauce,  and  plain 
butter,  in  two  different  boats  or  small  tu- 
reens. 

Boiled  Chickens  or  Fords. 

The  manner  of  boiling  chickens,  and 
full  grown  fowls,  has  no  other  difference 
| than  the  somewhat  longer  time  naturally 
required  for  the  latter.  Both  chickens  and 
fowls  intended  for  boiling  should  be  chosen 
as  white  as  possible;  those  which  have 
even  black  legs  had  better  be  roasted. 
They  should  be  nicely  picked,  singed,  and 
washed,  and  very  neatly  trussed  and  trim- 
med. After  being  well  soaked  in  cold 


floured,  and  put  into  boiling  pump  or 
jl  spring  water.  The  scum  must  be  care- 
! fully  taken  off,  and  the  chickens  or  fowls- 
J;  kept  as  white  as  possible.  Some  cooks  boil 
them  in  cloths;  but,  if  they  are  put  into- 
a pot  by  themselves,  with  great  plenty  of 
water,  they  will  be  whiter  and  more  deli- 
cate without  the  cloth.  A fine  fowl  may 
be  boiled  in  half  an  hour;  a chicken,  ac- 
cording to  it’s  size,  in  about  twenty  minutes. 

5 S 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 

i 

I 

t 


438 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Chickens  are  sometimes  soaked,  and  even 
toiled,  in  milk  and  water;  but  they  are 
sufficiently  white  and  delicate  with  water 
■only,  managed  as  above  directed.  Chickens 
find  full-grown  fowls  are  respectively  served 
up  with  many  different  sauces;  some  of  j 
Which  are  more  peculiar  to  one  than  the  I 
other,  but  the  rest  are  alike  common  to  both.  1 
For  example,  boiled  chickens  and  celery  or  j 
tarragon  sauce,  &,c.  boiled  fowls  and  oyster 
sauce,  &c.  boiled  chickens,  or  fowls,  and  liver 
tmd  lemon  sauce,  parsley  and  butter,  &c. 

Boiled  Turkey  or  Turkey  Poults. 

These  are  both  boiled  alike,  except  with 
regard  to  time;  and  each,  in  most  respects, 
like  chickens  or  fowls.  Turkies,  however, 
are  less  frequently  boiled  than  fowls;  and 
turkey  poults  more  seldom  than  either,  or 
even  than  chickens.  They  differ,  indeed, 
with  regard  to  one  circumstance,  which  is 
that  of  being  almost  constantly  stuffed  with 
forcemeat;  for,  though  boiled  fowls,  and 
even  chickens,  may  be  dressed  in  the  same 
manner,  they  seldom  or  never  are  so.  The 
forcemeat  stuffing  may  be  made  either  in 
a plain  way,  or  according  to  the  follow- 
ing directions — Beat,  in  a marble  mortar, 
equal  quantities  of  bread  crumbs  and  finely 
shred  beef  suet,  with  a little  lean  veal;  and, 
picking  out  all  the  skin,  add  an  anchovy 
and  two  or  three  oysters  nicely  chopped, 
with  a bit  of  finely  shred  lemon  peel,  a few 
sweet  herbs,  and  a very  little  beaten  mace, 
nutmeg,  long  or  Cayenne  pepper,  and  salt. 
Mix  all  together  with  an  egg  and  a bit  of 
butter,  and  stuff  the  crops  or  craws  of  the 
turkey  or  turkey  poults:  then,  sewing  up 
the  skin,  boil  them  with  or  without  cloths, 
in  the  same  manner  as  chickens  or  fowls. 
A very  large  turkey  will  require  to  be 
boiled  full  an  hour  and  a quarter;  but 


i!  a ken  turkey  of  a middling  size,  which 
is  best  for  boiling,  will  be  generally  well 
done  in  an  hour.  Turkey  poults,  of  course, 
in  proportion  to  their  size.  The  sauces, 
or  accompaniments,  may  be  in  general 
the  same  as  for  chickens  and  fowls;  ont? 
of  the  most  usual,  and  universally  favourite, 
is  oyster  sauce,  with  cream  or  bechamel,  a 
bit  oi  mace,  and  a little  soy  or  fine  mush- 
room ketchup. 

Roasted  Turkey. 

Tiie  directions  for  roasting  a capon, 
fowl,  &c.  are  in  general  applicable  to  a 
roasted  turkey.  The  preparation,  how- 
ever, is  different.  Turkies,  and  even  tur- 
key poults,  whether  boiled  or  roasted, 
should  always  have  the  strings  or  sinews 
of  the  thighs  drawn  out,  and  the  head  must 
be  twisted  under  the  wing;  they  are  each 
trussed  alike,  both  for  boiling  and  roasting. 
The  crop  must  be  filled  with  a good  stuf- 
fing, which  may  be  thus  made — Beat,  in  a 
mortar,  some  scraped  dressed  ham,  both 
fat  and  lean,  with  veal  double  the  quan- 
tity of  each,  a few  shallots,  some  chopped 
parsley,  a little  lemon  thyme,  some  fine  or 
French  bread  crumbs,  pepper  and  salt  to 
season,  and  a couple  of  eggs  to  bind  the 
whole  together.  When  t lie  stuffing  is  in, 
sew  up  the  crops ; and,  if  there  be  no  dis- 
like to  the  flavour  of  bacon,  particularly 
when  the  turkey  may  not  be  verv  young, 
put  sheets  or  bards  of  fat  bacon  over  the 
breast,  with  a few  thin  slices  of  lemon 
placed  between,  the  whole  made  fast  with 
a covering  of  writing  paper  or  caul,  tied 
closely  round.  It  must  be  kept  particularly 
well  basted;  and  roasted,  if  a very  large 
turkey,  nearly  two  hours,  before  the  paper, 
&.c.  be  taken  off.  It  is  then  to  be  nicely 
dredged  and  browned,  belore  it  be  taken 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


439 


«.p,  in  the  usual  way.  Where  the  bacon  is 
not  used,  a bit  of  paper  over  the  breast 
bone,  to  prevent  it’s  scorching  before  the 
other  parts  are  done,  may  be  quite  suf- 
ficient; but,  in  general,  the  bacon  will  be 
found  a great  improvement,  d urkies  and 
turkey  poults,  like  capons,  fowls,  and  chick- 
ens, are  served  up  with  numerous  sauces 
and  accompaniments;  some  of  which,  be- 
ing of  a nature  to  occasion  alterations  of  j 
(he  stuffing,  will  be  found  particularly 
noticed. 

Turkey  and  Truffles. 

WHEN  a turkey  is  to  be  dressed  with 
truffles,  draw  it  two  dajrs  preceding  the 
time  of  it’s  being  wanted;  stuff  the  in- 
side full  of  green  unpared  truffles;  and, 
tying  up  the  neck  and  vent,  hang  the  tur- 
key up  till  wanted  for  the  spit.  Then, 
taking  out  the  truffles,  clean  them  well 
with  a hard  brush,  in  the  usual  manner: 
and,  thinly  paring  off  the  outsides,  and 
trimming  into  a neatly  round  form  all 
that  will  be  required  for  immediate  use, 
pound  the  parings  and  trimmings  in  a mar- 
ble mortar,  and  mix  them  in  the  force- 
meat, to  (ill  the  cavity  near  the  breast  of 
the  turkey;  which,  in  all  other  respects, 
may  be  made  as  directed  in  the  preceding 
article.  Thus  stuffed,  roast  it  in  all  respects 
the  same.  In  the  mean  time,  gently  stew 
the  prepared  truffles  in  some  good  stock, 
or  gravy,  keeping  it  well  scummed;  and, 
when  the  liquor  begins  to  be  nearly  re- 
duced, add  a sufficient  quantity  of  highly 
seasoned  cuilis,  with  a little  Seville  orange 
or  lemon  juice,  a bit  of  sugar,  and  a table- 
spoonful of  brandy.  In  dishing  up,  dis- 
pose the  truffle  sauce  round  the  turkey.  In 
some  cookery  books,  a turkey  and  truffles  is  I 
called  “ Dressing  a turkey  to  perfection.” 


Turkey  and  Chesnuts. 

The  turkey  must  be  entirely  stuffed 
with  any  light  forcemeat  and  whole  ches- 
nuts  nicely  peeled  or  blanched ; in  other 
respects,  it  is  to  be  dressed  exactly  like  a 
turkey  and  truffles.  The  sauce  may  be 
made  with  fine  Spanish  chesnuts,  thorough- 
ly roasted,  blanched,  and  boiled  up  between 
five  and  ten  minutes  with  a good  cuilis. 
The  common  method  of  roasting  and  blanch- 
ing the  chesnuts  is  by  first  boiling  them 
in  a stewpan  of  water  till  half  done,  then 
roasting  them  over  the  fire  in  a fryingpan; 
when  they  readily  peel  oft',  and  are  fit  for 
use. 

French  Ragout  of  Chesnuts. 

This  French  ragout  of  chesnuts  may  be 
adopted  as  sauce  for  a roasted  turkey,  &c. 
It  is  made  as  follows — Take  off  the  first 
skin  from  half  a hundred  of  chesnuts;  and, 
putting  them  into  a frying  pan  pierced  with 
holes,  stir  them  over  the  fire  till  the  second 
skin  can  be  easily  and  cleanly  taken  off. 
Then  put  them  into  a stewpan,  with  a glass 
of  white  wine,  two  table-spoonfuls  o i cuilis, 
a little  broth,  and  some  salt.  Let  them 
boil,  till  reduced  to  a thick  sauce. 

Turkey  and  Sausages. 

The  difference  in  roasting  a turkey  with 
sausages,  from  the  common  method,  con- 
sists in  stuffing  it  with  sausage  meat,  and 
serving  it  up  surrounded  with  links  of 
fried  sausages.  When  dressed  in  this  wav, 
it  is  often  called  an  alderman  in  chains; 
and  was,  formerly,  the  favourite  mode  of 
dressing  a turkey  for  city  feasts.  Perhaps, 
this  silly  allusion  may  have,  still  more  silli- 
ly, contributed  to  diminish  it’s  popularity 
at  civic  festivals:  there  are  many  worthy 


440 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


citizens,  however,  in  London,  who  still  like 
to  see  on  their  table  a roasted  alderman  in  ( 
chains,  accompanied  by  good  gravy  sauce. 

French  Method  of  Dressing  a very  Old  Turkey. 

' 

Draw,  truss,  and  lard,  an  old  turkey; 
season  it  well  with  salt  and  pepper,  mixed 
with  chopped  parsley,  garlic,  and  shallots;  j 
stew  it  in  a saucepan  which  it  will  just  fill ; 
and,  pouring  in  a pint  of  any  white  wine, 
with  some  broth,  add  onions,  a bunch  of 
herbs,  salt  and  pepper,  and  let  it  stew  : 
gently  till  enough  done.  Then,  strain  off 
the  broth;  and,  reducing  it  to  a strong  jelly,  ; 
leave  it  to  cool,  and  spread  it  over  the  tur- 
key. If  there  be  sufficient,  put  it  also  into 
the  body  of  the  turkey.  Serve  it  in  a dish, 
on  a napkin,  and  garnish  with  sprigs  of 
green  parsley.  With  these  turkeys,  they 
make,  in  France,  side  dishes  a la  braise,  &c. 

Excellent  Uses  of  Old  Fowls. 

TlIE  oldest  cock  or  hen  makes  admirably 
good  broth  and  jelly  for  invalids;  with 
spine  knuckle  of  veal  for  the  former,  or 
milk  and  isinglass  for  the  latter.'  It  makes, 
also,  offitself,  an  excellent  jelly  broth,  and 
is  eminently  useful  in  giving  body  to  all 
sorts  of  rich  sauces  and  ragouts. 

Fowl  a la  Blanc  Manger. 

BOIL  thyme,  laurel  leaf,  basil,  and  cori- 
ander seeds,  in  a pint  of  new  milk,  till  one 
half  be  consumed;  then,  straining  it  through 
a sieve,  put  in  a handful  of  French  bread 
crumb,  set  it  again  over  the  fire,  and  let  it 
remain  till  the  bread  has  imbibed  the  whole 
of  the  milk.  On  now  taking  it  from  the 
fire,  put  in  a quarter  of  a pound  of  hog’s 
flair  cut  into  small  bits,  a dozen  pounded 
almonds,  some  grated  nutmeg,  a little  salt,  ! 
and  the  yolks  of  four  or  five  eggs.  Put  the 


whole  into  the  carcase  of  the  fowl,  sew  it 
up  very  close,  and  stew  it  between  thin 
slices  of  bacon;  moistened  with  milk,  in 
which  are  a few  coriander  seeds  and  a lit- 
tle salt.  When  it  is  sufficiently  done,  serve 
it  up  with  sauce  a la  reine. 

Sauce  a la  Reine. 

PUT  a little  butter  into  a stewpan,  with 
some  mushrooms,  an  onion,  a carrot,  a par- 
snip, half  a clove  of  garlic,  parsley,  and 
chives  or  shallots.  After  turning  it  a few 
times  over  the  fire,  shake  in  a little  flour, 

! moisten  it  with  a quarter  of  a pint  each  of 
broth  and  white  wine,  let  it  boil  an  hour, 
be  well  scummed,  and  strain  it  through  a 
sieve.  Then,  boiling  a gill  of  milk  with 
crumb  of  French  bread  nearly  the  size  of 
an  egg,  till  the  milk  be  all  imbibed,  squeeze 
it  through  a sieve  with  a spoon,  and  add 
it  to  the  sauce,  with  a seasoning  of  salt  and 
powdered  long  or  Cayenne  pepper. 

French  Sweetmeat  Cakes. 

Form  some  puff  paste  into  two  cakes 
about  the  thickness  of  two  crowns  each, 
and  of  an  equal  size,  for  every  cake  to  be 
made.  Put,  on  one  of  them,  any  sweet- 
meats; leaving,  round  the  edge,  about  the 
breadth  of  a finger  vacant,  which  must  be 
wetted  with  water:  then,  covering  it  with 
the  other  cake,  unite  them  well  together. 
After  having  shaped  all  the  cakes,  brush 
them  over  with  the  yolk  of  an  egg,  and  set 
them  in  the  oven.  When  they  are  done, 
and  taken  out,  pass  a small  brush  dipped 
in  butter  over  each,  and  scatter  some  su- 
gared carraway  seeds  of  different  colours 
over  them;  or,  instead  of  carraway  seeds, 
harlequin  comfits.  Powdered  loaf  sug;  r 
glazed  with  a salamander,  or  regular  iceiug, 
is  sometimes  put  over  the  top. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


441 


Yorkshire  Method  of  Dressing  Trout,  Dace, 
Roach,  Perch,  8$c. 

Wipe  the  fish  well,  as  soon  as  possible 
after  being  caught,  with  a soft  and  dry  linen 
cloth;  then,  wrapping  a little  of  the  cloth 
round  a finger,  clean  out  the  throat  and  gills 
in  the  best  way  it  can  be  managed,  without 
scaling,  gutting,  or  even  using  any  water 
about  the  fish.  Lay  them  on  a nicely 
cleaned  gridiron,  over  a clear  fire,  flour 
them,  and  turn  them  very  frequently. 
When  they  are  done  enough,  take  off  their 
heads,  to  which  the  guts  will  be  found  ad- 
hering; put  a good  piece  of  butter,  suited 
to  the  size  of  each  fish,  and  seasoned  with 
salt,  into  the  belly;  and  serve  them  up  with 
their  own  gravy.  This  is  the  genuine  ori- 
ginal method;  but  they  are  also,  occasional- 
ly, dished  up  with  anchovy  sauce,  &c.  in  a 
boat.  Some,  in  broiling  roach  or  dace, 
&c.  as  soon  as  they  begin  to  grow  brown, 
make  a slit  only  skin  deep  in  the  back, 
from  head  to  tail,  and  again  lay  them  on 
the  gridiron.  When  the  fish  are  enough 
done,  the  skin  readily  peels  off  w7ith  the 
scales  on;  leaving  the  flesh,  which  will 
have  become  very  firm,  perfectly  clean: 
they  then  open  the  belly,  take  out  the  in- 
side, and  use  anchovy  and  butter  for 
sauce.  This  method  is  practised  in  many 
parts  of  Great  Britain,  as  well  as  in  York- 
shire, by  fishermen,  and  persons  wdio  re- 
side near  the  great  rivers  where  these  fish 
are  most  plentifully  caught. 

Genuine  Dutch  Method  of  Preparing  and  Rec- 
tifying the  celebrated  Rotterdam  and  what 

is  called  best  Hollands  Gins. 

The  best  Dutch  distillers  compose  their 
grist,  in  the  proportion  of  three  bushels  of  | 
malt  meal  to  ten  of  rye  meal;  first  mash-  ! 


' ingthe  latter  with  the  smallest  quantity  of 
water  possible  for  properly  mixing  it,  and 
then  making  it  a sort  of  dilute  batter  by 
the  addition  of  sufficient  boiling  water.  It 
! is  next  put  into  casks,  or  gyle  tuns,  with  a 
1 very  little  yeast  compared  with  what  is 
used  in  England;  and,  the  third  day,  the 
former,  or  malt  meal,  having  in  the  mean 
| while  been  made  into  a sort  of  lob,  pre- 
| pared  also  by  first  mixing  with  cold  and 
afterward  adding  just  boiling  water  enough 
to  make  it  like  a very  thick  batter,  they 
put  it  to  the  fermenting  wash  with  as  much 
yeast  as  in  setting  the  backs.  To  every 
ten  gallons  of  spirit  of  the  second  extrac- 
tion distilled  off,  about  the  strength  of  proof 
spirit,  they  add,  for  it’s  rectification,  an 
ounce  of  oil  of  juniper,  and  a pound  and  a 
half  of  juniper  berries  ; distilling,  with  a 
slow  fire,  till  the  faints  begin  to  rise,  which 
produces  the  superior  Rotterdam  gin.  An 
ordinary  sort  called  simply  Hollands  gin, 
is  made  without  juniper  oil,  and  with  few 
berries,  their  place  being  supplied  with 
Strasburgh  turpentine  and  sweet  fennel 
seeds.  Strasburgh  turpentine,  which  is  of 
a yellowish  brown  colour,  has  a very  fra- 
grant and  pleasant  odour.  The  Dutch  have 
some  better  reason,  than  that  of  cheapness, 
for  being  so  sparing  of  juniper  berries,  as 
they  are  never  dear  in  Holland.  Former! r, 
when  this  gin  first  acquired  it’s  very  high 
reputation,  it  was  made  v ith  French  brand  v 
instead  of  the  malt  and  rve  spirit  of  which 
it  is  now  composed.  If  English  distillers 
were  to  take  proper  care  in  distilling  and 
rectifying  their  malt  spirits,  and  kept  it  to 
acquire  the  advantage  of  age,  it  would  be 
little  if  at  all  inferior  to  the  best  which  is 
now  ever  made  in  Holland.  They  are,  how- 
ever, prevented  from  making  their  wash  s® 
dilute,  and  consequently  so  clean,  as  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


442 

Dutch,  by  the  restrictive  operation  of  our 
Excise  laws. 

Essential  Oil  of  Anntseed. 

The  finest  anise  seeds,  called  generally 
anniseed  in  England,  come  from  the  Island 
of  Malta;  which,  strange  as  this  may  seem, 
considering  it’s  smallness,  not  being  more 
than  about  twenty-one  miles  in  extent, 
actually  supplies  with  this  useful  article 
great  part  of  Europe.  It  is,  however,  con- 
siderably cultivated  in  France.  The  vir- 
tues of  this  seed  in  medicine  ara  well 
known,  and  the  essential  oil  possesses  them 
in  much  perfection.  It  has,  in  a very  po- 
tent degree,  both  the  smell  and  taste  of 
the  anise  seeds.  The  odour  is  both  dif- 
fusive and  durable,  and  is  one  of  the  mild- 
est of  the  distilled  oils:  fifteen,  or  even 
twenty  drops,  may  be  with  safety  taken ; 
but,  in  general,  eight  or  ten  are  considered 
as  full  enough.  Milk  drawn  from  the  breast, 
after  this  oil  has  been  taken,  is  found  im- 
pregnated with  the  scent;- to  which  cir- 
cumstance may,  possibly,  be  in  part  owing 
the  reputation  of  it’s  pectoral  virtues.  The 
seeds  themselves,  however,  are  considered, 
by  some  medical  men,  as  more  effectual 
than  the  essential  oil,  in  colics  and  flatu- 
lencies. It  is  a remarkable  circumstance, 
that  oil  of  anniseed  congeals  into  a butyra- 
ceous  substance  when  there  is  no  sensible 
degree  of  cold  in  the  atmosphere:  on  ac- 
count of  which  property,  instead  of  there 
being  any  particular  solicitude  with  regard 
to  keeping  the  water  in  the  refrigeratory 
cold,  it  should  rather  be  suffered  to  grow 
somewhat  hot;  particularly,  toward  the 
conclusion  of  the  process:  as  there  is 

some  danger  that,  by  thy  oil’s  congealing,  1 
it  might  so  far  stop  up  the  worm  as  to  en- 
danger blowing  off  the  head  of  the  still ; or,  j 


at  least,  a quantity  of  oil  would  be  retained 
in  the  worm.  For  distilling  this  essential 
oil,  the  best  seeds  should  be  selected,  gross- 
ly pounded,  and  macerated  two  or  three 
days  in  a small  quantity  of  water;  suffici- 
ently more  being  added,  on  putting  it  into 
the  still,  to  prevent  empryeuma,  or  taint 
of  burning.  It  must  be  distilled  with  little 
more  heat  than  simple  waters,  from  an 
alembic  with  a large  refrigeratory ; and 
the  water  which  comes  over,  in  distillation, 
with  the  essential  oil,  is  to  be  kept  for  use. 
It  is  well,  after  finishing,  to  run  through  a 
little  spirit,  by  way  of  at  once  freeing  the 
worm  from  all  the  oik 

Oils  of  Carremay  and  Fennel  Seeds,  8Cc. 

These  respective  oils,  and  other  essen- 
tial oils  of  similar  seeds,  are  all  prepared 
and  distilled  in  the  same  manner  as  oil  of 
anniseed;  and  the  waters  which  respective- 
ly come  over  are  in  like  manner  to  be  pre- 
served for  use.  Both  oil  of  carraway  and 
oil  of  fennel  seeds  are  medicinally  useful. 
Oil  of  carraway  is  so  very  hot  and  pungent, 
that  a single  drop  is  sometimes  a dose; 
five  or  six  drops  are  a very  large  one.  It 
is'  frequently  used  as  a carminative;  and, 
by  some,  supposed  efficacious  in  promot- 
ing urine,  to  which  it  imparts  a slight  de- 
gree of  it’s  odour. 

Oil  or  Essetice  of  Juniper. 

The  oil  or  essence  of  juniper,  for  it  is 
often  called  by  each  name,  is  extracted 
from  the  fruit  or  berries  of  the  juniper; 
and  has  a strong  flavour,  not  unlike  that 
of  the  berries.  It  is  very  warm  and  pun- 
gent ; and,  in  doses  of  a drop  or  two,  may 
prove  a serviceable  carminative  and  sto- 
machic: in  doses  of  six,  eight,  or  more 
drops,  it  proves  stimulating,  detergent,  di- 


ll 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


443 


uretic,  and  emmenagogue.  There  seems, 
in  juniper  berries,  some  affinity  of  nature 
with  the  turpentines;  for  the  distilled  oils 
of  each  of  them  communicate  to  the  urine 
a violet  odour.  The  oil,  which  resides  part- 
ly in  vesicles  spread  through  the  substance 
of  the  berries,  and  partly  in  minute  cells 
contained  in  the  seeds,  becomes  visible, 
in  form  of  very  small  transparent  drops, 
when  the  berry  is  dry  and  the  oil  hard- 
ened into  a resinous  substance,  immediate- 
ly as  the  seeds  are  broken:  previously, 
therefore,  to  the  distillation,  the  berries 
should  be  thoroughly  bruised,  so  as  to 
break  the  seeds,  and  lay  these  oily  recep- 
tacles entirely  open.  After  maceration  in 
water,  the  distillation  is  to  be  managed 
like  that  of  the  preceding  articles. 

Oil  of  Lavender. 

The  essence,  or  volatile  essential  oil  of 
lavender  flowers,  commonly  called  oil  of 
lavender,  is  a medicine  of  much  utility,  both 
externally  and  internally,  in  paralytic  and 
lethargic  diseases,  rheumatism,  and  debi- 
lities of  the  nervous  system,  taken  in  doses 
of  from  one  or  two  to  five  or  six  drops. 
It  is,  when  in  perfection,  very  limpid,  of  a 
pleasant  yellowish  colour,  and  extremely 
fragrant;  possessing,  in  a considerable  de- 
gree, the  peculiar  smell  generally  so  ad- 
mired in  lavender  flowers.  At  the  period  j 
when  they  are  ready  to  fall  off,  they  afford  | 
the  largest  quantity  of  oil,  and  considerably  j 
the  best  in  quality.  The  flowers  may  be 
separated  from  the  rest  of  the  plant,  as  the 
leaves  yield  little  or  no  oil,  by  gently 
beating  it  when  thoroughly  dry:  after 
which,  they  should  be  immediately  distil- 
led with  a gentle  uniform  heat;  too  much, 
would  both  affect  the  colour  of  the  oil,  and 
produce  a disagreeable  change  in  it’s  odour. 


Essence  of  Lemons. 

Tut  volatile  essential  oil  or  essence  of 
lemon  peel,  commonly  called  essence  of 
lemons,  has  a prodigiously  fine  odour, 
equally  agreeable  with  that  of  the  freshest 
peel.  It  is  almost  colourless,  perfectly 
limpid,  and  one  of  the  lightest  and  most 
volatile  of  all  our  essential  oils.  Though 
more  generally  used  as  a perfume,  on  ac- 
count of  it’s  fine  and  powerful  fragrance, 
it  is  sometimes  prescribed  as  a cordial  for 
weakness  of  the  stomach,  in  doses  of  two 
or  three  drops;  and  it  is  introduced  in 
some  officinal  preparations : in  particular, 
the  soap  pills,  which  it  enables  to  sit  easy 
on  the  stomach;  and  the  spiritus  volatilis 
aromaticus,  or  volatile  aromatic  spirit,  to 
i which  it  contributes  both  fragrance  and 
congenial  virtue.  This  oil  or  essence  may 
be  prepared  by  macerating  the  rasped 
rind  in  a very  little  water,  closely  covered 
up,  and  immediately  distilling  it  with  a 
very  gentle  heat. 

Essence  of  Peppermint. 

Tuts  essential  oil,  like  that  of  most  herbs 
and  flowers,  may  be  treated  in  a way  simi- 
lar to  what  is  directed  for  lavender,  only 
that,  in  this  case,  the  whole  plant,  flowers 
as  well  as  leaves,  and  even  stalks,  contain 
oleaginous  matter.  The  water  which  comes 
over  with  the  oil,  in  distillation,  is  of  course 
to  be  preserved;  and,  by  attending  to  the 
directions  given  for  distilling  essential  oils 
in  general,  there  will  be  found  no  difficulty 
in  managing  all  the  requisite  process,  after 
a very  little  experience.  It  is  most  ex- 
tensively useful  in  medicine,  both  on  ac- 
count of  it’s  power  and  it’s  pleasantness. 
Vast  quantities  of  this  essence  are  used 
for  making  the  famous  peppermint  lo- 


444  FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


zcnges,  &c.  as  well  as  the  cordial  and  sim- 
ple peppermint  waters.  The  latter,  how- 
ever, like  those  of  most  other  plants,  &c. 
are  far  better  run  through  the  still;  hav- 
ing, always,  a certain  degree  of  watery 
rawness,  and  seeming  deficiency  of  union, 
when  made  only  with  essential  oils  or  es- 
sences.  This  plant,  the  piperita  of  bota- 
nists, is  much  cultivated  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Mitcham,  Surry,  in  the  open  fields; 
and,  at  Mitcham,  also,  such  prodigious 
quantities  of  it  are  also  distilled,  as  entirely 
to  impregnate  the  air  of  the  place  while  the 
stills  are  at  work.  It  flowers  about  the 
beginning  of  July,  and  continues  some 
time  in  bloom;  this  is  the  proper  period 
for  it’s  distillation,  although  it  may  be  used 
even  after  being  dried.  Several  consider- 
able fortunes  have  been  acquired,  in  that 
neighbourhood,  by  the  growth  of  pepper- 
mint alone. 

Dr.  Hunter’s  Account  of  the  Advantages  to  he 

derived  from  the  Culture  of  Gooseberries. 

The  best  gooseberries  now  under  cul- 
tivation, according  to  Dr.  Hunter,  from 
whom  we  transcribe  this  article,  for  the 
farther  extension  of  his  most  liberal  views, 
had  their  origin  in  the  county  Lancaster; 
and,  to  promote  their  spirit,  meetings  are 
appointed  in  different  places,  at  which  pre- 
miums are  adjudged  for  flowers  and  fruits. 
Ihese  meetings  are  encouraged  by  master 
tradesmen  and  gentlemen  of  the  county,  as 
tending  to  promote  a spirit  that  may  oc- 
casionally be  diverted  into  a more  impor- 
tant channel.  The  competitors  for  prizes 
are  generally  mechanics  ; who,  after  the 
toilsome  labours  of  the  day,  retire  to  their 
cottages  and  small  gardens,  from  which 
they  derive  both  pleasure  and  profit.  A 
single  gooseberry  tree,  the  Manchester 


rough  red,  in  the  year  1792,  produced 
twenty-one  quarts  of  fruit  in  the  green 
state,  and  which  sold  for  three  pence  a quart. 
The  whole  quantity  weighed  twenty-eight 
! pounds  avoirdupois.  The  space  occupied 
J by  this  tree  was  three  yards:  allowing  an 
i equal  space  for  walking  ground,  and  sup- 
posing an  acre  of  eight  yards  to  the  rod 
planted  with  the  same  kind  of  trees,  pro- 
ducingthe  same  quantity  of  fruit,  and  sold 
at  the  same  price,  the  annual  produce 
would  amount  to  four  hundred  and  twenty- 
six  pounds  sixteen  shillings!  Great  care 
is  taken  in  pruning  the  trees.  In  general, 
gooseberry  bushes  bear  their  fruit  on  the 
second  year’s  wood.  Care  should  be  ta- 
ken, in  summer,  to  keep  the  middle  of  the 
bush  clear,  to  admit  of  a free  circulation  of 
air,  leaving  the  finest  and  strongest  shoots 
from  six  to  ten  inches  distant  from  each 
I other.  This  will  help  to  ripen  and  harden 
j the  wood.  It  is  a practice  with  some,  to 
I shorten  the  shoots  in  the  autumn  or  winter 
j quarter:  this  should  always  be  near  to  a 
wood  bud,  which  may  be  known  by  it’s 
being  single,  whereas  fruit  buds  are  in  clus- 
ters. The  shoots  may  be  shortened  to 
eight  or  ten  inches,  according  to  their 
strength.  Observe,  that  those  branches 
which  were  cut  the  first  year,  will  on  the 
second  throw  out  spurs  which  produce 
the  fruit.  Gooseberries  are  much  infested 
by  a small  green  caterpillar,  which  fre- 
j quently  devours  both  leaves  and  fruit. 
They  take  their  first  station  on  the  edges 
and  under  sides  of  the  leaves,  and  their 
earliest  appearance  should  be  carefully 
watched.  Lime  water,  mixed  with  urine, 
i is  said  to  destroy  them.  Tobacco  water  is 
1 also  recommended,  if  used  at  an  early  stage, 
j Shaking  the  tree  suddenly  and  briskly,  will 
dislodge  the  caterpillars  when  full  grown ; 


44.5 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


but,  unfortunately,  they  will  have  produced 
much  mischief  before  that  time.  As  goose- 
berries love  a rich  soil,  they  should  be 
dunged  every  year  ; or,  at  least,  have  a 
good  coat  of  dung  once  in  two  years. 
They  should  stand  clear  of  trees,  if  the 
fruit  is  expected  to  be  high  flavoured ; and, 
in  spring  or  summer,  all  suckers  should 
be  removed,  leaving  the  stems  clear  and 
unencumbered.  The  great  utility  of  goose- 
berries renders  this  a very  important  ar-  ! 
tide. 

Mr.  Forsyth' s Method  of  Preserving  Walnuts.  | 

The  walnuts  intended  for  keeping,  should 
be  suffered  to  fall  of  themselves  from  the 
trees,  and  be  afterward  laid  in  a dry.  open, 
and  airy  place,  till  they  become1  thoroughly 
dried.  Then  pack  them  in  jars,  boxes,  or 
casks;  in  alternate  layers  of  line-clear  sand, 
which  has  previously  been  well  dried  in 
the  sun,  in  an  oven,  or  before  the  fire,  and 
of  the  walnuts.  Set  them  in  a dry  place, 
but  not  where  it  is  too  hot,  and  they  will 
keep  good  till  the  latter  end  of  April.  Be- 
fore they  are  sent  to  the  table,  wipe  the 
sand  clean  off:  and,  if  they  have  become 
shrivelled,  steep  them  in  milk  and  water 
for  six  or  eight  hours  before  they  are  used; 
th  is  will  make  them  plump  and  fine,  as  well 
as  cause  them  easily  to  peel. 

Easy  and  Effectual  Method  of  Securing  Apple  '• 
Trees , tyc.  from  Cattle. 

Many  persons  have  been  discouraged  | 
from  planting  apples  and  other  orchard 
trees,  on  account  of  the  difficulty  and  ex- 
pence of  securing  them,  when  planted, 
from  the  depredations  of  cattle.  Two  re- 
spectable gentlemen,  both  of  Pendleton, 
near  Manchester,  M r.  Part  and  M r.  Strettell, 
have  planted  very  great  numbers  of  fruit 


trees  on  their  estates;  and  are  ready  to 
assure  an}'  respectable  enquirer,  that  they 
have  preserved  their  fruit  trees  from  cattle, 
without  the  expence  of  stakes,  rails,  or 
thorns,  by  using  only  the  following  method 
- — Take  lime  which  has  long  laid  at  the 
bottom  of  a tan-pit;  and  mix  it,  in  a tub, 
with  fresh  human  excrement,  so  as  to  make 
it  of  such  a consistence  that  it  may  be  spread 
on  the  stem  and  branches  of  trees  by  a 
small  whitewasher’s  brush:  or  it  may  be 
daubed  on  shreds  of  bass  mats,  or  Russia 
matting,  pieces  of  old  rope,  &e.  to  be  tied 
round  the  stem,  and  branches,  from  the 
bottom  to  the  top.  This  must  be  renewed 
twice  in  a year,  or  three  times  at  the  most, 
and  is  no  expence  or  trouble.  Cattle  will 
not  come  near,  or  injure,  the  smallest  or 
tenderest  plant  which  is  daubed  with  this 
mixture.  Something  like  this  practice  was 
recommended  more  than  a century  ago,  by 
the  celebrated  Mr.  Hugh  Platt,  and  Mr. 
Evelyn.  Sir  Hugh,  in  his  Garden  of  Eden, 
gives  the  following — “ Mix  green  cow 
dung  and  urine  together;  wash  the  trees 
with  a brush,  so  high  as  you  think  meet, 
once  in  two  or  three  months,  and  it  will 
keep  the  trees  from  barking  w ith  beasts, 
rabbits,  &c.  and  the  same  doth  also  destroy 
the  canker.”  Mr.  Evelyn  says — “ Deer, 
rabbits,  and  hares,  by  barking  the  trees  in 
hard  winters,  spoil  many  tender  plantations: 
next  to  the  utter  destroying  them,  there  is 
nothing  better  than  to  anoint  that  part 
which  is  w'ithin  their  reach,  with  stercus 
humanum,  tempered  with  a little  water  or 
urine,  and  lightly  brushed  on:  this  being 
renew'ed  after  every  great  rain.  A cleanlier 
than  this,  however,  and  yet  w hat  rabbits  and 
even  cattle  mostabhor,  is  to  water  or  sprinkle^ 
them  with  tanners  liquor,  viz.  that  which 
the  tanners  use  for  dressing  their  hides.” 

5 U 


446 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Arthur  Young,  Esq.  on  tlic  Advantage  of  using 
Asses  fur  Drawing. 

The  Earl  of  Egremont,  we  are  informed 
bv  the  celebrated  Arthur  Young,  Esq.  early 
in  the  year  1800,  established  a team  of  six 
jack-asses  for  drawing,  and  found  them 
extremely  useful.  Six  of  them  conveyed 
a chaldron  and  a quarter  ol  coals,  twice  a 
day,  in  a waggon,  from  the  canal  to  his  j 
lordship’s  house  at  Petworth,  which  shews 
a degree  of  strength  not  expected  in  them. 
They  are  gentle,  docile,  and  perfectly  j 
handy.  In  the  winter  months,  they  had 
no  oats,  nor  any  other  hay  than  the  bands 
of  the  trusses  consumed  by  horses,  but 
lived  on  furze  and  holly.  I hey  are  hardy, 
and  kept  for  a trifle.  This  experiment  de- 
serves much  attention;  for  there  is  reason 
to  suspect,  that  asses  will  be  found  by  far 
the  cheapest  team  which  can  be  used. 

Genuine  Account  of  the  Famous  Lacteous  Wine, 
called  bn  the  Tartars  Koumiss. 

“ In  an  age  like  the  present,”  observes 
Dr.  G rieve,  who  is  the  only  person,  per- 
haps, among  all  who  have  written  on  the 
subject,  by  whom  it  has  been  thoroughly 
and  scientifically  investigated,  “ when  few 
things  in  nature  seem  to  have  eluded  the 
researches  of  philosophy;  when  the  com- 
munications of  learning  are  as  well  esta- 


blished as  those  of  commerce;  it  may  ap- 
pear somewhat  surprising,  that  one  of  the 
most  important  productions  of  milk  should 
still  remain  in  a great  measure  unknown 
to  the  most  enlightened  parts  of  Europe. 
The  production  I mean,  is  the  vinous  li- 
quor which  is  procured  by  fermentation 
from  mares  milk;  and  it  was  scarcely  to  be 
expected  that,  after  it  had  escaped  the  ob- 
servation of  men  the  most  skilled  in  che- 


jj  mistrv,  It  should  be  taught  us  by  a horde 
;'j  of  Tartars,  whose  rank  in  society  is  not 
j above  that  of  barbarians.”  Dr.  Grieve, 
afier  a masterly  examination  of  what  has 
been  said  on  the  subject  by  other  writers, 
both  chemists  and  travellers,  thus  gives 
us  the  important  results  of  his  own  obser- 
vation and  knowledge,  in  the  manner  of 
making  it,  and  his  experience  of  it’s  suc- 
cess during  his  private  practice  as  a physi- 
cian in  Russia,  where  it’s  principle  was  before 
no  better  understood  than  in  the  rest  of 
Europe.  “ The  following  method  of  mak- 
ing koumiss,  is  that  which  I adopted  in 
my  own  practice  with  success.  It  is  com- 
mon among  the  Baschkir  Tartars,  who 
inhabit  that  part  of  the  government  of 
Orenbourg  which  lies  between  the  rivers 
Kama  and  Volga.  It  was  communicated 
to  me  by  a Russian  nobleman,  in  whose 
case  I was  consulted,  and  who  was  the  first 
who  made  use  of  it  by  my  advice.  He 
went  into  that  country  on  purpose  to  drink 
it;  and,  as  he  resided  for  some  time  there, 
he  could  not  be  mistaken  with  respect  to 
the  process — Take  of  fresh  mares  milk,  of 
one  day,  any  quantity,  add  to  it  a sixth 
part  of  water,  and  pour  the  mixture  into 
a wooden  vessel.  Use,  then,  as  a ferment, 
an  eighth  part  of  the  sourest  cow’s  milk 
that  can  be  got;  but,  at  any  future  pre- 
paration, a small  portion  of  old  koumiss 
will  better  answer  the  purpose  of  souring. 
Cover  the  vessel  with  a thick  cloth,  and  set 
it  in  a place  of  moderate  warmth.  Leave 
it  at  rest  twenty-four  hours;  at  the  end 
of  which  time,  the  milk  will  have  become 
sour,  and  a thick  substance  will  be  gather- 
ed on  the  top.  Then,  with  a stick,  made 
at  the  lower  end  in  the  manner  of  a churn 
stall,  beat  it  till  the  thick  substance  above 
mentioned  be  blended  intimately  wi'th 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  subjacent  fluid.  In  this  situation,  again 
leave  it  at  rest  for  twenty-four  hours  more: 
after  which,  pour  it  into  a higher  and  nar- 
rower vessel,  resembling  a churn,  where 
the  agitation  must  be  repeated  as  before 
till  the  liquor  appear  to  be  perfectly  homo- 
geneous; and,  in  this  state,  it  is  called 
koumiss,  of  which  the  taste  ought  to  be  a 
pleasant  mixture  of  sweet  and  sour.  Agi- 
tation must  be  employed,  every  time,  be- 
fore it  be  used.  To  this  detail  of  the  pro- 
cess the  Russian  nobleman  subjoined  that, 
in  order  to  obtain  milk  in  sufficient  quan- 
tities, the  Tartars  have  a custom  of  separat- 
ing the  foal  from  the  mare  during  the  day, 
and  allowing  it  to  suck  during  the  night: 
and,  when  the  milk  is  to  be  taken  from  the 
mare,  which  is  generally  about  five  times 
a day,  they  always  produce  the  foal ; on 
the  supposition,  that  she  yields  her  milk 
more  copiously  when  it  is  present.”  To 
the  above  method  of  making  koumiss, 
translated  from  the  original  Russian  manu- 
script, Dr.  Grieve  adds  the  following  other 
particulars,  which  he  obtained  from  some 
of  the  Tartars  themselves — “ According  to 
the  account  of  a Tartar  who  lived  to  the 
south-east  of  Orenbourg,  though  the  pro- 
portion of  milk  and  souring  ought  to  be 
the  same  as  above,  to  prevent  changing 
the  vessel,  the  milk  may  be  put  at  once 
into  a pretty  high  and  narrow  vessel:  and, 
in  order  to  accelerate  the  fermentation, 
some  warm  milk  may  be  added  to  it ; with, 
if  necessary,  more  souring.  From  a Tartar 
whom  I met  with  at  the  fair  of  Macarieff 
upon  the  Volga,  and  from  whom  I pur- 
chased one  of  the  leather  bags  which  are 
used  by  the  Kalmucks  for  the  preparation 
and  carriage  of  the  koumiss,  I learned  that 
the  process  may  be  much  shortened,  by 
heating  the  milk  before  the  souring  be 


447 

added  to  it;  and,  as  soon  as  the  parts  begin 
to  separate,  and  a thick  substance  to  rise  to 
the  top,  by  agitating  it  every  hour  or  of- 
tener.  In  this  way,  he  made  some,  in  my 
presence,  within  the  space  of  twelve  hours. 
I learned,  also,  that  it  was  common,  among 
some  Tartars,  to  prepare  it  in  one  day  dur- 
ing summer,  and  that  with  only  two  or 
three  agitations;  but  that,  in  winter,  when 
from  deficiency  in  mares  milk,  they  are 
obliged  to  add  a great  proportion  of  that 
of  cows,  more  agitation,  and  a longer  time 
are  necessary:  and,  though  it  is  commonly 
used  within  a few  days  after  the  prepara- 
tion; yet,  when  well  secured  in  close  ves- 
sels, and  kept  in  a cold  place,  it  may  be 
preserved  for  three  months,  or  even  longer, 
without  any  injury  to  it’s  qualities.  He 
said,  farther,  that  the  acid  fermentation 
might  be  produced  by  sour  milk,  as  above; 
by  a sour  paste  of  rye  flour;  by  the  rennet 
of  a lamb’s  stomach ; or,  w'hat  is  more  com- 
mon, by  a portion  of  old  koumiss : and 
that,  in  some  places,  they  saved  much  time, 
by  adding  the  new  milk  to  a quantity  of 
that  already  fermented ; on  being  mixed 
with  which,  it  very  soon  undergoes  the 
vinous  change.  It  was  according  to  the 
first  process,  however,  that  the  whole  of 
the  koumiss  which  I have  employed  in 
medicine  was  prepared.  From  all  these 
accounts,  it  appears  that  three  things  are 
; essential  to  the  vinous  fermentation  of 
j milk:  these  are  heat,  souring,  and  agitation, 
i Heat  is  necessary  to  every  species  ot  fer- 
mentation; and  souring  is,  perhaps,  not 
less  so,  though  not  in  so  sensible  a degree 
as  in  the  present  case : but  the  chief  art  in 
fermenting  milk,  consists  in  agitation.  This 
last  circumstance  has  wholly  escaped  the 
attention  of  chemists,  notwithstanding  it 
appears  to  be  consonant  to  the  ©peratioas 


448 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


of  nature  in  other  species  of  fermentation. 
In  fermenting  vegetablejuicesand  infusions, 
nature  has  no  need  of  the  assistance  of  art; 
the  intestine  motion  which  accompanies  the 
fermentation  is  sufficient  to  produce  the 
degree  of  agitation  which  seems  necessary 
to  keep  the  parts  of  the  fluid  in  mutual 
contact,  or  to  fit  them  for  mutual  action. 
Milk,  on  the  contrary,  is  no  sooner  soured 
than  a separation  of  it’s  parts  takes  place; 
the  cream  rises  to  the  top,  while  the  cheese 
either  falls  to  the  bottom  or  is  suspended 
in  the  whey.  When  these  parts  are  brought, 
however,  into  close  contact  with  one  ano- 
ther, by  agitation,  and  this  repeated  at 
proper  intervals,  a vinous  liquor  is  pro- 
duced, of  the  medical  virtues  of  which  I 
shall  next  treat.” 

Medical  Virtues  of  Koumiss. 

The  learned  and  ingenious  Dr.  Grieve 
thus  proceeds  to  describe  the  medicinal 
virtues  of  this  celebrated  lacteous  wine — 
“ From  the  time  I had  heard  of  koumiss, 
I had  conceived  an  opinion  of  it’s  impor- 
tance in  the  cure  of  certain  diseases.  I 
judged,  that  a preparation  of  milk  which 
could  not  be  curdled  by  the  juices  of  the 
stomach,  while  at  the  same  time  it  posses- 
sed all  it’s  nutritive  qualities,  with  the  su- 
peraddition of  a fermented  spirit,  might  be 
of  essential  service  in  all  those  disorders 
where  the  body  is  defective  either  in  nou- 
rishment or  strength.  The  case  of  the 
nobleman  who  communicated  to  me  the 
first  process,  gave  me  an  oportunity  of 
trying  how  far  my  conjectures  were  well 
founded.  He  was  in  that  state  which 
seemed  to  me  strongly  to  indicate  the  use 
of  such  a medicine  as  koumiss:  I,  accord- 
ingly, advised  him  to  it.  At  twenty-six 
years  of  age,  he  laboured  under  a compli- 


cation of  chronic  complaints.  A confirmed 
lues  venerea,  injudiciously  treated,  with 
three  successive  salivations  bv  mercurv, 
added  to  bad  management  of  himself  under 
these,  had  given  rise  to  his  disease.  His 
body  was  much  emaciated,  his  face  was  of 
a livid  yellow  colour;  his  eyes  were  sunk, 
and  round  his  eve-lids  there  was  a dark 
shade;  he  felt  a severe  pain  in  his  breast, 
and  that  was  accompanied  with  a consider- 
able cough  and  mucous  expectoration ; 
his  appetite  and  digestion  were  greatly 
impaired;  he  had  frequent  tremblings  and 
faintings;  and  he  began  to  feel  the  symp- 
; toms  of  hectic  fever.  In  a word,  his  whole 
| appearance  was  consumptive;  and  he  was 
I so  weak,  that  he  required  assistance  to  get 
into  the  carriage  in  which  he  was  to  be 
conveved  into  Tartary.  After  drinking 
koumiss  six  weeks  only,  he  returned  per- 
fectly free  from  all  the  above  symptoms; 
and  vvas  become  so  plump  and  fresh  co- 
loured that,  at  first  sight,  it  vvas  with  dif- 
ficulty his  friends  could  recognize  him. 
As  he  did  not  come  immediately  to  Nts- 
chne-Novogorod,  where  I then  was,  he 
wrote  me  a letter;  the  substance  of  which, 
as  far  as  it  related  to  this  subject,  I shall 
give  here.  After  telling  me  the  sudden 
and  remarkable  change  the  koumiss  had 
produced  during  the  first  few  days — that 
his  nervous  and  dyspeptic  symptoms  left 
him;  that  he  felt  as  if  his  vessels  had  been 
distended  with  afresh  cooling  liquor;  that 
he  became  chearful;  that  it  served  him  both 
for  food  and  drink;  that,  though  he  used 
it  to  the  quantity  of  a gallon  and  a half, 
and  sometimes  even  more,  in  the  twenty- 
four  hours,  yet  he  always  drank  it  with  plea- 
sure, and  without  intoxication;  that  his 
body,  during  it’s  use,  wras  regularly  open; 
but  that  his  urine  much  increased,  and  it's 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


discharge  every  hour  excited.  He  con- 
cluded with  saying,  that  he  was  disposed 
to  consider  koumiss  as  a universal  me- 
dicine, which  would  cure  every  disease,  if 
I did  not  chuse  to  except  fever;  for  he 
was  persuaded  that  the  most  skilful  physi- 
cian, with  all  the  drugs  of  the  shop,  could 
not  have  restored  him  to  the  health  he  then 
enjoyed.”  The  next  case  in  which  it  was 
employed  by  Dr.  Grieve,  though  not  so 
desperate  as  the  former,  gave  sufficient 
proofs  of  it’s  nutritive  and  strengthening 
qualities — “ A lady,  who  had  been  witness 
to  It’s  uncommon  efficacy  in  the  nobleman’s 
case  above  mentioned,  was  encouraged  to 
try  it  in  her  own.  It  was  not  convenient  for 
her  to  go  herself  into  Tartary;  and,  there- 
fore, she  had  it  sent  to  her,  well  secured  in 
casks,  during  the  autumn.  She  had  been 
long  subject  to  a train  of  nervous  disorders. 
By  these,  she  was  much  extenuated,  and 
reduced  to  a state  of  extreme  weakness 
and  irritability.  She  used  it  for  about  a 
month  ; at  the  end  of  which  time,  the  func- 
tions of  her  nervous  system  were  restored: 
and,  with  health  and  vigour,  she  acquired 
a plumpness  and  fresh  complexion.  The 
following  year,  I resolved  to  try  it  at  Nis- 
cline-Novogorod,  under  my  own  eye.  As 
mares  milk  could  not  be  obtained  in  suf- 
ficient quantity  in  the  town,  it  was  made  at 
the  seat  of  a nobleman,  not  far  distant,  from 
which  it  was  occasionally  brought.  The 
season  was  far  advanced,  however,  before 
a case  presented  in  which  it’s  efficacy  might 
be  tried.  At  last,  about  the  middle  of  Au- 
gust 1782,  I was  consulted  by  the  General 
Governor’s  nephew.  He  had  all  the  symp- 
toms of  incipient  phthisis ; pain  of  breast, 
dry  cough,  occasional  haemoptisis,  and 
great  emaciation : he  was  not,  however, 
become  hectic.  His  two  elder  brothers 


449 

had  died  of  true  pulmonary  consumptions, 
lie  had  taken  much  medicine,  in  a different 
part  of  the  country,  and  had  observed  a very 
strict  antiphlogistic  regimen;  but,  though 
milk  had  constituted  the  greatest  part  of 
his  diet,  there  were  no  signs  of  recovery, 
lie  drank  koumiss  for  about  two  months 
only,  and  that  in  rather  an  unfavourable 
season  : but  the  consequence  was,  that  all 
the  above  symptoms  disappeared,  and  his 
flesh  and  strength  returned;  nor  was  there 
any  reason  to  apprehend  a relapse  at  the 
time  I left  that  country.  About  the  same 
time,  I advised  it’s  use  to  another  young- 
nobleman;  who  had  laboured  under  an 
abscess  in  the  left  side,  about  the  region 
of  the  twelfth  rib.  As  he  had  then  resided 
in  a remote  part  of  the  country,  no  atten- 
tion had  been  paid  to  it;  on  the  contrary, 
by  improper  applications,  the  sides  of  the 
ulcer  were  become  hard.  He  had  lost  his 
flesh  and  strength,  he  had  occasional  faint- 
ings,  and  there  were  all  the  appearances  of 
incipient  hectic.  By  the  use  of  koumiss  for 
about  six  weeks,  proper  chirurgical  dres- 
sings being  at  the  same  time  applied,  his 
health  was  perfectly  re-established.”  Dr. 
Grieve  employed  it  with  equal  success  in 
some  other  cases  of  less  importance;  and 
all  who  drank  it  agreed  in  saying  that, 
during  it’s  use,  they  had  little  appetite  for 
food  ; that  they  drank  it,  in  very  large 
quantities,  not  only  without  disgust,  but 
with  pleasure;  that  it  rendered  their  veins 
turgid,  without  pioducing  langour;  that, 
on  the  contrary,  they  soon  acquired  from 
it  an  uncommon  degree  of  sprightliness 
and  vivacity;  and  that,  even  in  cases  of 
some  excess,  it  was  not  followed  by  indi- 
gestion, head-ache,  or  any  of  the  symptoms 
which  usually  attend  the  abuse  of  other 
fermented  liquors.  To  this  may  be  added, 

£ X 


450 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


that  the  Baschkir  Tartars,  who  toward  the 
end  of  winter  are  much  emaciated,  wo 
sooner  return  in  summer  to  the  use  of  kou- 
miss, than  they  become  strong,  fat,  and  of 
a fresh  complexion.  “ From  all  these  cir- 
cumstances,” justly  reasons  the  learned 
doctor,  “ I think  myself  entitled  to  infer, 
that  this  wine  of  mares  milk  may  be  ap- 
plied to  many  of  the  purposes  of  medicine. 
From  the  mild  acid  which  it  contains,  may 
it  not  be  considered  as  a cooling  antiseptic? 
From  it’s  vinous  spirit,  may  it  not  become 
a useful  stimulant,  cordial,  and  tonic?  and, 
from  it’s  oily  and  mucilaginous  parts,  may 
it  not  prove  a valuable  article  of  nourish- 
ment ? If  chronic  diseases,  as  is  generally 
allowed,  depend  on  a debility  of  the  solids; 
and,  if  they  are  difficult  of  cure  because 
the  organs  which  ought  to  supply  the  body 
with  nourishment  and  strength  do  not  only 
themselves  partake  of  the  general  weak- 
ness, but  are  too  often,  by  the  indigestible 
nature  of  the  food  with  which  they  are 
overcharged,  still  more  debilitated;  may 
not  a substance  of  easy  digestion,  which 
at  once  strengthens  the  stomach  and  nou- 
rishes the  body,  become  a powerful  remedy 
in  all  such  cases?  and,  if  acute  diseases, 
especially  of  the  febrile  kind,  are  frequent- 
ly attended  with  symptoms  of  weakness  and 
putridity;  may  it  not  be  found,  from  it’s 
antiseptic  and  tonic  powers,  to  be  a useful 
corrector  of  the  one,  and  a restorative  for 
the  other  ? May  not  the  sudden  change 
it  produced  in  the  first  case,  that  of  the 
Russian  nobleman,  with  regard  to  the  state 
of  his  feelings,  and  especially  of  his  sleep, 
point  it  out  as  of  use  in  all  cases  of  exces- 
sive irritability?  May  not  the  effect  it 
had  in  restoring  his  stomach  to  it’s  func- 
tions, recommend  it  in  dyspepsia?  and 
may  not  the  vigour  and  plumpness  which 


ensued  from  it’s  use,  indicate  it  in  cases 
even  of  confirmed  atrophy?  Have  we, 
not  reason  to  believe,  that  it  may  be  used  to 
advantage  in  the  cure  of  nervous  disorders  in 
general,  from  the  manner  in  which  it  ope- 
rated in  the  second  case,  that  of  the  Russian 
lad}7?  And,  in  the  incipient,  perhaps  even 
in  the  advanced,  stages  of  phthisis,  from 
the  rapid  and  effectual  change  it  occasioned 
in  the  pulmonary  symptoms  of  the  third, 
that  of  the  General  Governor’s  nephew? 
And  may  not  it’s  efficacy  in  the  fourth  case, 
that  of  the  other  young  nobleman,  afflicted 
with  an  abscess,  encourage  us  to  employ  it 
in  all  cases  of  suppuration  or  ulcer,  in  which 
the  body  is  threatened  with  hectic  fever? 
Whether  all  these  quest  ions  can  be  answered 
in  the  affirmative,  must  be  determined  by  fu- 
ture experience;  and,  if  they  should,  per- 
haps the  scarcity  of  mares  milk  in  this  coun- 
try would  greatly  circumscribe  it’s  utility. 
Hence,  enquiries  will  naturally  be  made, 
whether  other  species  of  milk  admit  of  a 
similar  vinous  fermentation;  and,  what 
proportion  of  spirit  they  contain.  As  these 
have  never  been  the  object,  however,  of 
' my  attention,  I will  here  give  the  substance 
of  whatlhave  been  able  to  learn  from  others, 
respecting  that  which  is  the  most  common, 
the  milk  of  cows.” 

Account  of  the  Preparation  of  Airen,  or  Fr~ 
mented  Cows  Milk. 

AVe  are  told  by  Dr.  Pallas,  that  cows  milk 
is  also  susceptible  of  the  vinous  ferment- 
ation ; and,  that  the  Tartars  prepare  a wine 
from  it  in  winter,  when  mares  milk  fails 
them.  The  wine  prepared  from  cows  milk, 
they  call  airen ; but  they  always  prefer 
koumiss,  when  it  can  be  got,  as  it  is  more 
agreeable,  and  contains  a greater  quantity 
of  spirit.  Koumiss,  on  distillation,  yields 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


451 


of  a weak  spirit,  called  arika,  one  third; 
but  airen  yields  only  two  ninths  of  it’s 
whole  quantity.  This  account  is  con- 
firmed by  Osereiskowsky,  who  lately  pub' 
lished,  in  Russia,  a dissertation  on  the  ar- 
dent spirit  to  be  obtained  from  cows  milk. 
It  appears,  from  his  experiments,  that  cows 
milk  may  be  fermented  with,  or  even  with- 
out, souring,  provided  sufficient  time  and 
agitation  be  employed — that  no  spirit  could 
be  produced  from  any  one  of  it’s  consti- 
tuent parts,  taken  separately;  nor  from  any 
two  of  them,  unless  in  proportion  as  they 
might  happen  to  be  mixed  with  some  part 
of  the  third— that  the  milk,  with  all  it’s 
parts  in  their  natural  proportion,  is  the 
•most  productive  of  it — that  the  closer  it  is 
kept,  or  what  is  the  same  thing,  the  more 
difficulty  with  which  the  fixed  air  is  allowed 
to  escape  during  the  fermentation,  care  be- 
ing taken,  however,  not  to  endanger  the 
bursting  of  the  vessel,  the  more  spirit 
is  obtained — that  it  has  a sourer  smell 
before  than  after  agitation — and,  that  the 
quantity  of  spirit  is  increased  by  allowing 
the  fermented  liquor  to  repose  for  some 
time  before  distillation.  From  six  pints 
of  milk,  fermented  in  a close  vessel,  and 
thus  set  to  repose,  Osereiskowsky  obtained 
three  ounces  of  ardent  spirit;  of  which,  one 
was  consumed  in  burning:  but  that,  from 
the  same  quantity  of  the  same  milk,  fer- 
mented in  an  open  vessel,  he  could  scarcely 
obtain  one  ounce.  These  particulars  of 
the  fermentation  of  milk,  are  considered, 
by  Dr.  Grieve,  as  an  interesting  addition 
to  the  facts  concerning  fermentation  in 
general;  a subject,  as  he  properly  remarks, 
both  very  obscure  and  imperfectly  under- 
stood. It  may  not  be  improper  to  add  the 
description  which  Dr.  Grieve  gives  of  the 
koumiss  bag  which  he  purchased-— -«  This 


' bag  was  made  of  ahorse’s  hide,  undressed; 
| and,  by  having  been  smoked,  had  acquired 
I a great  degree  of  hardness.  It’s  shape  was 
conical,  like  that  of  a sugar-loaf;  but,  at 
the  same  time,  some  what  triangular,  from 
being  composed  of  three  different  pieces 
set  in  a circular  base,  or  bottom,  of  the 
same  hide.  The  sutures,  or  seams,  which 
were  made  with  tendons,  were  secured  by 
a covering  on  the  outside,  with  a doubling 
of  the  same  skin,  very  closely  secured.  It 
had  a dirty  . appearance,  and  a very  dis- 
agreeable smell.  On  being  asked  the  rea- 
son of  this,  he  said — “ The  remains  of  the 
old  koumiss  were  left,  in  order  to  supply  a 
ferment  to  the  new  milk.”  In  the  whole 
of  these  interesting  accounts,  it  has  been 
the  liberal  design  of  this  learned  physician, 
to  point  out  to  other  gentlemen  of  the  pro- 
fession what  appears  to  him,  and  it  must 
so  appear  to  every  reflecting  mind,  “ a 
powerful  means,  which  may  be  employed, 
by  them,  on  many  occasions,  in  the  cure  of 
diseases.” 

JMethod  of  raising  Potatoes  in  Winter. 

Fill  a tub  about  sixteen  inches  deep 
with  a compost  of  earth,  sand,  and  wood 
ashes ; and,  having  planted  this  artificial 
soil  with  some  sets  of  the  early  round  po- 
tatoe,  place  it  in  a stable,  opposite  an  open 
window,  taking  care  now  and  then  to  water 
the  earth.  These  sets  will  in  all  seasons 
sprout,  and  give  a tolerable  increase  of 
potatoes.  From  sets  planted  in  November, 
Mr.  Agar,  of  York,  took  up,  the  following 
February,  a considerable  number  of  young 
potatoes,  clean  skinned  and  well  flavoured. 

Secret  for  preventing  the  Turnipy  Taste  of 
Butter. 

When  the  milk  is  brought  into  the  dairv. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


4.V2 

to  every  two  gallons  add  a quart  of  boiling 
water;  then  put  up  the  milk,  thus  well 
mixed,  into  thoroughly  clean  and  fresh 
scalded  bowls  or  pans,  to  stand  for  cream. 
By  keeping  strictly  to  this  method,  sweet 
and  wa  ll  tasted  butter  may  be  made  during 
winter  from  the  milk  of  cows  fed  on  tur- 
nips. 

Advantage  of  Oil  Compost,  exemplified  in  the 
Culture  of  Onions. 

The  following  experiment  was  made 
and  published  by  Richard  Townley,  Esq. 
of  Belfield,  a gentleman  well  known  in  the 
agricultural  world.  “ In  the  spring  of  the 
year  1772,”  says  this  gentleman,  “apiece 
of  ground  was  prepared  in  my  garden  for 
onions;  and,  after  the  seed  was  sown  and 
raked  in,  I had  the  usual  quantity  of  oil 
compost  scattered  over  it.  The  ground 
measured  forty-eight  square  yards,  includ- 
ing four  small  paths  left  for  the  convenience 
of  weeding  the  crop.  Great  quantities 
were  pulled  up,  during  the  growth  of  the 
crops,  for  the  use  of  the  family;  great  quan- 
tities given  to  my  labourers  and  poor  neigh- 
bours; and  even  some  thrown  into  my  hog 
yard,  in  order  to  thin  the  crop  properly 
as  it  proceeded  toward  maturity.  On  the 
10th  of  September,  the  crop  was  judged 
to  be  sufficiently  grown,  and  ripe  enough 
for  keeping  during  the  winter.  The  onions 
were  then  taken  up;  and,  after  laying  a 
few  days  to  harden  and  dry  in  the  sun,  they 
were  brought  in  and  weighed,  when  the 
produce  was  found  to  be  three  hundred  and 
four  pounds  of  a very  large  size.  This  pro- 
duce is  six  pounds  and  a half  to  a square 
yard,  or  three  thousand  six  hundred  and  fifty- 
three  pounds  to  a statute  acre;  which,  at 
one  penny  a pound,  the  lowest  price  in  our 
neighbourhood,  amounts  to  a hundred  and 


twenty-seven  pounds,  fourteen,  shillings, 
and  five  pence.  I must  attribute  this  ex- 
traordinary produce  to  the  oil  compost 
alone,  as  the  ground  on  which  the  onions 
( were  sown  had  been  exhausted  by  a con- 
! stant  succession  of  different  crops  for  forty 
years  past,  and  was  beside  of  but  a mid- 
dling quality.” 

Dr.  Maggraf’s  Curious  Chemical  Process  for 
obtaining  Sugar  from  Beet  Roots,  S$c. 

Tiif.  plants  which  Dr.  Maggraf  chemi- 
cally examined,  for  the  purpose  of  extract- 
ing sugar  from  their  roots,  and  which 
yielded  a considerable  quantity,  are  such, 
he  remarks,  as  are  very  common  in  most 
countries,  and  require  neither  a fine  soil 
nor  assiduous  culture,  viz.  White  beets, 
skirrets,  and  red  beets.  “ The  roots  of 
these  three  plants,”  says  the  doctor,  “ yield- 
ed a large  quantity  of  pure  sugar.  You 
may  know  the  roots  of  the  plants  which 
contain  sugar  by  these  characteristics — 
When  you  have  cut  the  roots  in  pieces,  and 
wiped  them  very  clean,  they  have  a very 
agreeable  taste;  and,  if  you  examine  the 
pieces  by  a microscope,  you  will  perceive 
whitish  crystalline  particles,  which  are  a 
true  sugar.  As  sugar  is  a salt  which  dis- 
solves even  in  brandy,  I imagined  that  the 
sugar  might  be  separated  from  the  parts 
of  plants  by  means  of  the  best  and  strongest 
brandy  I could  get.  Previously  to  deter- 
mine the  quantity  of  sugar  dissolvable  this 
way,  I put  into  a glass  an  ounce  of  the 
finest  and  best  sugar,  well  pulverized,  to- 
gether with  four  ounces  of  the  strongest 
brandy.  The  whole  being  well  digested, 
I boiled  them  together,  and  the  sugar  was 
soon  perfectly  dissolved.  While  this  so- 
lution was  yet  warm,  I strained  it,  through 
a linen  cloth,  into  another  glass.  I corked 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


453 


it  close;  and,  after  it  had  stood  eight  days, 
I had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  sugar  form 
itself  anew  into  very  fine  crystals.  To 
succeed  in  this  experiment,  the  sugar  and 
glass  must  be  quite  dry,  and  the  brandy 
well  rectified.  Having  by  this  experiment 
prepared  the  way,  I took  the  roots  of  white 
beets ; and,  after  cuting  them  into  small 
slices,  I laid  them  by  the  fire  to  dry,  taking 
care  not  to  burn  them.  I then  reduced 
them  to  a coarse  powder,  and  laid  it  to 
dry  a second  time,  because  it  is  very  apt 
to  contract  moisture.  While  this  coarse 
powder  was  yet  warm,  I put  eight  ounces 
of  it  into  a glass  vessel ; and  poured  on  it 
sixteen  ounces  of  brandy,  so  strong  that  it 
fired  gunpowder.  The  vessel  was  above 
half  full ; and,  having  corked  it  close,  I 
set  it  in  a sand  heat  till  the  brandy  began 
to  boil;  stirring  it  from  time  to  time,  that 
the  powder  might  not  settle  at  the  bottom. 
As  soon  as  the  brandy  began  to  boil,  I 
took  the  vessel  off  the  fire,  and  poured  the 
mixture  as  quickly  as  possible  into  a clean 
bag,  which  I pressed  well  to  squeeze  out 
all  the  liquor.  I then  passed  this  liquor 
through  a linen  cloth,  while  it  was  yet 
warm,  put  it  into  a glass  vessel  well  corked, 
and  set  it  in  a warm  place.  The  liquor  was 
at  first  turbid;  but,  after  some  weeks,  a 
crystalline  sediment  appeared,  which  had 
all  the  characters  of  an  impure  sugar,  and 
was  full  of  very  hard  crystals.  To  purify 
them  yet  more,  1 dissolved  them  a second 
time  in  brandy,  and  proceeded  in  the 
same  manner  as  I had  done  with  the 
real  sugar.  By  this  method,  which  was 
the  first  that  I tried,  I obtained  from  the 
three  roots  above  mentioned  the  following 
quantities  of  sugar — From  half  a pound  of 
white  beets,  half  an  ounce  of  pure  sugar  ; 
from  half  a pound  of  skirrets,  an  ounce  and 


j a half  ; and,  from  half  a pound  of  red  beets, 
an  ounce.  It  is  evident,  from  these  ex- 
periments, that  lime  water  is  not  at  all  ne- 
cessary to  dry  and  thicken  the  sugar,  as 
some  pretend,  since  the  sugar  crystallizes 
without  it.  Being  thus  assured  that  there 
was  real  sugar  in  plants,  I endeavoured  to 
find  out  a less  expensive  manner  of  extract- 
ing it:  and  the  best  way  seemed  to  me,  first 
to  press  out  the  juice  of  the  plants;  then 
to  purify  this  juice,  and  to  prepare  it  for 
crystallizing  by  evaporation ; and,  lastly, 
to  purify  the  crystals  that  proceeded  from 
it.  I cut,  while  fresh,  the  roots  of  a cer- 
tain quantity  of  skirrets,  into  pieces,  and 
pounded  them  as  small  as  possible  in  an 
iron  mortar.  I then  put  them  into  a linen 
bag,  and  pressed  out  the  juice  in  a press  pre- 
pared for  the  purpose.  After  this,  I poured 
water  upon  the  roots  remaining  in  the  bag, 
and  pressed  them  a second  time.  I then 
put  the  liquor  all  together  into  a very  clean 
vessel,  and  let  it  stand  to  settle,  in  a cool 
place,  for  forty-eight  hours  ; in  which  time 
it  became  clear,  and  a mealy  substance 
settled  to  the  bottom.  I then  poured  off 
the  liquor  gently,  and  passed  it  through  a 
linen  cloth  into  another  vessel.  The  first 
clarification  being  thus  made,  I put  some 
whites  of  eggs  to  the  juice,  and  boiled  it 
in  a brass  pan;  scumming  it  continuallv, 
till  no  farther  impurities  appeared  on  the 
surface.  I then  passed  it  through  a linen 
cloth,  and  the  liquor  was  as  transparent  as 
the  clearest  wine.  I boiled  it  again,  in  a 
less  pan,  till  it  was  considerably  decreased, 
and  so,  again  and  again,  in  yet  less  vessels, 
till  there  remained  only  a pretty  thick  syrup, 
which  I put  into  a very  clean  glass  vessel, 
and  set  it  in  a warm  place.  I let  it  stand 
above  six  months,  and  then  found  the  su- 
gar sticking  to  the  sides  of  the  glass  in  the 
5 Y 


454 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


form  of  little  crystals.  To  purify  these 
crystals,  I put  the  vessel  into  warm  water; 
and,  when  the  heat  had  penetrated  the  glass, 
so  as  to  render  the  mixture  fluid,  I poured 
both  the  liquor  and  crystals  into  an  earthen 
vessel,  broad  at  top  and  narrow  at  bottom, 
and  the  bottom  perforated  with  several 
holes.  This  vessel  I put  into  another;  and, 
covering  both  up,  set  them  in  a temperate 
place.  By  these  means,  the  syrup  gradu- 
ally dropped  into  the  lower  vessel,  and 
the  crystals  were  left  in  the  upper.  This 
crude  sugar  I then  put  into  blotting  paper 
folded  different  ways,  and  pressed  it  lightly 
in  a press.  This  dried  it,  and  rendered  it 
more  pure,  the  paper  imbibing  a good  deal 
of  the  tenacious  viscid  syrup  which  yet 
stuck  to  the  sugar.  The  sugar,  thus  cleaned' 
from  the  greater  part  of  it’s  impurities,  I 
dissolved  again  in  water,  passed  it  through 
a clean  linen  cloth,  and  boiled  it  to  the 
consistence  of  a thick  syrup;  then,  put- 
ting to  it  a little  lime  water,  boiled  it  gently 
till  it  became  ropy.  I now  took  it  off  the 
Are,  and  stirred  it  about  till  it  cooled  and 
thickened  a little;  after  which,  I poured  it 
into  a well  burned  earthen  vessel  in  the 
form  of  a cone,  closed  at  the  small  end  with 
a wooden  stopper;  which  vessel  I put  into 
others  that  were  deeper,  and  set  them  in  a 
temperate  place.  In  a few  days,  the  sugar 
became  tolerably  hard,  and  full  of  crystals; 
and,  when  it  had  stood  eight  days,  I took 
out  the  stopper,  and  set  the  vessel  in  a 
warm  place,  that  the  syrup  might  run  off. 
This  syrup  is  fit  for  the  same  uses  as  com- 
mon treacle  ; and  the  sugar,  after  drying, 
and  purifying  by  means  of  the  blotting 
paper,  as  before,  is  equal  to  the  best  brown 
sugar  of  St.  Thomas,  commonly  called 
muscovado.  By  a similar  process,  sugar 
may  be  extracted  from  red  and  white  beets. 


The  sugar  of  skirrets  is  of  a better  quality 
than  that  of  red  beets,  but  the  sugar  of 
white  beets  is  best  of  all.  I endeavoured 
to  extract  sugar  from  the  stems  and  leaves 
of  these  plants,  but  could  obtain  from  them 
only  a sort  of  tartar.  It  is  very  remarkable, 
that  the  roots  of  these  plants  should  con- 
tain sugar,  and  that  the  stem  and  leaves 
should  be  entirely  destitute  of  it.  These 
experiments  may  be  useful  to  country  peo- 
ple in  low  circumstances;  who,  instead  of 
buying  sugar,  which  is  very  dear,  may  ob- 
tain it  from  the  plants  at  their  own  door. 
They  need  not  go  through  all  the  steps  of 
the  foregoing  process.  It  may  suffice,  to 
express  the  juice,  to  strain  and  purify  it  a 
little,  and  then  to  boil  it  down  to  the  con- 
sistence of  a syrup.”  The  doctor  observes, 
that  it  will  in  this  state  certainly  be  more 
pure  than  the  gross  treacle  of  the  shops. 
“Beside,”  he  adds,  “ we  learn,  from  these 
experiments,  that  those  countries  which 
produce  the  sugar  cane,  are  not  the  only 
ones  which  nature  has  furnished  with  su- 
gar. I made  trials  on  several  other  veget- 
ables, beside  those  I have  mentioned.  I 
could  obtain  no  sugar  from  carrots;  the 
juice  they  yielded  was  extremely  sweet, 
but  it  resembled  honey  rather  than  sugar. 
Parsnips  yielded  a little  sugar.  Two 
species  of  dogs  grass  yielded  a very  sweet 
juice,  but  not  sugar.  The  juice  of  the 
birch  tree  yielded  a sort  of  manna.” 

Dr.  Hunter’s  Experimental  Hints  for  the  Dis- 
tillation of  Proof  Spirit  from  Carrots,  8$c. 

By  the  foregoing  experiments  of  Dr. 
Marggraf,  Dr.  Hunter  considers  it  as  abun- 
dantly evident,  that  many,  common  roots 
of  this  country  contain  a large  share  of 
saccharine  juice;  they  are,  consequently, 
capable  of  being  converted  into  wine. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


spirit,  and  vinegar.  “ To  determine  this 
point,  I took,”  says  Dr.  Hunter,  “ twenty- 
four  bushels  of  carrots,  in  October  1773. 
After  they  had  been  washed,  topped,  and 
tailed,  I put  them  into  a large  brewing 
copper  with  four  gallons  of  water  ; and,  co- 
vering them  up  with  cloths,  to  hasten  the 
maceration,  I ordered  a fire  to  be  kindled 
"beneath,  which  in  a short  time  reduced 
the  whole  into  a tender  pulp.  They  were 
then  put  into  a common  screw  press,  and 
the  juice  was  taken  from  them;  which, 

u m i 

together  with  liquor  left  in  the  copper, 
was  run  through  a flannel  bag.  The  juice 
was  then  returned  into  the  copper;  and, 
as  it  was  my  first  design  to  make  it  into 
ale,  I put  to  it  a proportionable  quantity 
of  hops.  The  liquor  was  then  boiled  about 
an  hour,  when  it  acquired  both  the  taste 
and  colour  of  wort.  It  was  next  put  into 
a cooler ; and  afterward  into  a working 
vessel,  where  the  yeast  was  added  to  it. 
It  worked  kindly;  and,  in  all  respects,  was 
treated  as  ale.  I allowed  it  to  remain  in  the 
cask  about  four  months;  when  I broached 
it,  but  found  it  of  a thick  and  muddy  ap- 
pearance. I attempted  to  fine  it,  but  in 
vain.  The  taste  was  by  no  means  displeas- 
ing, as  it  much  resembled  malt  liquor. 
My  first  intention  being  frustrated,  I threw 
it  into  the  still,  being  about  forty  gallons 
in  measure;  and,  by  two  distillations,  ob- 
tained four  gallons  of  a clean  proof  spirit. 
It  had,  however,  contracted  a flavour  from 
the  hop,  which  should  be  left  out  when  the 
intention  is  to  reduce  the  liquor  into  spirit. 
From  a gross  calculation,  I am  induced  to 
think  that  a good  acre  of  carrots,  manu- 
factured in  this  manner,  will  leave  a profit 
of  forty  pounds,  after,  deducting  the  land- 
lord’s rent,  cultivation,  distillation,  and 
ether  incidental  expences.  In  this  calcu- 


455 

lation,  I presume  the  spirit  to  be  worth  six 
shillings  a gallon,  and  not  excised.  An 
acre  of  barley  w ill  by  no  means  produce  so 
much  spirit.  A rich  sandy  loam  is  the 
best  land  for  carrots;  w'hich,  after  the  crop 
is  removed,  will  be  in  high  cultivation  for 
corn.  The  success  of  my  trial  will,  I flat- 
ter myself,  be  the  means  of  inducingothers 
to  repeat  the  experiment,  with  a view'  to 
determine  how  far  the  growth  of  carrots 
for  the  use  of  the  distilleries  might  be  con- 
sidered in  the  light  of  a national  advan- 
tage.” Dr.  Hunter  farther  observes,  that 
as  carrot  seed,  which  must  be  sown  early, 
remains  a long  time  in  the  ground,  the 
weeds  frequently  spoil  the  crop;  to  pre- 
vent which,  the  following  method  has  been 
found  effectual — Mix  the  carrot  seed  to  be 
sown  with  full  five  times  it’s  quantity  of 
earth  ; and,  moistening  the  whole  with  wa- 
ter, turn  it  over  every  second  day  with  a 
shovel,  till  the  seed  begins  to  swrell  and 
sprout.  It  may  then  be  sown  along  with 
the  earth,  and  will  vegetate  before  the 
weeds. 

Art  of  making  Oil  Compost. 

Break  twelve  pounds  of  North  Ameri- 
can potash  into  small  pieces,  and  put  it 
into  a convenient  vessel  with  four  gallons 
of  water.  Let  the  mixture  stand  forty- 
eight  hours,  and  then  add  fourteen  gallons 
of  coarse  train  oil.  In  a few  days,  the  salt 
will  be  dissolved  ;.  and  the  mixture,  on  stir- 
ring, will  become  nearly  uniform.  Then  pour 
it  on  fourteen  bushels  of  sand,  or  twenty 
of  dry  mould  ; and,  adding  as  much  fresh 
horse  dung  as  will  bring  on  heat  and  fer- 
mentation, the  compost  will  in  six  months 
be  fit  for  use.  Dr.  Hunter  thinks,  that  all 
sorts  of  soils  may  be  benefited  by  this 
manure;  but  that  limestone,  gravelly,  san- 


456 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


dv,  and  chalky  soils,  seem  to  require  it  most.  ! 
lo  lands  which  have  been  exhausted  by  |! 
frequent  crops,  being  thus  robbed  of  their 
oily  particles,  and  consequently  become  ] 
barren,  the  oil  compost,  as  it  plentifully 
affords  particles  similar  to  those  carried  off, 
has  a fair  appearance  of  proving  an  excel- 
lent restorative.  Rich  loams,  and  good 
clays,  the  doctor  remarks,  having  nourish- 
ment within  themselves,  stand  more  in 
need  of  the  plough  than  of  the  dunghill. 
The  oil  compost  should  not  be  used  too 
liberally,  without  some  considerable  expo- 
sure to  the  influence  of  the  air  3 lest  the 
alkaline  salt  burn  up  the  roots  of  the  plant, 
and  hinder  vegetation.  Indeed,  for  the 
convenience  of  carriage,  no  more  earth  is 
directed  to  be  used  than  will  effectually 
take  up  the  liquid  ingredients;  but,  if  the 
farmer  chuses  to  mix  up  the  oil  compost 
with  the  mould  of  his  field,  it  will  be  ad- 
visable to  use  a much  larger  portion  of 
earth,  by  which  means  he  may  distribute  j 
it  with  more  regularity  over  the  surface. 
All  kinds  of  cattle  must  be  kept  oft'  the 
lands  for  some  time,  as  they  will  bite  the 
grass  too  close,  in  search  of  the  contained 
salt  of  the  compost.  The  oil  compost  is 
chiefly  intended  to  supply  the  place  of 
rape  dust,  soot,  woollen  rags,  and  other 
expensive  hand  dressings;  but  Dr.  Hun-  j 
ter  is  of  opinion  that  rotten  dung,  where 
it  can  be  obtained,  is  in  all  respects  supe-  j 
rior  to  this  and  every  other  manure. 

Excellent  Tartar  and  Russian  Method  of  ’pre- 
paring Beef  SCc.  for  a Journey , or  Cold 
Repast. 

The  Tartars  put  under  aheavy  weight  lean 
beef  well  rubbed  over  with  salt;  and  let  it  re- 
main ten  or  twelve  days,  till  no  more  liquor 
runs  from  it;  exactly,  indeed,  as  we  salt 


beef  for  the  navy.  This  beef  is  then  chop- 
ped and  pounded,  just  like  potted  beef 
with  us.  1 hey  next  add  some  sugar  and 
pepper,  with  whole  pepper,  clarified  but- 
ter, and  crumbs  of  bread,  and  work  all  well 
together.  It  is  lastly  rolled  out  into  cakes, 
like  pancakes,  and  thoroughly  dried;  when 
it  will  keep  long,  and  is  quite  excellent. 
The  Russians  have  improved  on  this  me- 
thod. They  add  bits  of  fat  bacon,  and  tie 
it  up  in  bladders  or  pots.  After  it  has  re- 
mained three  weeks,  it  far  exceeds  either 
common  potted  beef  or  Bologna  sausages. 
It  is  neither  to  be  boiled  nor  roasted  but 
eaten  as  it  is,  being  sufficiently  dressed  by 
the  mode  of  curing  and  drying.  The  Tar- 
tars say,  that  the  flesh  of  a young  horse  is 
still  better  than  beef.  They  easily  carry, 
prepared  in  this  way,  provision  for  a jour- 
ney of  many  days,  and  even  weeks.  The 
Russian  method  is  very  delicate;  but,  un- 
less the  whole  be  hard  dried,  there  must  be 
no  mixture  of  bread. 

Rich  Russian  Rye  Flour  Cakes. 

These  fine  rich  Russian  cakes  are  made 
in  the  following  manner — Make  well  sifted 
rice  flour,  no  other  will  do,  into  a tolerably 
stiff  paste,  w ith  considerably  more  yolks 
than  whites  of  eggs,  and  some  milk.  Then 
add  pulp  of  apples,  a quantity  of  fine  sugar 
equal  to  half  the  weight  of  the  flour,  and 
butter  to  three  quarters  the  weight  of  flour; 
with  cinnamon,  cloves,  mace,  or  nutmeg, 
all  or  either,  as  most  agreeable  to  palate; 
and  Turkish  or  Russian  candied  or  moist 
sweetmeats.  Let  it  rise  before  the  fire; 
then  form  it  into  cakes  like  pancakes,  but 
not  larger  than  a saucer ; and  bake  them 
in  a moderate  oven.  The  apples  must  be 
tart;  if  they  are  not,  some  crab  or  wild 
apple  pulp  is  added,  or  the  juice  of  barber 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ries.  The  taste  is  not  unlike  that  of  mince 
pie,  but  the  tartness  must  not  too  much 
prevail.  They  also  vary  them,  by  putting 
in  cleaned  and  skinned  walnuts  with  the 
sweetmeats  ; and  pulp  of  peaches,  apricots, 
raspberries,  &c.  according  to  the  season, 
or  preserves.  These  cakes  must  be,  in  con- 
sistency, like  what  we  call  bride  cake ; and, 
when  properly  made,  they  are  extremely 
rich  and  delicate. 

Russian  Method  of  Dressing  a Calf's  Head. 

AFTER  being  well  cleaned,  it  is  boiled 
gently  in  sugar  and  water,  till  the  bones 
will  separate ; when  they  are  taken  out, 
and  the  meat  is  cut  into  slices:  the  cheeks, 
however,  being  kept  whole.  It  is  then 
stewed  again,  in  the  same  liquid,  till  quite 
tender,  and  almost  a jelly.  Before  it  is 
entirely  done,  nicely  picked  whole  raisins 
are  put  in;  and,  when  they  are  plump, 
the  dish  in  which  it  is  stewed  being  taken 
off  the  fire,  , and  the  sauce  examined,  a pro- 
per quantity  of  sugar  is  added,  or  more 
vinegar,  to  make  it  an  agreeable  mixture 
of  acid  and  sweet.  The  brains,  and  the 
tongue,  are  dished  up  separately;  and  the 
sauce  is  thickened,  and  receives  the  addi- 
tion of  a very  little  red  wine.  The  Russians 
sometimes  add  cranberry  j uice ; but  always 
some  whole  pepper,  though  not  often  much. 
This  is  considered,  in  Russia,  as  an  old  na- 
tional dish,  and  is  by  no  means  unplea- 
sant eating. 

Russian  Dish  of  Fried  Calf’s  Liver . 

The  liver  of  a calf  is  cut  into  thin  slices, 
well  washed,  and  soaked  all  night  in  strong 
vinegar:  it  is  then  fried  with  bits  of  fat, 
and  slices  of  lard ; and,  when  it  is  done, 
dredged  wrell  with  flour.  It  is  put  into  a 
dish,  which  has  been  previously  covered 


457 

with  onions  minced  so  extremely  small 
as  to  appear  as  if  mashed;  and,  if  the  liver 
be  not  sour  enough,  mixed  with  a little 
vinegar.  Some  boiling  water,  and  about 
a tea-spoonful  of  ketchup,  are  added  in  the 
frying  pan,  for  sauce,  the  fat  being  taken 
off  before  it  is  put  in  the  dish. 

Art  of  Gilding  Iron  or  Steel. 

Dissolve,  in  aqua  regia,  with  the  assis- 
tance of  a little  heat,  as  much  gold  as  will 
fully  saturate  it;  then,  adding  cream  of 
tartar,  form  it  into  a paste.  Any  bright 
piece  of  steel  or  iron,  such  as  the  blade  of 
a knife  or  razor,  &c.  being  first  wetted 
with  wrater,  or  saliva,  and  then  rubbed  wfith 
this  paste,  will  be  instantly  gilded  in  a 
beautiful  manner;  after  which,  it  is  to  be 
washed  with  cold  water.  If  a thicker  coat 
of  gold  be  desired,  gold  leaf  may  be  laid 
on,  and  burnished  hard,  when  it  will  ad- 
here to  the  first  gilding;  and,  if  the  nature 
of  the  thing  gilded  will  admit  of  heat,  by 
warming  it,  but  not  so  as  to  become  red 
hot,  and  then  burnishing  it,  any  thickness 
of  gilding  may  be  easily  added. 

Art  of  Silvering. 

Dissolve  silver  in  aqua  fortis,  and  then 
add  to  it  a little  hot  water  in  w’hich  salt 
has  previously  been  dissolved,  wdien  a white 
precipitate  will  immediately  be  seen  fall- 
ing to  the  bottom.  Continue  pouring  in, 
gradually,  additional  water,  till  there  is  no 
longer  any  precipitation.  Pour  off  the 
w'ater,  and  put  on  fresh,  two  or  three  times; 
then  make  the  wdiole  into  a paste,  with 
equal  quantities  of  common  salt  and  cream 
of  tartar.  The  method  of  using  it  is  by 
adding  water,  and  rubbing  it  on  very  bright 
and  clean  copper  or  brass.  Then  wash  it 
clean  off  with  water;  immediately  dry  it: 
& Z 


458  FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


and  put  on  it  a thin  varnish,  such  as  copal 
©r  sandarac,  otherwise  it’s  beautiful  ap- 
pearance will  in  a day  or  two  become 
changed.  Clock  dial  plates,  &c.  are  thus 
silvered,  and  the  process  is  both  easy  and 
cheap. 

Moldavian  Method  of  making  all  Sorts  of 
Wines  Sparkle,  8$c. 

In  Moldavia,  the  wines  in  general  are 
very  light,  much  resembling  petit  Bor go- 
gne.  Sparkling  wines  are  esteemed  whole- 
some; and,  in  many  cases,  even  highly 
useful  for  medicinal  purposes : they  con- 
tain, indeed,  as  much  fixed  air.  as-  most  of 
the  best  mineral  waters.  The  method  pre- 
ferred by  the  Moldavians  for  communicat- 
ing this  effect;  is  by  putting  three  ounces 
of  nitre  to  about  twelve  quarts  of  wine 
when  bottled.  A little  sugar  or  raisins, 
however,  as  practised  with  us,  will,  do; 
but  wine  made  this  way  brisk,  is  very  apt, 
if  long  kept,  to  become  vinegar.  When 
they  are  desirous  of  having,  strong^bodied 
wines,  they  add  sugar;  or  even  honey  that 
runs  from  the  combs,  which  we  call  virgin 
honey,  and  which  does  not  impart  to  wine 
a mead  or  honey  taste,  like  the  common 
honey.  The  quantity  of  sweetening  is  de- 
termined by  the  palate  of  the  maker;  who 
generally  aims  to  obtain  a-must  equal  to 
that  of  full  ripe  and  rich  grapes.  It  has 
been  found,  that  unripe  grapes,  with  the 
addition  of  sugar,  will  produce  a wine  not 
distinguishable  from  what  is  made  with 
ripe  grapes.  They  make  a most  delicious 
wine,  or  cyder,  by  adding  sugar  to  the 
juice  of  wild  apples,  or  crabs,  and  a perry 
with  wild  pears.  These  trees  are  very 
large,  and  the  fruits  are  quite  sour.  They 
never,  on  any  occasion,  mix  water:  as  the 
watery  taste  cannot,  they  say,  ever  be  re- 


moved by  the  addition  of  sugar;  but  the- 
wine,  however  strong,  will  still  retain  a 
watery  taste.  They  make  a delicious  bit- 
ter'wine,  by  the  addition  of  a little  of  the 
most  delicate  kind  of  wormwood,  of  which 
there  are  many  sorts,  w ith  the  must,  be- 
fore fermentation  commences.  This  wine 
is  called  pelin,  pronounced  paylecn , and 
is  much  esteemed  in  Russia.  Whatever 
flavour  is  intended  to  be  given  fermented 
liquors,  the  ingredients  should  be  added 
before  fermentation  begins;  as  less  suf- 
fices, and  it  is  more  intimately  blended 
and  assimilated.  In  England,  the  contrary 
practice  commonly  prevails.  A very  small 
quantity  of-  musk,  or  a fewr  drops  of  a 
spirituous  tincture  of.  musk,  heightens  all 
flavours;  but  the  quantity  must  be  very 
little,  that  the  musk  may  not  be  percepti- 
ble. The  effect  is  wonderful.  These  hints 
and  observations,  given  as  they  were  re- 
ceived from  a distinguished  and  most  ob- 
servant traveller,  are  in  point  of  fact  to  be 
fully  confided  in  : and,  as  the  respectable 
communicator  remarks,  they  may,  in  Eng- 
land, where  grapes  seldom  ripen,  be  use- 
fully applied;  at  least,  by  good  housewives. 
Indeed,  they  refer  to  principles  of  much 
importance  in  the  art  of  preparing  wines. . 

Excellent  Varnish  for  Umbrellas,  8$c. 

In  some  foreign  countries,  not  only  um- 
brellas-, but  great  coats;  and  other  articles 
much  exposed  to  the  weather,  are  rendered 
both  sun  and  rain  proof,  by  the  following 
excellent  varnish — Boil  well  together  two 
pounds  of  turpentine,  one  pound  of  litharge 
in  powder,  and  two  or  three  pounds  of  lin- 
seed oil.  When  the  article  is  brushed  over 
with  this- varnish,  it  must  be  dried  in  the 
sun;  after  which,  the  greatest  heat  wilf 
not  affect  it, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


459 


King  Charles  the  Second’s  Surfeit  Water. 

The  surfeit  waters  were  formerly  much 
in  vogue,  and  the  modes  of  preparation 
very  numerous,  but  they  are  now  scarcely 
known  in  medicine.  We  should,  at  least, 
preserve  one  of  them  in  this  collection; 
and,  undoubtedly,  this  is  one  of  the  best — 
Pour  a gallon  of  the  finest  brandy,  a quart 
of  anniseed  cordial  water,  and  a pint  each 
of  poppy  and  red  rose  w aters,  into  a large 
stone  bottle;  on  a pound  of  fine  powdered 
sugar,  a pound  and  a half  of  stoned  jar 
raisins,  a quarter  of  a pound  of  fine  new 
dates  stoned  and  sliced,  an  ounce  each  of 
bruised  cinnamon  and  cloves,  four  pounded 
nutmegs,  and  a stick  of  scraped  and  sliced 
liquorice.  Let  the  whole  infuse  nine  days 
closely  stopped,,  and  well  stirred  or  shook 
four  times  daily.  Then  add  three  pounds 
of  fresh  red  poppy  flowers,  or  three  large 
handfuls  of  dried  flowers;  with  a sprig  of 
angelica,  and  two  or  three  sprigs  of  balm: 
and,  when  it  has  stood  a week  longer,  be- 
ing stirred  or  shook  daily  in  like  manner, 
strain  it  off,  and  bottle  it  for  use. 

Barba  does  Citron  Water . 

Pare  off  the  rinds  of  ten  citrons,  and 
dry  them  very  well.  In  the  mean  time, 
squeeze  out  the  juice,  and  beat  all  the  rest 
of  the  citrons  together  in  a mortar,  till  the 
whole  becomes  a compleat  mash  with  the 
juice ; put  it  in  a gallon  of  brandy,  stop 
it  up  close,  Jet  it  stand  nine  days,  and  then 
distill  it.  The  dried  rinds,  beaten  to  pow- 
der, being  now  infused  nine  days,  in  this 
spirit,  distill  it  over  again ; sweeten  it  to 
palate  with  double  refined  sugar,  let  it  stand 
in  a large  jar  for  three  weeks,  and  then 
bottle  it  off.  This  is  the  true  Barbadoes 
receipt  for  preparing  citron  water. 


Bussian  Fish  Pies , or  Pasties , 8(c. 

The  old  Russian  cookery  consisted,  and 
still  consists  among  I he  lower  and  middling 
ranks  in  life,  principally  of  pies  or  pasties; 
not  made  in  dishes,  but  merely  inclosed  by 
a good  standing  crust,  like  those  country 
pies  or  pasties  called  in  England  turn- 
overs. Thus*  frequently,  even  a whole 
salmon,  either  salted  or  fresh,  being  scraped 
and  well  cleaned,  for  the  Russians  are  very 
nice  in  washing  all  their  fish  and  meats, 
the  inside  is  filled  with  onions,  boiled  car- 
rots cut  into  round  slices  the  cross  way, 
and  hard  boiled  eggs  chopped  small,  sea- 
soned with  pepper  and  salt,  and  covered 
up  in  a large  round  sheet  of  paste  doubled 
over  in  a sort  of  half  moon  form,  and  neatly 
closed  by  pinching  round  the  circular  part. 
In  this  manner,  all  sorts  of  fish  are  dressed ; 
the  stuffings  being  often  varied,  and  some- 
times composed  of  sour  crout.  Meat  pies, 
are  prepared  in  a similar  way.  The  Rus- 
sians, however,  are  also  fond  of  ragouts, 
and  boiled  or  roasted  fish  and  meats,  very 
much  done.  They  have,  likewise,  two 
kinds  of  favourite  soups,  one  or  other  of 
which  is  every  day  dressed.,  The  first  of 
these  soups  called  shchee,  is  made  of  sour 
crout,  and  a very  pleasant  sort  of  tartish  . 
small  beer,  named  quass,  with  onions,  ba- 
con, and  beef,  or  mutton  highly  seasoned. 
This  is  quite  excellent;  but,  on  fast  days, 
fish  .is  substituted  for  the  meat.  The  other 
soup  is  called  borsh;  and  the  chief  differ- 
ence between  them  is,  that  salted  beetroot 
is  substituted  for  the  sour  crout. 

Tartar  Method  of  Preserving  Meat. 

This  is  described,  by  the.  respectable- 
communicator,  as  a.most  excellent  method i 
of  preserving  meat,  and  making  it  tender. 


460 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


as  well  as  improving  it’s  flavour— Put,  the 
meat  in  milk,  ami  lay  a weight  on  it;  when 
the  milk  will  become  sour,  but  not  putrid,  1 
and  the  flavour  of  the  meat  be  much  im-  j 
proved.  This  mode  is  not  to  be  despised,  i 
either  for  it’s  extreme  simplicity,  or  be- 
cause it  is  practised  by  the  Tartars  of  the 
Crimea;  who  are,  indeed,  a very  clean  peo- 
ple, with  the  exception  of  their  eating  horse 
flesh,  which  we  may  not,  as  they  certainly 
do,  think  a dainty. 

Excellent  Turkish  Dish,  called  Yaprak. 

Put  into  a deep  saucepan,  with  a little 
water,  some  very  fine  fat  and  lean  mutton; 
cover  it  with  fine  young  vine  leaves,  which 
must  be  taken  out  when  tender;  and  stew 
it  till  sufficiently  done:  then,  taking  up 
the  meat,  mince  it  very  small.  Have  ready 
some  boiled  rice  nearly  done,  and  a few 
chopped  onions;  mix  the  whole,  and  sea- 
son it  well  with  salt  and  pepper.  Add  to 
it,  a little  of  the  pulp  of  love  apples:  or, 
when  they  are  not  in  season,  some  unripe 
grape  acid,  or  verjuice;  which,  in  food, 
assimilates  much  better  than  the  citric  acid, 
or  lemon  juice,  having  no  particular  fla- 
vour of  it’s  own.  Poll  this  mixture  in  j 
vine  leaves,  a little  in  each;  and  make  up 
every  ball  about  the  size  and  shape  of  a 
French  claret  bottle  cork.  Place  a few 
vine  leaves  at  the  bottom  of  a saucepan, 
and  lay  in  the  balls  very  carefully,  with- 
out leaving  any  space  between  them;  then 
pour  in  the  broth,  and  stew  them.  After 
which,  pour  off  the  broth;  mix  it  with  yolk 
of  eggs,  acid,  and  mountain  wine;  make 
it  into  a white  sauce;  and,  pour  it  over  the 
yaprak  balls,  which  have  in  the  mean  while 
been  arranged  in  a dish.  Some  only  scald 
the  leaves,  and  put  in  the  meat  and  rice 
raw;  then  roll  them  up,  and  stew  them  till 


done:  but  this  is  a more  hazardous  way 
than  the  former,  which  seldom  fails  to  prove 
excellent.  The  Turks  generally  eat  this 
delicate  dish  with  some  cream  or  sour  milk, 
called  ya-ourt,  but  it  is  very  good  without 
it.  I he  white  sauce  may  be  made  with 
cream  or  bechamel,  which  will  be  found 
a great  improvement. 

Delicious  Liver  Puddings  in  Skins. 

Grate  the  crumb  of  a three-penny  loaf, 
and  shred  so  finely  a pound  of  marrow  or 
fresh  beef  suet  that  it  will  pass  through  a 
colander.  Having  boiled  a pound  of  hog’s 
liver,  grate  and  sift  that  also  very  fine; 
boil  a quart  of  cream  or  new  milk  with  a 
blade  of  mace,  sweeten  it  well,  grate  in  a 
small  nutmeg,  and  put  it  to  the  rest.  Then 
beat  up  six  eggs,  with  a little  salt,  and  a 
table-spoonful  of  orange-flower  water ; mix 
the  whole  together,  with  or  without  some 
nicely  cleansed  and  plumped  currants ; and 
fill  the  sk  ins. 

Curious  Preparation  of  Carrot  Marmalade, 

chiefly  for  the  Use  of  Seamen  in  long  J oy- 

ages. 

For  this  article  we  are  indebted  to  Dr. 
Hunter;  who  observes,  that  the  great  utili- 
ty of  all  kinds  of  vegetables,  in  curing  and 
preventing  that  species  of  the  scurvy  to 
which  seamen  are  particularly  liable,  is  so 
clearly  ascertained,  that  it  will  be  unneces- 
sary to  employ  any  time  in  the  proof  of  it. 
“ I shall,  therefore,”  says  the  learned  and 
ingenious  doctor,  “ proceed  to  describe  a 
remedy  of  the  vegetable  kingdom,  which 
probably  may  answer  the  happy  purposes 
of  preventing,  mitigating,  or  curing,  the 
sea-scurvy,  and  all  such  diseases  as  derive 
their  origin  from  the  want  of  vegetable 
food.  The  vegetable  I mean  to  recommend 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


is  carrots;  and,  as  it  is  impossible  to  pre- 
serve them,  in  their  natural  state,  for  any 
length  of  time,  we  must  be  content  with  an 
artificial  preparation.  The  following  is 
the  method  I have  successfully  made  use 
of — Take  any  quantity  of  carrots,  in  the 
months  of  September  or  October.  Let 
them  be  topped  and  tailed,  and  afterward 
washed  clean  in  warm  water.  Scrape  them, 
and  cut  them  into  pieces  about  two  inches 
in  length,  throwing  away  such  parts  as  are 
decayed.  Put  the  whole  into  a large  cop- 
per, with  as  much  water  as  will  preserve 
the  bottom  from  burning.  Cover  them  up 
close,  and  light  a moderate  fire  underneath, 
so  that  the  carrots  may  be  stewed  and  soft- 
ened in  the  steam.  When  they  have  be- 
come sufficiently  soft,  let  them  be  mashed 
and  pulped  through  a coarse  sieve.  Then 
take  a quantity  of  loaf  sugar  equal  to  the 
weight  of  the  pulp ; and,  according  to  the 
rules  of  confectionary,  reduce  the  whole 
over  the  fire  to  a proper  consistence:  tak- 
ing care  to  evaporate  all  the  superfluous 
moisture  by  continual  stirring.  Put  this 
marmalade,  when  cold,  into  pots:  covering 
it  over  with  a paper  moistened  in  brandy  ; 
and,  over  that,  such  another  covering  as 
is  generally  recommended  for  conserves. 
This  I consider  as  the  neatest  preparation 
of  carrots,  and  it  may  be  recommended 
to  make  tarts,  dumplins,  &c.  for  the  officers 
tables.  Another  preparation,  for  the  com- 
mon seamen,  may  be  made  with  coarser 
sugar;  and  the  carrots,  instead  of  being 
pulped  through  a sieve,  may  be  mashed  by 
the  circular  stone  employed  in  the  cyder 
mills,  and  afterward  boiled  up  to  a proper 
consistence:  and,  as  this  last  preparation 
will  be  consumed  in  large  quantities,  it 
may  be  put  up  into  small  casks.  The  quan- 
tity intended  for  one  day’s  consumption 


46 1 

should  be  taken  out,  and  mixed,  in  an 
earthen  or  wooden  vessel,  with  as  much 
of  the  strong  spirit  of  vitriol  as  will  give 
it  a grateful  degree  of  acidity  ; after  which, 
it  may  be  used  in  a variety  of  forms.  A 
spoonful  of  this  marmalade,  put  to  a pro- 
per quantity  of  water,  makes  a cool  and 
wholesome  drink  in  fevers,  and  all  disorders 
proceeding  from  putrescency;  and,  pro- 
bably, when  given  in  this  manner,  with  a 
little  brandy,  it  may  become  a general  pre- 
servative against  the  scurvy.  Seamen  may 
also  have  it  in  the  form  of  dumplins,  in  which 
shape  a full  meal  of  vegetable  food  may  be 
afforded  at  a small  expenc.e.  I once  sent  a 
cask  of  this  marmalade  into  the  Mediterra- 
nean, and  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  that 
it  answered  a very  valuable  purpose.  In 
order  to  be  satisfied  that  this  cheap  and 
palatable  antiscorbutic  will  keep  in  a warm, 
climate,  I preserved  some  pots  of  it  for 
twelve  months  in  a room  heated  with  a 
constant  fire,  and  had  the  pleasure  to  ob- 
serve that  it  kept  extremely  well.  I order- 
ed some  of  the  pots  to  be  acidulated,  but 
the  conserve  did  not  then  keep  so  well ; 
so  that  it  is  the  better  way  to  use  the  acid 
occasionally,  as  already  directed.  A palat- 
able mess  may  be  made  as  follows — Take 
carrot  marmalade,  one  large  spoonful ; salop 
powder,  a tea-spoonful.  Acidulate  with  le- 
mon juice,  or  spirit  of  vitriol:  then  add 
warm  water,  half  a pint;  wine,  four  spoon- 
fuls; spices,  a small  portion,  if  required. 
This  mixture  is  highly  antiputrescent  and 
nutritive.  The  health  of  the  British  sea- 
men is  so  essential  to  the  welfare  and  in- 
terest of  these  kingdoms,  that  I flatter  my- 
self every  attempt  which  has  this  great  ob- 
ject in  view  will  meet  with  a favourable  re- 
ception.” The  usefulness  of  carrot  marma- 
lade cannot  possibly  be  doubted. 

6 A 


462 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Turkish  and  Grecian  Ladies  Method  of  Pre- 
sei'ving  their  Teeth. 

In  very  early  youth,  they  accustom  them- 
selves to  keep  their  teeth  constantly  clean. 
They  frequently  rub  the  latter,  in  particu- 
lar, with  a sponge;  and,  if  they  are  any 
where  swelled  or  inflamed,  immediately 
lance  or  prick  them  with  a sharp  instru- 
ment, and  use  warm  water.  They  always, 
iirst  picking  their  teeth  clean,  well  wash 
their  mouths  with  cold  or  lukewarm  water, 
after  eating:  for  this  purpose,  immediately 
on  finishing  a meal,  or  any  repast,  a bason 
is  brought,  with  a cover  half  way  up  full  of 
holes,  or  covered  with  sweet  herbs ; and  a 
jug,  or  vase,  with  a long  spout  like  a tea- 
kettle. Out  of  this,  water  is  poured;  which, 
being  received  into  the  hands  put  together, 
the  mouth  is  filled  and  well  washed.  This 
is  constantly  presented  to  men  as  well  as  wo- 
men, after  eating.  They  first  wash  their  j 
hands,  in  this  manner,  over  the  bason,  and  ! 
then  their  mouths.  What  contributes,  also, 
to  the  preservation  of  the  teeth,  and  is  at  the 
same  time  excellent  for  the  breath,  is  their 
constant  practice  of  chewing  gum  mastich, 
a resinous  gum  which  is  produced  in  Scio, 
all  the  day  long.  A small  part  of  gum 
mastich  being  soluble  in  water,  this  part  i 
is  of  course  extracted  by  chewing,  and 
has  those  beneficial  effects.  It  helps  both 
toclean  and  to  fasten  the  teeth.  After  chew- 
ing the  mastich,  three  or  four  small  bits  j 
at  a time,  for  an  hour  or  two,  it  is  removed,  | 
and  another  like  quantity  used.  The  mas- 
tich thus  chewed  becomes  quite  white. 
The  Turks  and  Greeks  use  no  tooth  pow- 
der. Gum  mastich  even  derives  it’s  name 
from  the  Greek  word  e-**‘**>  mastiche,  chew- 
ing. In  Europe,  smoaking  tobacco  is  es- 
teemed good  for  the  teeth;  or,  at  least,  a 


preservative  against  tooth-ache:  but,  per- 
haps, there  are  very  few  persons  with  re- 
markably rotten  teeth,  or  particularly  sub- 
ject to  the  tooth  ache,  who  have  never 
smoaked  or  chewed  tobacco. 

Bombay  Method  of  Dressing  a Foul. 

The  fowl  being  trussed,  incisions  are 
made  in  every  part,  the  same  as  when  a 
dressed  fowl  is  about  to  be  carved,  but 
without  severing  the  joints.  The  breast 
is  cut  as  for  taking  out  slices,  and  the  legs 
are  scored  across  as  for  making  a devil. 
The  whole  fowl,  inside  and  out,  is  then 
rubbed  well  with  pepper  and  salt,  and  a 
little  Cayenne  pepper,  so  as  to  be  very 
highly  seasoned.  After  this,  it  is  inclosed 
by  a good  thick  paste,  composed  of  flour, 
milk,  and  butter;  one  end  of  which  is  left 
open,  to  fill  it  with  water;  this  being  done, 
it  is  closed  up,  put  into  a cloth,  and  boiled 
three  or  four  hours;  when  it  becomes  a line, 
rich,  and  most  relishing  dish. 

Curious  Mode  of  Staining  the  Eyes,  as  prac - 

Used  by  the  Arabian , Turkish,  and  Circas- 
sian Women,  &;c. 

The  Arabian  women,  and  the  Turkish 
women,  particularly  the  Asiatics,  as  well 
as  the  Circassians,  have  a method  of  stain- 
ing their  eyes.  Travellers  tell  us,  that  the 
Turkish  and  Circassian  women  stain  the 
white  of  their  eyes  with  a blue  cast,  but 
they  do  not  inform  us  in  what  way  this 
is  effected.  It  is  done  as  follows — They 
take  the  purest  black  lead  in  very  fine  pow- 
der; and,  breathing  on  an  ivory  pin,  about 
the  thickness  of  a straw,  made  for  this  pur- 
pose, dip  it  in  the  powder  so  as  thinly  to 
cover  it  with  black.  This  pin  they  put  into 
the  corner  of  the  eye  toward  the  nose;  and, 
shutting  the  eye-lids  at  the  same  time,  and 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


463 


turning  up  the  sight  or  pupil  of  the  eye, 
which  is  painful  if  touched,  they  gently  draw 
the  ivory  pin  to  the  other  corner  of  the  eye: 
when  the  black,  adhering  to  the  eye-lids, 
within  the  lash — that  is,  between  the  ball 
of  the  eye,  and  the  roots  of  the  hair  of  the 
eye-lashes — if  nicely  managed,  forms  a fine 
black  line,  and  actually  imparts  to  the 
white  of  the  eye  an  agreeable  tinge  of  blue. 
Others,  before  their  glass,  apply  the  point 
nicely  to  the  part,;  pulling  the  lid  from  the 
eye  by  means  of  the  lash.  The  great  art 
consists  in  not  putting  too  much  colour  on 
the  pin  or  point  ; if  only  a very  little  be 
used,  it  is  not  perceptible  by  others,  while 
the  effect  is  most  pleasing.  To  those,  also, 
who  have  lost  their  eye-lashes,  this  is  an 
agreeable  substitute,  if  put  on  like  hairs 
with  great  niceness.  This  practice  is  so 
far  from  hurting  the  eyes,  that  it  is  even 
esteemed  very  beneficial- ; by  preventing 
the  reflection  into  the  eye  from  this  part 
of  the  lid,  which  is  naturally  shining  and 
red.  It  is  not  subject  to  come  immediately 
off,  but  will  remain  perfect  a whole  day, 
or  longer.  The  Arabs  in  the  Desart,  both 
men  and  women,  use  it  to  save  their  eyes 
from  the  glare.  The  distinguished  travel- 
ler, by  whom  we  are  favoured  with  this 
communication,  assures  us  that  he  found 
great  benefit  from  it’s  use  in  crossing  those 
burning  sands.  Some  persons,  in  travel- 
ling, who  have  weak  eyes,  rub  with  this 
black  the  whole  outside  of  the  eye-lids  also, 
up  to  their  eye-brows,  and  all  over  the  out- 
side of  the  eye.  This,  he  jocosely  observes, 
has  a worse  effect  than  even  a black  eye 
in  St.  Giles's  ; and,  therefore,  though  it  cer- 
tainly is  a very  great  preserver  of  the  eyes, 
lie  does  not  seriously  recommend  this  lat- 
ter operation  to  be  adopted  for  the  sake  of 
beautifying  the  face  1 


Artificial  Stone  Floors,  and  Coverings  for 

Houses , as  made  in  some  Parts  of  Russia. 

The  floors  and  coverings  of  houses,  in 
some  parts  of  South  Russia,  are  made  in 
the  following  manner — For  a floor,  let  the 
ground  be  made  even,  and  some  stones  of 
any  shape  be  put  on  : and,  with  a heavy 
wooden  rammer,  force  or  beat  the  stones 
into  the  ground;  continuing  to  beat  the 
floor  till  it  become  quite  even,  and  incapa- 
ble of  receiving  any  farther  impression. 
Then  run  lime,  immediately  after  it  has 
been  slacked,  through  a fine  sieve,  as  ex- 
peditiously as  possible,  because  exposure 
to  the  air  weakens  the  lime.  Mix  two 
parts  of  coarse  sand,  or  washed  gravel,  for 
there  must  be  no  earth  in  it,  with  one  part 
of  lime  powder,  and  wet  them  with  bullocks 
blood  ; so  little  moist,  however,  as  merely 
to  prevent  the  lime  from  blowing  away  in 
powder  : in  short,  the  Jess  moist  the  better. 
Spread  it  on  the  floor  ; and,  without  a mo- 
ment’s loss  of  time,  let  several  men  be  ready, 
with  large  beetles,  to  beat  the  mixture, 
which  will  become  more  and  more  moist  by 
the  excessive  beating  requisite.  Then  put 
on  it  some  of  the  dry  sand  and  lime  mixed, 
and  beat  it  till  like  a stone.  If  required  to 
be  very  fine,  take  for  the  next  layer  finely 
sifted  lime,  with  about  a tenth  part  of  rye 
flour,  and  a little  ox  blood  ; beat  it  till  it  be- 
comes a very  stiff  mortar,  and  then  smooth 
it  with  a trowel.  The  next  day,  again 
smooth  it  with  a trowel ; and  so  continue 
to  do,  daily,  till  it  be  entirely  dry.  vVhen 
it  is  quite  dry  and  hard,  rub  it  over  with 
fresh  ox  blood,  taking  off  all  which  it  will 
not  imbibe.  No  wet  will  penetrate  this 
composition  ; which,  however,  after  some 
time,  is  often  painted  with  oil  colours. 
The  whole  floor  appears  as  a single  stone. 


46i 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


arid  nothing  will  affect  it.  The  drier  it  is 
used,  the  better  ; provided  that,  with  much 
beating,  it  becomes  like  a very  stiff  mortar, 
and  evidently  forms  a compact  body.  On 
flat  tops  of  houses,  the  beetle,  or  rammers 
ends  must  be  smaller,  to  prevent  the  re- 
bounding of  the  boards  and  timber,  which 
would  crack  the  cement ; but,  when  the 
thickness  of  a foot  is  laid  on,  it  will  beat 
more  firmly.  A thin  coating  of  ox  blood, 
flour,  and  lime,  being  beat  in  large,  strong, 
wooden  troughs,  or  mortar  till  it  can  be 
spread  with  a trowel,  may  be  used  without 
beating  it  again  on  the  floor  or  house  top  ; 
but  it  must  be  very  stiff,  and  used  most  ex- 
peditiously. Even  frost  will  not  affect  it. 
With  this  composition,  artificial  stone  may  be 
made,  rammed  very  hard  into  strong  wooden 
frames  of  the  required  shape;  particularly, 
to  turn  arches  for  buildings  of  rammed 
earth.  It  is  well  known,  that  earth  which 
is  not  too  argillaceous,  with  only  the  mois- 
ture it  has  when  fresh  dug,  on  being  ram- 
med between  frames  of  wood  till  the  ram- 
mer will  no  longer  impress  it,  makes  eternal 
walls  ; but  a mass  as  hard  as  stone  may  be 
made  with  a little  lime  added  to  sand,  horse 
dung,  and  ox  blood.  The  more  the  lime 
is  beaten,  the  moister  it  becomes;  and  it 
must  contain  so  much  moisture  as  to  be- 
come, by  beating,  a solid  mass,  adhering 
in  all  it’s  parts,  and  not  remain  crumbling, 
that  will  properly  set  as  mortar.  If  there 
be  too  little  moisture,  at  first,  it  will  remain 
a powder;  if  there  be  too  much,  it  will  be- 
come a soft  mortar.  Lime  is  of  no  use, 
mixed  with  clay  or  vegetable  earths ; which, 
if  well  beaten,  are  stronger  without  it. 

Mr.  Eton’s  Experimental  Remarks  on  the 
Mortar  of  the  Ancients. 

This  ingenious  gentleman,  the  celebrat- 


ed author  of  the  Survey  of  the  Turkish  Em- 
pire, to  whom  this  collection  hns  manv  ob- 
ligations, has  communicated,  from  a manu- 
script Dissertation  on  the  Mortar  of  the 
Ancients,  the  following  particulars  of  his 
experience — “Some  years  ago,”  says  Mr. 
Eton,  “ I repeated  all  the  experiments  of 
M.  de  I -oriot,  and  Dr.  Higgins;  but,  with 
little  success.  I have  examined  the  mor- 
tars of  buildings  that  have  stood  many  cen- 
turies. Some  are  as  hard,  or  harder  than 
the  stone;  some,  quite  crumbly.  I am 
convinced,  time  will  not  give  hardness  to 
a bad  mortar.  I have  examined  other 
walls,  that  I have  seen  built  a few  years  ago, 
and  found  them  as  hard  as  stone.  The 
whole  secret,  I am  fully  convinced,  consist- 
ed only  in  the  choice  of  the  lime  stone,  and 
the  using  the  lime  immediately  after  it  was 
slacked.  There  are  stones,  in  many  parts 
of  England,  which  will  produce  lime  capa- 
ble of  making  a mortar  that  will  become 
almost  of  a flinty  hardness  in  a few  months, 
and  lorm  what  is  called  artificial  stone. 
Most  ot  our  old  churches  in  England  were 
built  with  such  mortar,  of  which  our  ances- 
tors had  the  knowledge.  This  lime  stone 
is  well  known;  but  it  is  only  used  for  par- 
ticular purposes,  as  the  carriage  to  a dis- 
tance is  expensive.  This  is  the  result  of 
very  diligent  researches;  and  of  many  ex- 
periments, made  with  great  attention.  I 
have  also  observed,  that  the  mortar  of  foun- 
dations, and  the  lower  part  of  houses,  which 
remained  long  moist,  and  had  a great  weight 
on  it,  was  much  harder  than  that  of  the 
superstructure ; and,  the  higher  up,  the 
worst  mortar.  A great  deal,  however,  de- 
pends on  the  sand,  which  must  not  be  with 
any  mixture  of  shells,  or  other  calcareous 
matter,  or  contain  salt.  It  must  be  purely 
silicious.  If,  with  the  best  lime  stone  lime. 


4 65 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  mortar  be  made  with  pozzolana,  it 
will,  particularly  when  kept  some  time 
moist,  make  in  a few  months  a substance 
full  as  hard  as  Portland  stone.  This  I have 
found  by  experiments.  Though  pozzola- 
na, with  tolerably  good  lime,  and  such  as 
will  make  but  very  middling  hard  mortar 
with  common  sand,  will  make  a very  hard 
mortar  as  long  as  it  remains  under  water  ; 
yet,  if  it  be  exposed  to  siccity,  or  dryness, 
it  is  only  a little  better  than  mortar  made 
with  sand,  though  certainly  it  is  better. 
The  Italians,  most  undoubtedly  excel  in 
building  under  water,  but  their  method  is 
very  slow.  It  might  be  much  more  expe- 
ditious; and,  consequently,  much  less  ex- 
pensive. Very  large  caissons,  expeditious- 
ly filled  with  stones  and  pozzolana  mortar 
— and,  before  it  hardens,  let  down,  and 
emptied,  when  at  the  bottom,  into  the  frame 
of  piling — would  fill  it  in  one  tenth  of  the 
time  rendered  necessary  by  their  present 
method  of  building. 

Method  of  making  Verjuice. 

Though,  in  a general  sense,  verjuice  is 
the  acid  liquor  expressed  from  wild  and  aus- 
tere grapes  or  apples,  and  incapable  of  mak- 
ing either  wine  or  cyder,  it  is  in  England 
chiefly  confined  to  signify  the  green  juice 
of  our  crabs  or  wild  apples  only.  The  me- 
thod of  preparing  it  is  simply  as  follows — 
Gather  crabs,  as  soon  as  the  kernels  turn 
black,  and  lay  them  in  a heap  to  sweat ; 
then  pick  out  the  stalks,  with  any  rotten 
parts,  and  stamp  or  grind  them  in  a mill, 
like  apples  or  pears  for  cyder  or  perrv. 
Put  the  pulp  into  hair  cloth  bags,  and  sub- 
mit them  to  the  action  of  a press,  in  order 
to  squeeze  out  all  the  juice.  This  being 
put  into  a barrel,  undergoes  a fermentation 
for  a week  or  ten  days,  after  which  it  is 


either  bunged  up  close,  or  bottled,  for  use. 
Verjuice,  when  made  for  sale,  is  subjected 
to  the  same  excise  duties  as  cyder  and 
perry.  It  is  used  in  veterinary  medicinal 
compositions;  and,  sometimes  as  an  em- 
brocation for  sprains,  which  it  is  very  ef- 
ficacious in  relieving,  as  well  as  strengthen- 
ing W'eak  limbs,  &c.  It  is  also  employed, 
by  wax  chandlers,  in  the  purification  of 
their  wax;  and,  by  some  skilful  cooks,  in. 
sauces  and  ragouts.  Indeed,  for  several 
purposes,  it  is  better  than  lemon  juice; 
particularly,  in  taking  off  the  flatness  of 
apples  or  pears,  &e.  and  affording  them- a 
congenial  sharpness.  This  is  a secret  in 
the  culinary  art  well  worthy  of  being  known 
and  attended  to;  particularly,  in  making 
sauces,  dumplins,  puddings,  pies  and  tarts, 
with  either  of  those  fruits,  and  some  others, 
where  additional  acid  may  be  required. 

Surtout  of  Snipes. 

This  singular  dish  was  formerly  in  high 
esteem,  but  is  now  seldom  prepared;  it’s 
perusal,  however,  may  afford  some  culinary 
knowledge — Mince  the  breast  of  chickens,, 
partridges,  or  turkey,  with  blanched  bacon, 
veal  sweetbreads,  beef  marrow,  mushrooms, 
truffles,  the  crumb  of  French  roll  soaked 
in  milk,  a little  cream  cheese,  and  all  sorts 
of  savoury  herbs.  When  all  the  articles^ 
are  chopped  or  minced  quite  small,  mix 
them  well  together,  with  cream  and  sea- 
soning; add  the  yolks  of  four  and  the  whites 
of  two  eggs,  and  make  this  farce  or  force- 
meat into  balls  about  the  bigness  of  wal- 
nuts; rolling  them  first  in  beaten  egg,  and 
then  in  grated  bread  crumb.  Lav  a rim 
of  these  balls  round  the  dish ; and,  the 
snipes  being  nicely  roasted,  and  cold,  wash* 
two  or  three  cabbage  lettuces,  swing  the  wa- 
ter out  of  them  in  a napkin,  cut  them  cross 
6 B 


466 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


way  from  the  open  end  as  fine  as  thread,  || 
and  place  a bed  of  it  an  inch  deep  in  the 
bottom  of  the  dish.  Cut  the  flesh  of  the  breast 
and  wings  of  the  snipes  into  slices  three 
inches  long,  as  thin  as  a knife,  and  about  a 
quarter  of  an  inch  broad;  lay  them  all 
round  on  the  top  of  the  lettuce,  the  one 
end  out  to  the  rim  of  the  dish,  the  other 
to  the  middle;  and,  boning  half  a dozen 
anchovies,  each  of  them  cut  into  eight 
slices,  arrange  them  all  round  between  the 
slices  of  the  snipes.  Then  take  the  lean 
meat  of  the  legs  of  the  snipes,  and  cut  it 
into  small  dice,  do  the  same  with  a lemon, 
and  mince  the  yolks  of  four  hard  eggs  with 
a little  parsley  and  three  or  four  anchovies. 
Lay  these,  in  a round  heap,  in  the  centre, 
bringing  it  up  like  the  top  of  a sugar  loaf. 
Garnish  with  small  button  onions,  none 
larger  than  yolks  of  eggs,  boiled  in  a great 
deal  of  water  till  very  white  and  tender ; 
placing  the  largest  in  the  middle  of  the 
minced  meat,  on  the  top  of  the  salmagondi, 
with  the  rest  all  round  the  rim  of  the  dish  as 
elose  as  possible  to  each  other.  Cover  it 
with  the  remainder  of  the  farce  or  force- 
meat, smoothe  it  over  with  beaten  egg, 
dredge  it  well  with  finely  grated  bread 
crumb,  bake  it  in  an  oven  till  of  a nice 
brown  colour,  and  serve  it  up  hot,  for  a 
first  course. 

Excellent  Dutch  Method  of  Dressing  Skaitc  or 
Thornback. 

SKIN  the  skaite  on  both  sides,  divide  the 
two  sides  from  the  body,  and  cut  each  side 
down  through  the  middle:  lay  each  half 
cross  way  ; and  cut  it,  cross  way,  in  slices 
of  about  an  inch  thick,  or  the  thick  part 
somewhat  thinner.  Soak  it,  with  the  liver, 
in  cold  spring  water,  for  an  hour  or  two; 
then  boil  it,  in  a brass  pan,  with  water. 


vinegar,  and  salt,  skimming  it  well  while 
it  simmers.  Put  in  the  liver  a few  minutes 
before  the  pieces  of  skaite,  and  let  them 
boil  for  nearly  a quarter  of  an  hour.  Take 
them  up  gently  with  a skimmer,  so  as  not 
to  break  them;  drain  them  well;  and,  lay- 
ing sippets  in  adish,  place  the  fish  on  them. 
Make  a sauce  with  melted  butter,  two  table- 
spoonfuls of  water,  a spoonful  of  vinegar, 
some  grated  nutmeg,  a minced  anchovy, 
some  beaten  pepper,  and  the  yolks  of  a 
couple  of  eggs,  minced  up  together  to  the 
thickness  of  a cream,  with  the  addition  of 
a large  spoonful  of  mustard,  and  the  juice 
of  half  a lemon.  Lay  the  liver  on  the  fish, 
pour  the  sauce  over,  and  serve  it  up  gar- 
nished with  parsley. 

Toast  and  Water  for  Valetudinarians. 

AMONG  the  numerous  refreshing  and 
salutary  drinks  for  persons  either  slightly 
indisposed,  or  violently  afflicted  with  dis- 
eases which  require  diluting  liquids  to  be 
freely  drank,  such  as  fevers,  bilious  disor- 
ders, &c.  toast  and  water,  when  properly 
prepared,  is  by  many  eminent  physicians 
thought  second  to  none.  Simple,  however, 
as  it  may  appear,  very  few  persons,  indeed, 
are  to  be  found,  who  know'  the  best  way  of 
making  it;  which  is  precisely  as  follows, 
according  to  the  express  directions  of  a 
most  distinguished  medical  character — 
Toast,  most  thoroughly  brown,  but  by  no 
means  black,  burnt,  or  tainted  with  smoke, 
a toast  of  tolerable  substance;  and,  having 
ready  some  boiling  spring  water,  put  the 
toast  hot  in  a jug  or  pan,  and  pour  the  boil- 
ing water  over  it;  cover  it  up  close,  let  it 
stand  till  quite  cold,  and  drink  freely  of 
the  clear  liquid  without  disturbing  the 
toast.  This  is  an  admirable  drink  for  chil- 
dren, and  all  persons  who  are  apt  to  bo 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


thirsty  during  the  night.  Few  things  are 
better,  as  general  beverage,  and  scarcely 
any  so  cheap,  or  more  easily  prepared. 

Curious  French  Method  of  Dressing  Salt  Fish. 

Mince  the  flesh  of  a carp,  or  any  other 
fresh  fish,  picked  clear  from  the  bones  and 
skin  ; and,  having  a good  quantity  of  fresh 
butter,  with  five  or  six  onions,  in  a stew- 
pan  over  the  fire,  put  in  the  minced  fish 
when  the  butter  is  entirely  melted,  season 
well  with  pounded  pepper,  and  add  a little 
grated  nutmeg.  Inthetneantime,  after  boil- 
ing, boning,  and  skinning,  the  cod,  or  other 
salt-fish,  pick  such  of  the  flesh  as  adheres 
to  the  skin  and  bones,  and  mince  it  very 
small,  with  three  or  four  French  rolls  soak- 
ed thoroughly  in  new  milk.  Mix  all  to- 
gether, with  a piece  of  fresh  butter  and 
some  nutmeg;  and,  having  done  this, 
spread  the  fish  as  long  as  the  size  of  the 
dish  will  allow  : then,  putting  on  the  dish 
some  of  the  minced  part,  lay  the  whole 
cod  in  the  middle,  with  more  of  the  mince 
about  it.  On  this  put  oysters,  pour  melted 
butter  over,  strew  it  well  with  grated  bread, 
and  set  it  either  in  a Dutch  or  common 
oven,  to  brown.  Make  for  it  a sauce  of 
milk,  fresh  butter,  and  nutmeg  ; and,  pour- 
ing a little  over  the  fish,  when  it  comes  out 
of  the  oven,  serve  the  rest  in  a bason. 

Rich  Bride  or  Christening  Cake, 

Take  five  pounds  of  finest  dried  and 
sifted  flour,  two  pounds  of  fresh  butter; 
five  pounds  of  washed  and  picked  currants, 
dried  before  the  fire;  a pound  and  a half 
of  loaf  sugar,  two  nutmegs,  a quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  mace,  and  half  a quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  cloves,  all  finely  beaten  and  sift- 
ed ; sixteen  eggs,  yolks  and  whites  kept 
separate ; a pound  of  blanched  almonds. 


467 

pounded  with  orange-flower  water  ; and  a 
pound  each  of  candied  citron,  orange,  and 
lemon  peel,  cut  in  neat  slices.  Mix  these 
ingredients  in  the  following  manner — Be- 
gin working  the  butter  with  the  hand,  till 
it  becomes  of  a cream  like  consistency; 
then,  beating  in  the  sugar  for  at  least  ten 
minutes,  whisk  the  whites  of  the  eggs  to  a 
compleat  froth,  and  mix  it  with  the  butter 
and  sugar.  Next,  well  beat  up  the  yolks 
for  full  ten  minutes;  and,  adding  them, 
with  the  flour,  nutmegs,  mace,  and  cloves, 
continue  beating  the  whole  together  for 
half  an  hour,  or  longer,  till  wanted  for  the 
oven.  Then,  mix  in,  lightly,  the  currants, 
almonds,  and  candied  peels,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  a gill  each  of  mountain  wine  and 
brandy  : and,  having  lined  a hoop  with  pa- 
per, rub  it  well  with  butter,  fill  in  the  mix- 
ture, and  bake  it  in  a tolerably  quick  oven  ; 
taking  care,  however,  not  by  any  means  to 
burn  the  cake,  the  top  of  which  may  be 
covered  with  paper.  It  is  generally  iced 
over  like  a twelfth  cake,  on  coming  out  of 
the  oven  ; but  without  having  any  orna- 
ment whatever  on  the  top,  so  as  to  appear 
of  a delicate  plain  white.  We  see  no  good 
reason,  however,  why  a simple  but  elegant 
centrical  symbol,  might  not  be  properly 
placed,  expressive  of  the  Hymeneal  union 
for  a bride  cake,  or  a Christian  type  of  in- 
nocence for  a christening  cake,  &c. 

Sugar  Cakes. 

Take  two  pounds  and  a half  of  sifted 
loaf  sugar,  five  quarts  of  flour,  and  three 
pounds  of  fresh  butter  worked  in  rose  wa- 
ter; with  eight  yolks  of  eggs,  and  as  many 
table-spoonfuls  of  cream.  Mingle  and 
work  the  whole  well  together,  till  it  be- 
comes a good  paste;  then  make  it  into 
thin  cakes,  and  bake  them  on  plates. 


468 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Roasted  Calf's  Head,  with  Oysters. 

AFTER  dividing  the  calf’s  head,  as  is 
customary  for  boiling,  take  out  the  brains 
and  tongue,  blanch  or  parboil  them  ; and 
mince  them  with  a little  sage,  beef  mar- 
row or  suet,  and  a few  oysters:  adding  to 
these  the  beaten  yolks  of  four  eggs,  with 
pepper,  salt,  a little  powdered  ginger, 
grated  nntmeg,  and  fine  bread  crumbs. 
Having  in  the  mean  time,  parboiled  the 
head,  dry  it  with  a cloth,  and  fill  all  the  in- 
ternal parts  with  this  mixture  and  whole 
oysters;  then  put  it  to  roast ; baste  it  well; 
and,  preserving  the  gravy,  mix  with  it 
some  white  wine,  a little  nutmeg,  and  a 
few  minced  oysters  and  sweet  herbs.  Set 
these  over  a chafing-dish  of  coals;  put  in 
some  butter,  with  the  juice  of  a lemon  and 
a little  salt;  beat  it  up  thick,  dish  the  head, 
pour  over  the  sauce,  and  send  it  to  table 
as  hot  as  possible. 

Candied  Eringo  Roots. 

* 

Soil  eringo  roots  till  quite  tender;  then 
peel  them,  take  out  their  pith,  and  lay  them 
together.  In  the  mean  while,  put  a weight 
of  loaf  sugar  equal  to  that  of  the  roots  into 
as  much  water  as  will  just  serve  to  melt  it; 
in  which,  when  dissolved,  gently  place  the 
roots,  and  let  them  simmer  till  they  have 
become  compleatly  saturated  with  the  su- 
gar: turning  and  shaking  them,  very  care- 
fully, so  as  not  to  break  them,  till  the  sugar 
be  all  dried  up.  Then  lay  them  on  a wire, 
till  they  become  cold,  and  put  them  up  in 
boxes  lined  with  paper.  They  are  esteem- 
ed a particular  fine  condiment  for  consump- 
tive habits,  and  a powerful  as  well  as  agree- 
able quieter  of  the  spasmodic  cough  with 
which  such  convalescents  are  usually  af-  j 
flicted.  The  eringo,  or  sea  holly,  was  con- J 


sidered,  by  the  famous  Boerhaave,  as  ono- 
of  the  principal/  aperient  plants;  and  he 
usually  prescribed  it  as  a diuretic  and  an- 
tiscorbutic: at  present,  however,  the  roots 
only  are  candied,  and  preserved  as  sweet- 
meats. They  have  a very  grateful  aromatic 
warmth  and  flavour. 

Marmalade  of  Pears. 

Boil  fine  warden  pears,  in  a very  little 
water,  till  tiiey  are  tender;  then  take  them 
out,  drain  them,  and  strain  them  through 
a sieve.  Boil  sugar  till  it  is  very  much 
feathered  ; allowing,  for  every  pound  of 
fruit,  three  quarters  of  a pound  of  sugar, 
tempered  well  with  the  paste.  Let  it  be 
well  dried,  simmer  them  together  for  a 
short  time,  and  pour  out  the  marmalade 
into  pots  or  glasses  strewed  with  sugar.. 

Pear  Paste. 

After  boiling  pears  till  they  are  soft, 
drain  them,  pulp  them  through  a sieve, 
and  dry  them  over  a fire;  stirring  them 
continually,  with  a spatula,  both  on  the  bot- 
tom and  sides,  that  they  may  not  burn. 
When  the  paste  slips  from  the  bottom  and 
sides  of  the  pan,  take  it  from  the  fire;  and, 
having  prepared  sugar  till  it  be  greatly' 
feathered  cr  cracked,  temper  the  pears 
with  it,  allowing  a pound  of  sugar  for  every 
pound  of  pears.  Then  set  the  paste  again 
over  the  fire,  let  it  simmer,  dress  it  with  a 
spoon  either  in  moulds  or  on  a slates,  and 
immediately  set  the  paste  thus  formed  in  a 
stove,  or  cool  oven,  to  dry. 

Excellent  Pear  Pics 

Bake  either  warden  or  hard  winter  pears, 
with  a little  water,  and  great  plenty  of  su- 
gar, in  a pan,  covering  the  lop  with  coarse 
paste  or  dough.  Take  them  from  the  oven 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


before  they  are  thoroughly  baked,  quarter 

them,  peel  off  their  skins,  and  core  them  ; 

then,  having  raised  a crust  of  fine  paste, 
lay  in  the  pears,  scattering  a few  cloves, 
some  beaten  cinnamon,  and  Seville  orange 
or  lemon  peel  cut  very  small,  over  every 
layer  of  the  pears,  put  to  them  the  liquor 
they  were  baked  in,  close  up  the  pie,  and 
set  it  in  the  oven.  Many  persons,  to  im- 
prove the  colour  of  the  pears,  put  in  a little 
cochineal.  Some,  too,  only  cut  the  pears  in 
halves;  and,  after  coreing  them,  and  laying 
them  in  the  crust,  put  between  them  slices 
of  quinces,  as  well  as  making  use  of  the  dif- 
ferent spices  with  shred  lemon-peel.  They, 
likewise,  when  the  pie  is  made  and  baked, 
raise  the  lid  on  one  side,  and  put  in  sugar, 
rose-water,  and  beaten  cinnamon,  with  or 
without  a little  red  port  or  brandy,  and 
even  cream.  Baked  pears  are  also  excel- 
lent, when  managed  after  these  methods. 

Devonshire  White  Pot. 

SOAK  slices  of  white  bread  in  the  morn- 
ing’s milk,  and  put  in  a little  flour,  with 
the  yolks  of  eggs  well  beaten.  Bruise  the 
bread  thoroughly  in  the  milk,  and  make  it 
about  the  thickness  of  pancake  batter;  then 
put  it  in  a deep  earthen  pan,  lay  some  pieces 
of  fresh  butter  on  the  top,  tie  over  it  a co- 
vering of  paper,  and  set  it  within  the 
oven’s  mouth.  It  is  sometimes  made  with 
rice  instead  of  flour,  sometimes  with  both, 
and  sometimes  without  either.  A richer 
sort  of  white  pot  is  thus  directed  to  be 
made — Boil  a quart  of  cream  with  two  or 
three  blades  of  mace;  and,  when  it  has 
stood  till  almost  cold,  put  into  it  the  yolks 
of  eight  beaten  eggs,  with  rose  water,  salt, 
and  sugar,  to  palate.  Lay  thin  slices  of 
fine  white  or  French  bread  in  the  bottom 
of  a dish;  and,  on  them,  sliced  dates, 


469 

stoned  raisins  of  the  sun,  or  any  sweet- 
meats, with  bits  of  marrow  or  fresh  butter  : 
then  begin  with  another  like  layer  of  bread, 
fruit,  &c.  till  the  dish  is  full;  always  grat- 
ing a little  nutmeg  over  each  layer.  Then 
put  in  the  cream,  cover  the  whole  with 
slices  of  bread  topped  by  bits  of  butter,  and 
bake  it  in  a moderate  oven.  Serve  it  up 
with  loaf  sugar  scraped  over  it.  White 
pot  is,  also,  sometimes  baked  in  puff  paste, 
as  follows — Beat  the  yolks  of  eight  eggs, 
and  the  whites  of  three,  in- a little  rose  or 
orange. flower  water,  with  two  or  three 
table-spoonfuls  of  powdered  loaf  sugar  and 
grated  nutmeg;  and  mix  them  with  slices 
of  white  bread  soaked  in  two  quarts  of 
cream  or  new  milk.  Place  bits  of  marrow 
or  fresh  butter  on  the  top,  and  scatter  over 
a few  raisins  or  currants;  then  surround 
the  dish  with  puff  paste,  and  bake  it  half 
an  hour  in  a moderate  oven.  Serve  it  up 
well  covered  with  scraped  or  grated  loaf 
sugar.  In  the  numerous  ways  of  making 
white  pot,  apples,  and  even  red  wine,  are 
directed  to  be  introduced;  but,  certainly, 
we  shall  not  be  expected  to  adopt  such 
palpable  absurdities. 

Fowl  Roasted  with  Batter. 

Bone  a capon,  pullet,  or  other  fine 
young  fowl;  and,  having  well  stuffed  it 
with  a good  forcemeat,  paper  it  neatly  over, 
and  roast  it  till  somewhat  more  than  half 
done:  then,  taking  away  the  paper,  baste 
the  fowl  with  a little  nice  light  batter,  such 
as  the  best  usually  made  for  frying  various 
articles  in  batter;  and,  on  it’s  becoming 
dry,  continue  to  give  it  another  similar  thin 
coating,  till  it  be  delicately  crusted  over, 
of  a nice  brown  colour,  and  the  whole  com- 
pleatly  done.  Put  the  fowl,  when  taken 
up,  in  a dish  with  a fine  bechamel  or  poi- 
6 C 


470 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


vrade  sauce,  and  send  it  to  table  quite  hot. 
This  is  a very  delicate  and  delicious  dish. 
A pheasant  is  likewise  excellent,  dressed 
in  the  same  manner, 

Rich  Plum  Pottage. 

Take  half  a gallon  of  veal  or  beef  broth, 
or  equal  quantities  of  each,  as  most  con- 
venient or  agreeable;  and,  pouring  it  on 
the  crumb  of  two  or  three  French  rolls, 
and  three  quarters  of  a pound  of  stoned 
new  prueris,  rub  the  whole  through  a sieve. 
Then  mix  with  it  half  a pound  of  Malaga 
or  sun  raisins  stoned,  and  a quarter  of  a 
pound  of  nicely  picked  and  cleansed  cur- 
rants; with  some  pounded  spices,  the  juice 
of  half  a lemon,  a pint  of  red.  port,  half  a 
pint  of  white  wine,  half  a gill  of  brandy,  a 
little  grated  lemon  peel,  and  powdered 
loaf  sugar  to  palate.  After  simmering  the 
whole  together  for  an  hour  and  a quarter, 
put  in  sufficient  cochineal  to  impart  a good 
colour;  and,  when  of  a good  consistence, 
but  not  too  thick,  serve  it  up  in  a soup 
tureen.  Instead  of  red  port,  good  raisin 
wine  may  be  used,  with  a larger  portion  of 
cinnamon  and  cochineal ; on  the  other 
hand,  at  the  higher  tables,  a pint  each  of 
red  port  and  claret,  without  any  white 
wine,  are  often  employed  in  making  this 
rich  pottage.  Some,  also,  instead  of  French 
bread,  thicken  with  sago. 

Good  Plum  Porridge  for  Christmas. 

, This  good  old  dish,  for  Christmas  fes- 
tivities, is  thus  directed  to  be  made — Put  a 
leg  and  shin  of  beef  into  eight  gallons  of 
water,  boil  them  gently  till  very  tender, 
and  strain  off  the  broth.  Then,  wiping 
out  the  pot  quite  clean,  put  the  broth  in 
again;  and,  slicing  thin  the  crumb  of  four 
two-penny  loaves,  having  first  cut  off  all 


the  top  and  bottom  crust,  put  some  of  the 
liquor  to  the  slices  of  bread,  cover  them  up, 
let  them  soak  a quarter  of  an  hour,  boil 
the  whole  well  together,  and  then  strain  it 
to  the  broth  in  the  pot.  When  this,  also, 
has  boiled  a quarter  of  an  hour,  put  in  five 
pounds  of  picked  and  cleansed  currants; 
and,  after  they  have  boiled  a short  time, 
add  the  same  quantity  of  stoned  raisins  of 
the  sun,  with  two  pounds  of  stoned  pru- 
ens,  and  let  them  boil  till  they  are  tho- 
roughly swelled.  Beat  very  fine,  half  an 
ounce  each  of  cloves,  mace,  and  cinnamon, 
or  two  ounces  of  allspice,  with  a couple 
of  nutmegs;  mix  them  first  with  a little  of 
the  cold  liquor,  and  then  put  them  in- 
to the  pot  a few  minutes  only  before  tak- 
ing it  oft' the  fire.  After  which,  add  three 
pounds  of  sugar,  a little  salt,  a bottle  of 
red  and  a bottle  of  white  wine,  a gill  of 
brandy,  and  the  juice  of  two  or  three  le- 
mons. Thus  made,  it  will  keep  good  se- 
veral days.  Cochineal,  and  additional  cin- 
namon, may  here  also  be  substituted,  witU 
raisin  wine,  instead  of  red  port  or  claret. 

Peas  Pudding. 

SOAK  all  night,  in  warm  water,  a pint 
and  a half  of  the  best  split  peas;  then, 
straining  otf  the  water,  put  them  into  a 
cloth,  tie  it  tightly,  and  boil  them  gently 
for  at  least  three  hours.  Turn  the  peas, 
when  thus  boiled,  out  of  the  cloth  into  a 
stewpan;  and,  mashing  them  well  with  a 
wooden  spoon,  add  a quarter  of  a pound 
of  fresh  butter,  a good  deal  of  beaten  pep- 
per, a little  salt,  and  the  yolks  of  two  or 
three  eggs.  Mix  the  whole  well  together, 
put  it  into  a clean  cloth,  tie  it  up  verv 
tightly,  and  place  it  again  in  the  pot,  to 
boil  for  a few  minutes;  then  turn  it  out 
on  a dish,  and  serve  it  up  with  melted  but- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


471 


ter  poured  over.  Though  peas  pudding 
is  most  commonly  eaten  with  boiled  pork, 
it  is  equally  good  with  boiled  beef. 

Art  of  making  Confectionary  Mosses  of  various 
Colours. 

In  order  to  make  white  moss,  steep  gum 
tragacanth  in  pure  water  with  lemon  juice; 
and,  straining  it  through  a linen  cloth,  add 
as  much  powdered  and  sifted  double  re- 
fined sugar  as  will  work  it  up  to  a white 
paste,  temper  the  moss  properly,  and  beat 
the  whole  well  together  in  a mortar.  If 
a red  moss  be  wanted,  beat  some  prepared 
cochineal  in  the  gum  water;  if  blue,  or 
violet  coloured,  mix  indigo  and  orris  w ith 
the  gum;  if  yellow,  use  saffron  or  gam- 
boge; or,  if  green,  take  the  juice  of  beet 
leaves  a little  scalded  over  the  fire.  To 
make  marbled  moss,  take  a piece  of  each 
of  these  mosses,  lay  them  one  after  the 
other  on  a sieve,  and  press  them  through 
with  a spoon;  small  rocks  will  thus  be 
formed,  which  appear  marbled  with  those 
different  colours. 

Culture  of  the  Pine  Apple. 

This  most  delicious  of  fruits,  is  the  bro- 
melia  ananas,  or  common  pine  apple,  of 
the  Linnaean  system.  It  is  a native  of  the 
Brazils,  Mexico,  and  other  parts  of  South 
America ; and  is  also  produced  very  plen- 
tifully in  the  East  Indies,  our  West  India 
islands,  &c.  The  pine  apple  is  even 
cultivated  in  England,  with  consider- 
able success,  after  the  following  manner — 
Our  gardeners  plant  either  the  crowns  or 
green  tops  growing  on  the  fruit,  and  which 
are  of  no  other  use,  or  the  suckers  which 
are  produced  from  the  sides  of  the  plants, 
— after  they  have  been  placed  to  dry,  for 
two  or  three  days,  in  a warm  situation — 


in  pots  of  light  fresh  mould,  mixed  with 
rotten  dung,  prepared  six  or  eight  month$ 
previously,  so  as  for  it’s  parts  to  have  be- 
come more  compleatly  united.  These  pots 
are  to  be  plunged  in  a hot-bed;  and  the 
plants  watered,  if  the  season  be  warm,  at 
least  twice  a week:  but,  in  cool  weather, 
they  are  only  to  be  once  a week  refreshed 
w ith  water.  It  has  been  usual,  with  some 
gardeners,  to  remove  pine  apples  to  vari- 
ous pots;  a practice  which  materially  im- 
pedes the  growth  of  the  fruit.  The  plants 
should,  in  fact,  be  placed  in  fresh  pots 
onlv  twice  in  a season:  first,  toward  the 
end  of  April  in  the  second  year,  whpn  the 
crowns  and  suckers  of  the  preceding  year 
must  be  transplanted  into  pots  of  a larger 
size;  and,  secondly,  in  the  beginning  of 
August,  when  such  as  are  of  a proper  age 
for  bearing  fruits,  ought  to  be  removed 
into  pots  proportioned  to  their  augmented 
growth.  With  every  change,  the  hot-bed 
should  be  stirred  up,  and  have  fresh  bark 
added,  so  as  to  raise  it  to  the  original  heat; 
and,  replacing  the  pots,  the  plants  must  be 
gently  watered,  in  order  to  clear  the  dust, 
&c.  from  the  leaves.  Pine  apples  thus 
managed  will  require  very  little  additional 
trouble,  till  the  commencement  of  the  win- 
ter : when  the  heat  ought  to  be  increased, 
by  the  artificial  means  of  stoves  or  flues; 
and  the  plants  moderately  watered  every 
w'eek,  or  oftener,  if  the  mould  should  be- 
come dry.  After  the  fruit  appears,  no 
pine  apple  must  ever  be  removed  into  a 
fresh  pot;  as  the  growth  would  not  only 
thus  be  retarded,  but  the  delicate  flavour 
of  the  fruit  materially  impaired.  Pine  ap- 
ple plants  are  particularly  infested  with  in- 
sects; which,  if  not  extirpated,  prove  fatal 
to  their  growth.  Of  these,  Mr.  Speechley, 
in  his  Practical  Treatise  on  the  Culture  of 


472 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  Pine  Apple,  enumerates  three  species: 
the  brown  turtle  insect,  or  coccus  hesperi- 
dumof  Linnaeus;  the  white  scaly  insect; 
and  the  white  mealy-crimsoned  insect. 
The  common  expedients  for  destroying  si- 
milar depredators  not  being  found  to  suc- 
ceed with  these  insects,  Mr.  Speechley  re- 
commends the  following  preparation  to  be 
made  for  that  purpose,  as  a never  fail- 
ing remedy — Put  a pound  of  quicksilver 
into  a glazed  vessel,  pour  on  it  a gallon  of 
boiling  water,  let  it  stand  till  quite  cool, 
and  then  decant  the  liquid  for  use.  lie- 
peat  this  process,  on  the  same  quicksilver, 
till  a sufficient  number  of  gallons  be  pro- 
vided ; then  dissolve  six  ounces  of  soft 
green  soap  in  each  gallon,  and  make  the 
whole  lukewarm.  The  plants  must  now 
be  taken  out  of  the  pots,  the  leaves  of  the 
largest  being  previously  tied  together,  and 
immersed  entirely  in  the  liquid  for  three 
minutes;  and,  at  the  expiration  of  this 
time,  exposed  to  the  open  air  with  their 
roots  downward,  till  they  become  dry. 
After  a few  hours,  the  immersion  is  to  be 
a second  time  performed,  having  first  add- 
ed a table-spoonful  of  sweet  oil  to  each 
gallon  of  the  mixture:  when  the  plants  are 
again  to  be  dried,  but  with  their  tops,  in- 
stead of  the  roots,  now  inclined  toward  the 
ground ; and,  the  moisture  being  evapo- 
rated, they  may  be  replaced,  and  returned 
to  the  hot-house.  The  proper  seasons  for 
this  precautionary  operation,  are  in  the 
months  of  March  and  September.  A curi- 
ous method  of  raising  pine  apples  in  wa- 
ter, is  described,  and  recommended,  by 
William  Bastard,  Esq.  in  the  sixty -seventh 
volume  of  the  Philosophical  Transactions 
of  the  Iloyal  Society;  the  simple  process 
of  which  is  merely  as  follows — The  pine 
apple  plant,  contained  in  a pot  of  earth. 


being  placed  in  a pan  kept  constantly  full 
of  water,  is  deposited  near  the  highest  and 
most  heated  part  of  the  back  wall  of  a hot* 
house;  so  that  the  pine  apples  stand  as 
closely  as  possible  to  the  glass,  without 
coming  in  contact  with  it.  The  fruit  thus 
raised  is  said  to  be  uniformly  larger,  and 
j to  possess  a finer  flavour,  than  such  as  is 
! propagated  in  the  usual  manner,  on  bark 
beds.  Pine  apples,  in  this  country,  when 
j properly  managed,  generally  attain  to  ma- 
i turity,  from  July  to  the  end  of  September ; 
but,  if  too  frequently  removed,  or  other- 
wise prejudicially  treated,  even  where  they 
finally  succeed,  they  do  not  ripen  till  the 
end  of  October  or  November.  They  are 
known  to  be  in  a state  of  maturity,  or  suf- 
ficiently ripe  for  eating,  by  the  strong  aro- 
matic odour  which  they  so  agreeable  dif- 
fuse, and  the  facility  with  which  the  crowns 
or  protuberances  yield,  on  pressure  bv 
the  hand.  The  flavour  of  this  delicate 
fruit  being  very  speedily  dissipated  by 
remaining  on  the  plants  more  than  three 
or  four  days  after  it’s  being  perfectly  ripe, 
it  should  be  then  cut ; and  the  sooner 
afterward  it  is  eaten,  the  more  delicious  it 
proves  to  the  palate.  Among  the  different 
sorts  of  pine  apples  raised  in  the  hot-houses 
of  Europe,  according  to  Bechstein,  the 
white  and  the  red  are  most  esteemed; 
their  juice,  he  says,  when  fermented,  yields 
a most  agreeable  and  wholesome  vinous 
liquor.  This,  indeed,  can  scarcely  be 
doubted ; but  the  high  price  of  pine  apples, 
when  thus  reared,  or  even  imported,  for- 
bids many  such  experiments.  The  incom- 
parable rich  flavour  which  even  the  pine 
apple  chips  or  rind  impart  to  rum,  &c.  is 
sufficiently  known,.  The  taste  of  this 
matchless  fruit  is  a delicate  combination 
of  the  purest  and  most  delicious  solid  odo- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


riferoushoney,  slightly  iced,  and  exquisitely  j 
acidulated. 

j 

Mr.  Speechless  Method  of  Raising  Pine  nip- 
ples with  Oak  Leaves  instead  of  Tanners 

Bark. 

This  gentleman  thus  describes  the  pro- 
cess of  raising  pine  apples  by  means  of 
oak  leaves,  instead  of  tanners  bark — “ I 
presume,  that  the  leaves  of  the  oak  abound 
with  the  same  quality  as  the  bark  of  the 
tree  : therefore,  the  sooner  they  are  raked 
up  after  they  fall  from  the  trees,  the  better; 
as  that  quality  will  naturally  decrease  dur- 
ing the  time  they  are  exposed  to  the  wea- 
ther. After  being  raked  into  heaps,  they 
should  immediately  be  carried  to  some 
place  near  the  hot-houses,  where  they  must 
lay  to  couch.  I generally  fence  them  round 
with  charcoal  hurdles,  or  any  thing  else, 
to  keep  them  from  being  blown  about  the 
garden  in  windy  weather.  In  this  place, 
we  tread  them  well;  and  water  them,  in 
case  they  happen  to  have  been  brought  in 
dry.  We  make  the  heap  six  or  seven  feet 
in  thickness ; covering  it  over  with  old 
mats,  or  any  thing  else,  to  prevent  the 
upper  leaves  from  being  blown  away.  In 
a few  days,  the  heap  will  come  to  a strong 
heat.  For  the  first  year  or  two  that  I used 
these  leaves,  I did  not  continue  them  in 
the  heap  longer  than  ten  days  or  a fort- 
night; but  in  this  I discovered  a consider- 
able inconvenience,  as  they  settled  so  much 
when  got  into  the  hot-house  as  soon  to  re- 
quire a supply,  Taught  by  experience,  I 
now  let  them  remain  in  the  heap  for  live 
or  six  weeks,  by  which  time  they  are  pro- 
perly prepared  for  the  hot-houses.  In 
getting  them  into  the  pine  pits,  if  they 
appear  dry,  we  water  them  again,  treading 
them  in  layers  exceedingly  well  till  the 


47S 

pits  are  quite  full.  We  then  cover  the 
whole  with  tan  to  the  thickness  of  two  in- 
ches, and  tread  it  well  till  the  surface  be- 
comes smooth  and  even.  On  this  we  place 
the  pine  pots,  in  the  ihanner  they  are  to 
stand ; beginning  with  the  middle  row 
first,  and  filling  up  the  spaces  between  the 
pots  with  tan.  In  like  manner  we  pro- 
ceed to  the  next  row,  till  the  whole  be 
finished;  and  this  operation  is  performed 
in  the  same  manner  as  when  tan  only  is 
used.  After  this,  the  leaves  require  no  far- 
ther trouble  the  whole  season  through; 
as  they  will  retain  a constant  and  regular 
heat  for  twelve  months,  without  either  stir- 
ring or  turning:  and,  if  I may  form  a judg- 
ment from  their  appearance  when  taken 
out,  being  always  entire  and  perfect,  it  is 
probable  they  would  continue  their  heat 
through  a second  year;  but,  as  an  annual 
supply  of  leaves  is  easily  obtained,  such  a 
trial  is  hardly  worth  the  trouble  of  making. 
After  this,  the  pines  will  have  no  occasion 
to  be  moved,  but  at  the  stated  times  of 
their  management;  viz.  at  the  shifting 
them  in  their  pots,  &c.  when,  at  each  time, 
a little  fresh  tan  should  be  added,  to  make 
up  the  deficiency  arising  from  the  settling 
of  the  beds;  but  this  will  be  inconsiderable, 
as  the  leaves  do  not  settle  much  after  their 
long  couching.  During  the  two  first  years 
of  my  practice,  I did  not  use  any  tan ; but 
plunged  the  pine  pots  into  the  leaves,  and 
just  covered  the  surface  of  the  beds,  when 
finished,  with  a little  sawdust,  to  give  it  a 
neatness.  This  method  was  attended  with 
one  inconvenience:  for,  by  the  caking  of 
the  leaves,  they  shrunk  from  the  sides  of 
the  pots,  whereby  they  became  exposed  to 
the  air  ; and,  at  the  same  time,  the  heat  of 
the  beds  was  permitted  to  escape.  Many 
powerful  reasons  inay  be  given,  why  oak 
6 D 


474  FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


leaves,  for  I have  not  tried  any  other  kinds, 
are  preferable  to  tanners  bark — First,  they 
always  heat  regularly ; for,during  the  whole 
time  that  I have  used  them,  which  is  near 
seven  years,  I never  once  knew  of  their 
heating  with  violence:  and  this  is  so  fre- 
quently the  case  with  tan,  that  I affirm,  and 
indeed  it  is  well  known  to  every  person 
conversant  in  the  management  of  the  hot- 
house, that  pines  suffer  more  from  this  one 
circumstance,  than  from  all  the  other  ac- 
cidents put  together,  insects  excepted. 
When  this  accident  happens  near  the  time 
of  their  fruiting,  the  effect  is  soon  seen  in 
the  fruit,  which  always  comes  ill  shaped 
and  exceedingly  small.  Sometimes,  there 
will  be  little  or  no  fruit  at  all : therefore, 
gardeners  who  make  use  of  tan  only  for 
their  pines,  should  be  most  particularly 
careful  to  avoid  an  over  heat  at  that  criti- 
cal season,  the  time  of  shewing  fruit. 
Secondly,  the  heat  of  oak  leaves  is  constant, 
whereas  tanners  bark  generally  turns  cold 
in  a very  short  time  after  it’s  furious  heat 
is  gone  off.  This  obliges  the  gardener  to 
give  the  tan  frequent  turnings,  in  order  to 
promote  it’s  heating.  These  frequent  turn- 
ings, not  to  mention  the  expence,  are  at- 
tended with  the  worst  consequences ; for, 
by  the  continual  moving  of  the  pots  back- 
wards and  forwards,  the  pines  are  exposed 
to  the  extremes  of  heat  and  cold,  whereby 
their  growth  is  considerably  retarded: 
whereas,  when  leaves  are  used,  the  pines 
will  have  no  occasion  to  be  moved,  but  at 
the  time  of  potting,  &c.  The  pines  have 
one  particular  advantage  in  this  undisturb- 
ed situation;  their  roots  go  through  the 
bottoms  of  the  pots,  and  mat  among  the 
leaves  in  a surprising  manner.  From  the 
vigour  of  the  plants,  when  in  this  situation, 
it  is  highly  probable  that  the  leaves,  even 


in  this  state,  afford  them  an  uncommon  and 
agreeable  nourishment.  Thirdly,  there  is 
a saving  in  point  of  expence;  which  is  no 
inconsiderable  object,  in  places  where  tan 
cannot  be  had,  but  from  a great  distance, 
the  article  of  carriage  often  amounting  to 
ten  shillings  for  each  waggon  load.  In- 
deed, this  was  the  principal  reason  that 
first  induced  me  to  make  trial  of  leaves. 
My  last  ground  of  preference,  is  the  con- 
sideration that  decayed  leaves  make  good 
manure;  whereas  rotten  tan  is,  experi- 
mentally, found  to  be  of  no  value.  I have 
often  tried  it,  both  on  sand  and  day;  also, 
on  wet  and  dry  lands ; and  never  could  dis- 
cover, in  any  of  my  experiments,  that  it 
deserved  the  name  of  a manure:  whereas, 
decayed  leaves  arc  the  richest  manure; 
and,  of  all  others,  the  most  suitable  for  a 
garden.  But  this  must  only  be  understood 
of  leaves  after  they  have  undergone  their 
fermentation,  which  reduces  them  to  a 
true  vegetable  mould;  in  which,  we  ex- 
perimentally know,  that  the  food  of  plants 
is  contained:  but,  whether  that  food  be 
oil,  mucilage,  or  salt,  or  a combination  of 
all  three,  I leave  to  philosophers  to  deter- 
mine. This  black  mould  is,  of  all  others, 
the  most  proper  to  mix  with  compost  earth; 
and  1 use  it  in  general  for  pines,  and  al- 
most for  every  thing  that  grows  in  pots. 
For  flowers,  it  is  most  excellent.  The  re- 
mainder of  this  vegetable  mould  may  be 
employed  in  manuring  the  quarters  of  the 
kitchen  garden,  for  which  purpose  it  is 
highly  useful.  Leaves,  mixed  with  dung, 
make  excellent  hot-beds;  and  I find,  that 
beds  compounded  in  this  manner  preserve 
their  heat  much  longer  than  when  made 
entirely  with  dung.  In  both  cases,  the 
application  of  leaves  will  be  a considerable 
saving  of  dung  ; a circumstance  very  agree- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


475 


able,  as  it  will  be  the  means  of  preventing 
the  contests  frequently  observed  in  large 
families,  between  the  superintendant  of 
the  gardens  and  the  directors  of  the  hus- 
bandry.” 

Advantages  to  be  derived  from  the  Cultiva- 
tion of  Buck  Wheat. 

The  chief  intention  for  which  the  cul- 
ture of  buck  wheat  has  in  England  been 
generally  recommended,  is  that  of  cleans- 
ing foul  land;  in  this  view,  it  has  not  only 
been  cultivated  as  grain,  but  as  green  fod- 
der, and  even  as  manure.  It  is  sown,  in- 
discriminately, on  all  soils;  but  poor  land 
has  the  preference,  and  it  is  to  this  species 
of  sandy  soil  that  it  seems  most  adapted. 
To  prepare  the  land  for  it’s  reception, 
which  is  generally  a foul  stubble,  it  ought 
to  have  a good  ploughing  before  the  win- 
ter sets  in;  and  thus  be  left  in  a state  of 
roughness,  to  partake  the  benefits  of  snow 
and  frost:  care  being  taken,  by  making 
clean  and  deep  furrows  between  the  ridges, 
and  cross  furrows  where  necessary,  accord- 
ing to  the  situation  of  the  land,  to  prevent 
the  bad  consequences  of  standing  water. 
When  the  spring  crops  are  all  sown,  it  will 
be  a proper  time  to  roll  and  repeatedly 
well  harrow  this  land,  that  the  rubbish  may 
be  brought  to  the  surface;  which,  when 
freed  from  the  adhering  soil,  should  either 
be  burnt  in  gathered  heaps,  or  conveyed 
off  the  land.  After  which,  another  plough- 
ing, and  good  harrowing,  will  prepare  it 
for  sowing.  Buck  wheat  should  never  be 
sown  before  the  beginning  of  June;  it 
having  been  remarked  that,  if  it  come  into 
bloom  before  Midsummer,  the  blossoms 
suffer  by  blight:  besides,  being  a tender 
plant,  on  it’s  first  appearance,  the  frosty 
mornings  of  May  frequently  destroy  it  in  a 


single  day.  Not  sowing  too  early,  if  in- 
tended for  green  fodder,  will  be  also  at- 
tended by  the  advantage  of  coming  into 
blossom  at  the  most  distressing  season  of 
the  year,  particularly  for  dairy  farmers ; 
that  is,  in  the  month  of  July,  when  the 
prime  of  the  grass  is  gone,  the  vigour  of 
the  vegetation  exhausted,  and  the  pastures 
are  burnt  up  by  the  heat.  The  opportu- 
nity of  a gentle  shower,  about  the  begin- 
ning of  June,  should  be  taken  for  sowing 
buck  wheat,  when  it  will  begin  to  shew 
itself  in  six  or  seven  days;  and,  as  it  very 
rapidly  vegetates,  will  soon  cover  the  en- 
tire surface  of  the  land,  thus  preventing 
the  growth  of  weeds.  Ten  pecks  of  seed 
is  the  usual  quantity  for  sowing  an  acre; 
and,  where  the  land  has  sufficient  moisture 
to  bring  on  a quick  vegetation,  this  is  cer- 
tainly sufficient:  but,  if  it  happens  to  be 
a very  dry  time,  three  or  four  additional 
pecks  ought  not  to  be  regarded  as  an  ob- 
ject of  consideration;  because,  in  this  case, 
some  seed  will  necessarily  be  lost  in  the 
ground  by  failing  to  vegetate,  and  some 
will  be  pilfered  by  crows,  pigeons,  and 
pheasants,  these  birds  being  all  of  them 
excessively  fond  of  buck  wheat.  It  gets 
to  maturity,  though  so  lately  sown,  at  the 
same  period  as  other  sorts  of  grain;  and, 
therefore,  takes  with  them  it’s  turn  for  har- 
vesting. As,  however,  this  grain  is  very 
apt  to  heat,  it  should  not  be  carried  home 
till  it’s  succulent  stalk  has  become  perfect- 
ly dry.  It  is  also  recommended,  instead 
of  putting  it  into  a barn,  to  stack  it 
into  a rick,  and  lay  bush  faggots  horizon- 
tally at  proper  distances  between  it,  in  or- 
der to  give  vent  to  the  heat.  When  win- 
ter thrashing  comes  on,  this  grain  is  the 
fittest  to  begin  with ; as  it’s  straw  is  only 
good  for  litter  in  the  farm  yards,  and  will 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


476 

be  a saving  of  such  straw  as  can  be  more 
usefully  applied  for  other  purposes.  If 
buck  wheat  be  got  up,  at  harvest,  perfectly  | 
dry,  and  kept  from  heating,  it  produces  j| 
plenty  of  very  good  flour  ; though,  certain- 
ly, not  so  white  as  wheat  flour.  It  makes, 
however,  excellent  tarts,  cakes,  &c.  but 
is  more  generally  used  for  making  por- 
ridge. The  better  sort  of  people  in  Ger- 
many have  it  managed  by  the  miller,  in 
the  same  manner  as  barley  is  dressed  for 
making  what  is  called  pearl  or  French  bar- 
ley. In  this  shape,  it  appears  frequently 
at  gentlemen’s  tables,  and  is  eaten  with 
pleasure.  Those  who  feel  no  disgust  at 
the  sight  of  a few  brownish  husks,  merely 
break  the  grain,  as  it  comes  from  the  flail, 
in  such  a hand-mill  as  every  house  in  the 
country  is  provided  with;  after  which,  it 
needs  no  other  cookery  than  being  boiled 
in  water,  with  a little  salt,  till  it  is  pretty 
stiff,  and  it  is  then  eaten  w ith  milk  or  melt- 
ed butter  poured  over.  In  this  plain  and 
cheap  manner  of  preparation,  it  constitutes 
three  parts  out  of  four  of  the  daily  food  of 
millions  of  people  in  Germany.  All  who 
have  been  in  the  Electorates  of  Branden- 
burgh  and  Saxony,  and  in  the  Dukedom  of 
Silesia,  must  have  been  struck  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  vigour,  and  strong  constitu- 
tions, in  the  country  people  of  both  sexes; 
all  of  whom  have  been  brought  up  with 
buck  wheat,  and  continue  to  make  daily 
their  three  meals  of  it : by  which  they  are 
enabled  to  go  chearfully  through  more 
hard  work  than  would  appear  credible,  or 
even  be  possible,  to  any  English  farming 
servant  or  dairy  maid.  It  proves,  likewise, 
for  children,  an  exceedingly  pleasant  and 
nourishing  food,  of  easy  digestion;  and  is, 
by  the  Germans,  very  frequently  used  in 
the  nurseries  of  families  of  the  first  distinc- 


tion. The  comparative  cheapness  of  this 
grain,  which  lias  been  sold  for  four  shillings 
a bushel  when  wheat  was  at  twelve,  gives  it 
an  additional  recommendation.  What  an 
enormous  saving,  it  has  been  judiciously 
remarked,  would  have  been  made  to  the 
nation,  as  well  as  to  individuals,  if  the  cul- 
tivation of  buck  wheat  had  been  more  com- 
mon in  this  country  ; and  the  generality  of 
the  inhabitants  could  have  been  reasoned 
out  of  their  prejudices,  and  persuaded  to 
make  use  of  this  grain  as  a substitute  for 
wheat!  One  bushel  and  a half  of  buck 
wheat,  properly  managed,  will  at  least  go 
as  far  as  a bushel  of  wheat.  Did  the  dis- 
tillers in  the  united  kingdom  give  this  grain 
a fair  trial,  they  would  find  it  highly  ad- 
vantageous. It  is  known,  from  the  very 
best  authority,  that  at  Dantzic,  a place 
famous  for  it’s  cordials,  a very  great  quan- 
tity of  buck  w'heat  is  consumed  by  the  still. 
As  food  for  animals,  it  is  much  used  in  the 
county  of  Norfolk;  it  is,  perhaps,  the  quick- 
est and  most  oeconomical  article  for  fatten- 
ing pigs,  turkies,  and  all  kinds  of  fowE. 
In  general,  however,  it  ought  to  be  bro- 
ken in  a mill,  to  prevent  it’s  passing  in  an 
undigested  state;  and,  when  even  given 
whole  to  pigs,  a few  oats  should  be  mixed, 
that  they  may  be  thus  induced  to  grind  it 
the  better  with  their  teeth.  When  first 
given  to  pigs,  it  produces  intoxication  ; as 
is  manifested  by  their  running  and  tum- 
bling about,  squeaking,  and  rising  up 
against  the  walls ; on  this  account,  for 
the  first  three  or  four  days,  they  should 
have  it  in  small  quantities  gradually  in- 
creased. The  only  objection  ever  urged 
against  this  food,  has  been,  that  the  fat  is 
not  so  solid  as  that  produced  by  other 
grain,  and  wastes  too  much  in  roasting  or 
boiling.  This,  however,  is  easily  to  be 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK: 


prevented,  by  feeding  pigs  the  last  eight 
or  ten  days  with  ground  peas,  and  turkies, 
or  other  fowls,  with  barley  : by  which  man-  ! 
agement,  the  bacon  or  pork  fat  will  be 
found  as  solid  and  pleasant  as  possible;  I 
and  the  meat,  in  general,  far  more  succulent 
than  that  fed  by  any  other  sort  of  grain. 
It  is  said,  that  no  kind  of  food  is  more  al- 
luring to  pheasants  than  buck  wheat:  the 
best  provision,  indeed,  which  can  be  made 
for  them  during  the  winter,  is  to  take  a 
waggon  or  cart  load  of  unthrashed  buck 
wheat,  and  lay  it,  in  different  heaps,  in 
the  cover  or  plantation  where  they  resort; 
by  which  means,  they  will  not  only  be 
kept  from  rambling  in  search  of  food,  but 
it  will  certainly  attract  a great  many  visi- 
tors from  distant  parts.  When  farmers 
foresee  that  their  dunghills  will  be  insuffi- 
cient for  all  the  land  intended  to  be  sown 
with  wheat,  or  if  some  of  their  land  should 
bo  so  distant  from  home  that  the  carriage 
of  dung  thither  would  be  attended  with 
great  trouble  and  loss  of  time,  they  can 
not  well  do  better  than  to  sow  some  lands 
with  buck  wheat,  and  plough  it  in  for 
manure  after  the  following  manner — When 
the  buck  wheat  is  got  into  full  blossom, 
which  is  the  time  of  it’s  most  succulent 
state,  it  ought  to  be  rolled  down,  and  the 
plough  to  follow  the  roller:  and,  for  the 
purpose  of  covering  it  perfectly,  with  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  soil,  so  that  not  a 
stalk  may  be  seen  above  ground,  the  coul- 
ter with  a skimmer  affixed  to  it,  an  inven- 
tion of  that  great  agriculturist,  Mr.  Duck- 
et, of  Esher,  in  Surry,  is  found  to  be  of 
the  greatest  utility.  The  soil,  after  plough- 
ing, ought  to  be  rolled  down,  in  order  to 
close  the  seams  between  the  furrow's,  to 
keep  out  the  drought;  and  it  is  the  best 
way,  to  roll  down,  at  least,  every  day’s 


4?7 

ploughing,  before  night.  The  land  is  then 
left  undisturbed,  till  the  time  for  wheat 
sowing  comes  on  ; for  the  succulent  state  in 
which  the  buck  wheat  has  been  ploughed, 
together  with  the  warmth  of  the  soil  w'ith 
which  it  has  been  covered,  will  not  fail  to 
bring  on  that  degree  of  fermentation  which 
is  requisite  to  convert  vegetables  into  rich 
manure.  When  the  time  arrives  for  sow- 
ing  this  land  with  wheat,  it  will  require  no 
farther  ploughing;  the  land  having  been 
sufficiently  pulverized  by  the  preceding 
ploughings,  and  kept,  by  the  fermentation 
of  the  buck  wheat  ploughed  in,  so  perfectly 
mellow  as  to  be  quite  fit  for  receiving  the 
seed.  To  eradicate  the  few  weeds  which 
may  have  sprung  up  since  the  land  was 
the  last  time  stirred,  a gentle  harrowing 
will  be  found  sufficient.  Where  the  seed 
is  to  be  put  in  by  means  of  dibbling,  the 
land  ought  to  be  made  level,  after  harrow- 
ing, with  a light  barley  roller;  but  Mr. 
Ducket’s  excellent  agricultural  implement, 
the  five-shared  drill  plough,  which  makes 
the  drills  at  nine  inches  distance,  is  to  be 
preferred  : the  seed  being  sown  by  hand, 
and  the  drills  covered  with  a light  or  bush 
harrow.  Cows,  weanling  calves,  mares 
with  foals,  pigs,  &c.  are  fond  of  green 
buck  wheat  as  fodder.  The  time  to  begin 
mowing  it,  is  when  about  half  in  blossom; 
and  it  is  best  always  to  mow,  a day  before 
it  is  wanted,  and  at  a time  when  perfectly 
dry,  the  quantity  requisite,  that  it  may  get 
a little  withered,  so  as  to  prevent  the  blow- 
ing of  the  cows,  &e.  by  their  eating  it  with 
too  great  avidity.  It  is  best  to  put  it  in 
moveable  racks;  because,  when  laid  in  heaps 
on  the  ground,  the  cattle  are  apt  to  fight 
about  it,  and  spoil  a great  deal  by  tramp- 
ling. What  falls  from  the  racks,  the  pigs 
will  feed  on.  The  cows  will  then  feed  them- 
’ 6 E 


478 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


selves,  in  the  forenoon,  with  the  greatest  ease } 
and  ought  then  to  be  brought  home  to  the  fold 
yard,  where  they  will  lay  down  and  enjoy  rest 
during  the  heat  ofthe  day : instead  of  which, 
if  they  were  in  the  pastures  seeking  for  food, 
which  is  often,  at  that  time  of  the  year,  very 
scanty,  they  would  be  teazed  by  flies  and 
other  insects;  berunningabout,  and  heating 
themselves ; and,  instead  of  increasing  their 
milk,  would  shrink  from  it  every  day  more 
and  more.  Whoever  makes  the  experi- 
ment, will  be  most  agreeably  surprised  by 
the  great  quantity  of  excellent  rich  milk 
which  his  cows  produce,  at  a time  when 
all  his  neighbours,  who  have  not  been  so 
provident,  complain  of  the  considerable 
reduction  which  they  experience.  It  has 
been  fully  demonstrated,  that  an 'indifferent 
fallow  crop  of  buck  wheat  has  produced  a 
clear  profit  of  five  pounds  ten  shillings  an 
acre.  When  the  land  has  stood  for  grain, 
the  stubble  ought  immediately  to  be 
ploughed  in  ; for,  as  the  buck  wheat  should 
lay  till  perfectly  dry,  a good  deal  of  grain 
will  be  shed  on  the  land.  This,  if  not  de- 
stroyed before  the  land  is  sown  with  wheat 
or  other  corn,  would  appear  the  next  sea- 
son as  a weed  : but,  by  ploughing  it  in  as 
soon  as  possible,  it  will  quickly  vegetate; 
and,  after  the  manure  has  been  set  on,  and  I 

l 

spread,  the  ploughing  in  will  destroy  the 
shed  or  shelled  buck  wheat,  and  bring  the 
land  into  a perfectly  clean  condition  for 
receiving  the  seed  for  the  next  crop.  When 
buck  wheat  has  been  mowed  for  creeii  fod- 
der,  a single  ploughing  will  be  sufficient 
to  fit  the  land  for  reception  of  any  seed 
intended  to  be  sown.  It  is  stated,  in  the  j 
sixth  volume  of  Mr.  Arthur  Young’s  cele-  ! 
brated  Annals  of  Agriculture,  that  three 
crops  were  sown,  on  the  same  ground,  be- 
tween autumn  and  autumn,  by  the  Reve- 


rend R.  Moseley,  with  only  three  plough- 
ings  : viz.  winter  tares  in  September,  with 
one  ploughing,  which  were  reaped  early 
in  the  succeeding  summer;  then,  imme- 
diately, buck  wheat  was  sown,  after  one 
ploughing  and  harrowing ; and,  in  Sep- 
tember, the  buck  wheat  was  ploughed  in, 
and  wheat  sown  on  this  single  ploughing, 
the  crop  of  which  proved  great.  “ Thus,’' 
it  is  observed  by  Air.  Young,  “ as  the 
spring  advances,  and  the  sun  becomes 
powerful  enough  to  exhale  the  humidity  of 
the  land,  the  crop  also  advances,  and  screens 
it  from  the  action  of  his  beams.  The  weeds 
in  the  soil  vegetating  with  the  young  tares, 
are  either  strangled  by  their  luxuriance,, 
or  cut  off  with  them,  before  they  produce 
seed.  This  crop  is  so  early  cleared  from 
the  land,  that  the  soil  would  remain  ex- 
posed to  the  sun  for  three  months,  in  the 
most  scorching  heat  of  the  summer;  and, 

{ if  thus  left  exposed,  the  three  ploughings 
would  be  hurtful  to  the  soil,  except  that 
they  might  destroy  some  weeds.  Hence, 
to  give  one  ploughing  immediately,  and 
harrow  in  buck  wheat,  saves  expence  ; and 
the  growing  herbage  shades  the  earth,  when 
it  most  requires  to  be  protected:  by  this 
management,  a dressing  of  manure  is  gain- 
ed at  the  cheapest  possible  rate.  In  short, 
to  introduce  a system  more  compleat,  is 
not  in  the  power  of  science.” 

Ccijeput  Oil , for  the  Eyes,  Rheumatism , Gout , 
Tooth  Ache , Sic. 

Tins  fine  ethereal  oil,  which  is  brought 
from  the  East  Indies,  has  till  lately  been 
very  little  known  in  England.  Professor 
Thunberg,  the  famous  Swedish  traveller* 
ascribes  to  it  the  possession  of  pre-eminent 
virtues  as  an  anodyne,  antispasmodic,  and 
stimulant.  For  chronic  inflammations  of 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  eyes,  a few  drops  being  poured  on  a 
bit  of  soft  linen  cloth,  and  suffered  to  eva- 
porate while  held  close  to  the  afflicted  or- 
gans of  sight,  over  which  the  cloth  is  after- 
ward to  remain  tied  all  night,  has  proved 
highly  serviceable.  In  acute  rheumatism, 
and  even  in  the  gout,  it  often  affords  im- 
mediate relief,  on  anointing  the  affected 
part,  having  a remarkable  tendency  to 
opening  the  pores.  It  also  cures  violent 
head-aches,  on  being  applied  to  the  tem- 
ples or  inhaled  through  the  nostrils.  In 
the  tooth  ache,  from  whatever  cause  it  may 
arise,  the  cajeput  oil  is  absolutely  regarded 
as  a specific  ; whether  the  affection  pro- 
ceed from  a carious  or  hollow  tooth,  rheu- 
matic acrimony,  or  a catarrh,  &c.  For 
this  purpose,  it  is  to  be  dropped  on  lint, 
and  placed  in  the  hollow  of  the  tooth,  or 
even  around  the  gum,  when  it  is  generally 
efficacious  in  immediately  affording  ease 
to  the  sufferer.  In  painful  chronic  dis- 
orders, or  paralytic  complaints,  it’s  use  is 
attended  with  the  most  salutary  conse- 
quences. According  to  the  Edinburgh 
Dispensatory,  the  cajeput  tree,  which  fur- 
nishes the  cajeput  oil,  is  frequent  on  the 
mountains  of  Amboyna,  and  other  Mo- 
lucca islands,  and  obtained  from  the  dried 
leaves  of  the  smaller  of  two  varieties.  In  the 
island  of  Banda,  more  particularly,  it  is  pre- 
pared in  great  quantities ; from  whence 
it  is  sent  to  Holland  in  copper  flasks.  It 
comes  to  us  of  a green  colour,  very  limpid, 
lighter  than  water,  of  a powerful  scent  like 
camphor,  and  a strong  pungent  taste  re- 
sembling cardamoms.  It  is  frequently 
adulterated  with  other  essential  oils,  and 
coloured  with  milfoil  resin.  The  green 
colour,  in  the  genuine  oil,  is  said  to  depend 
on  the  presence  of  copper;  when  rectified, 
it  is  quite  colourless.  It  is,  like  the  other 


479 

aromatic  oils,  highly  stimulating  ; and  is 
principally  recommended,  by  physicians 
of  the  united  kingdom,  in  hysteria,  epi- 
lepsy, flatulent  cholic,  and  paralysis  of  the 
tongue.  The  dose,  when  internally  taken, 
for  the  above  purposes,  is  from  one  to  four 
drops,  on  a lump  of  sugar.  Externally,  it 
is  applied  wherever  a warm  and  peculiar 
stimulus  is  requisite.  It  is  employed,  by 
the  faculty,  for  restoring  vigour  after  luxa- 
tions and  sprains;  and  for  easing  violent 
pains  in  gouty  and  rheumatic  cases,  tooth 
ache,  and  similar  affections. 

Chinese  Yellow  Stain , or  Dye,  for  Silks,  Stuffs, 
and  Payer. 

The  acacia,  or  Egyptian  thorn,  called 
in  North  America  the  locust  tree,  appears 
also  to  be  a native  of  China;  where,  we 
are  assured,  the  flowers  of  acacia  make 
that  beautiful  yellow,  with  which  the 
Chinese  stain  or  dye  their  silks  and  stuffs, 
as  well  as  colour  their  paper,  in  the  following 
manner — Roast,  over  a clear  and  gentle 
fire,  in  a very  clean  copper  pan,  half  a 
pound  of  acacia  flowers  before  they  are 
full  blown,  continually  stirring  them  with 
a brisk  motion;  and,  when  they  begin  to 
turn  yellow,  pour  over  them  a little  water, 
and  let  it  bod  till  it  becomes  of  some  consis- 
tence, and  has  also  acquired  a deeper  co- 
lour. Then,  straining  the  liquid  through 
a piece  of  coarse  silk,  add  to  it  half  an 
ounce  of  finely  pulverized  alum,  and  an 
ounce  of  calcined  and  finely  powdered 
oyster  shells;  mix  the  whole  well  together; 
and  keep  it  for  use. 

Antidote  to  Opium,  or  Laudanum 

The  deleterious  effects  of  opium,  which 
are  so  often  experienced  in  the  form  of 
laudanum,  may  sometimes  happily  beeoun- 


480 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


teracted,  by  a proper  quantity  of  the  acid 
juice  of  lemons  taken  immediately  after. 
If  acid  of  lemons  be  taken  with,  or  even 
directly  after,  a powerful  dose  of  opium, 
it’s  soporific  quality  will  be  checked. 
Four  ounces  of  opium,  for  instance,  or 
one  hundred  drops  of  laudanum,  form  a 
large,  and  often  fatal  dose  ; but,  if  an  ounce 
of  pure  lemon  juice,  or  twice  that  quantity 
of  good  vinegar,  be  added  to  every  grain 
of  opium,  or  every  twenty-five  drops  of 
laudanum,  such  compound  will  most  cer- 
tainly produce  a quite  different  effect. 
Instead  of  stupifying  the  head,  and  pro- 
ducing troublesome  costiveness ; it  will 
not  only  afford  relief  to  the  bowels,  but  also 
cause  a degree  of  cheerfulness  never  ob- 
tained by  the  use  of  opium  alone,  or  even 
by  strong  liquors,  and  afterward  occasion 
a composed  and  refreshing  sleep.  For  this 
reason,  the  use  of  vegetable  acids  cannot 
be  too  strongly  recommended  to  those  who 
are  habitually  under  the  necessity  of  tak- 
ing considerable  doses  of  opiates.  Even 
in  the  form  of  clysters,  the  mild  vegetable 
acids,  such  as  vinegar  diluted  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  cold  water,  are  a safe  and  ef- 
fectual remedy  for  costive  habits ; and  few 
persons  are  unacquainted  with  the  good 
effects  of  vinegar,  &c.  sprinkled  plenti- 
fully about  the  floors  and  walls  of  cham- 
bers, where  sick  patients  labour  under  pu- 
trid disorders,  particularly  during  the  heat 
of  summer ; in  which  case,  also,  the  ve- 
getable acids  may  be  considered  as  anti- 
dotes to  the  poison  of  putridity. 

Mr.  Lynam's  Curious  and  Simple  Method  of 

Dissolving  Sul  Ammoniac  in  Vinegar , with 

Fixed  Air. 

The  following  cheap  and  expeditious 
manner  of  saturating  the  common  solution 


j obtained  by  ^dissolving  sal  ammoniac  in 
j vinegar,  with  fixed  air,  or  carbonic  acid 
I gas,  which  is  a valuable  addition  to  that 
liquor,  was  invented  by  Mr.  Lynam,a  re- 
spectable medical  gentleman  in  London — 
Put  a pint  and  a half  of  distilled  vinegar 
into  a decanter  which  has  a closely  fitting 
glass  stopper:  then  introduce  an  ounce  of 
pure  sal  ammoniac,  previously  broken  into 
lumps,  but  not  too  small ; because,  by 
plunging  it  into  the  liquor  too  suddenly, 
the  extrication  of  the  gas  would  be  so  quick 
as  to  occasion  it’s  dissipation  in  a consider- 
able degree.  The  stopper  of  the  bottle 
must  be  immediately  tied  over  with  a piece 
of  leather,  and  the  whole  left  undisturbed. 
Some  weight,  or  pressure,  may  also  be 
added  on  the  top  of  the  bottle,  more  ef- 
fectually to  promote  or  facilitate,  the  com- 
bination of  the  carbonic  acid  gas  with  the 


be  dissolved,  and  the  carbonic  acid  ab- 
sorbed by  the  liquor.  By  this  simple  pro- 
cess, while  the  acetated  water  of  ammonia 
becomes  strongly  impregnated  with  fixed 
air,  it  is  almost  wholly  deprived  of  that 
disagreeable  taste  which  so  peculiarly  at- 
tends this  medicine  as  it  is  customarily  pre- 
pared. Of  it’s  superior  qualities,  as  a fe- 
brifuge, Mr.  Lynam  speaks  from  experi- 
ence ; and  it  likewise  possesses  the  very 
great  advantage  of  tending  to  keep  the 
bowels  open,  even  under  the  immediate 
influence  of  opiates.  It  also  agrees,  gene- 
rally, with  those  weak  and  irritable  sto- 
machs which  can  retain  scarcely  any  other 
medicine. 

Basket  Salt. 

This  finest  and  purest  salt,  for  culinary 
purposes,  which  is  also  of  the  most  delicate 
whiteness,  is  chiefly  made  frona  the  water 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


481 


of  the  salt  springs  in  Cheshire,  &c.  It  dif- 
fers from  the  common  brine  salt,  com- 
monly called  sea  salt,  not  only  in  it’s  white- 
ness and  purity,  but  in  the  fineness  of  it’s 
grain.  Some,  in  preparing  it,  use  resin, 
and  other  ingredients,  for  separating  the 
crystals,  and  reducing  them  to  a smaller 
grain  ; while  others  operate  this  effect  by 
keeping  up  a brisk  fire  beneath  the  pans, 
and  constantly  stirring  the  salt:  the  most 
approved  method,  however,  of  manufactur- 
ing basket  salt,  is  to  take  out,  for  this  pur- 
pose, the  third  draught  of  every  pan  which 
is  working  for  the  common  brine  salt,  be- 
fore the  granules  or  crystals  are  formed; 
by  which  means,  the  salt  will  become  very 
fine.  It  is  then  hard  pressed  into  small 
wicker  baskets,  dried  in  the  stove,  and  dis- 
posed of  in  these  baskets  for  use.  Some 
families  entertain  prejudices  against  bas- 
ket salt,  notwithstanding  it's  superior  de- 
licacy, from  an  idea,  which  does  not  ap- 
pear warranted,  that  pernicious  articles 
are  used  in  it’s  preparation ; it  may, 
therefore,  be  satisfactory  to  mention  that, 
by  dissolving  common  salt,  again  evapor- 
ating it  to  dryness,  and  then  reducing  it  to 
powder  in  a marble  or  iron  mortar,  they 
will  obtain  a salt  almost  equally  delicate 
with  the  best  basket  salt,  about  the  salu- 
brity of  which  they  cannot  entertain  the 
smallest  degree  of  anxiety. 

Linseed  Jelly  for  Fattening  Cattle. 

It  is  sufficiently  knowm,  that  linseed  oil 
cake  wonderfully  contributes  to  the  fatten- 
ing of  cattle,  and  also  renders  their  dung 
much  richer  than  any  other  vegetable  ali- 
ment. This  article,  however,  having  much 
advanced  in  price,  and  being  sometimes 
not  easily  obtained,  linseed  jelly  has  been 
substituted,  and  is  considered  by  some 


agricultural  writers  as  even  superior  to  the 
oil  cake.  The  jelly  is  thus  directed  to  be 
prepared — Put,  to  seven  gallons  of  water, 
one  gallon  of  linseed  which  has  been  pre- 
viously steeped  in  barely  enough  water  to 
cover  it  for  forty-eight  hours  : then  boil  it 
gently,  for  two  hours;  stirring  the  mass 
continually,  to  prevent  it’s  burning.  After- 
ward, cool  it  in  tubs  ; and  mix  it  with  meal, 
bran,  or  cut  chaff.  Two  quarts  of  this 
jelly  is  sufficient  to  be  given,  every  day, 
for  each  large  bullock,  which  amounts  to 
little  more  than  a quart  of  seed  in  four 
days.  This  is  a most  prodigious  saving 
in  the  article  of  food,  and  may  be  consi- 
dered as  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the 
breeders  and  fatteners  of  cattle. 

Mince  Pies. 

These  popular  pies,  so  generally  made 
in  all  families  during  the  Christmas  season, 
being  composed  of  a variety  of  ingredients, 
are  naturally  much  diversified  by  passing 
through  so  many  hands  as  must -necessarily 
be  engaged  in  their  preparation.  In  a 
general  sense,  the  mince  for  these  pies  is 
to  be  considered  as  a fme  composition  of 
flesh,  fat,  fruit,  spice,  and  sweetmeats:  and, 
whatever  ingredients,  of  these  several  des- 
criptions, are  selected,  chopped  small,  judi- 
ciously proportioned,  and  well  mixed  to- 
gether in  a uniform  mass,  may  be  regarded 
as  a good  minced  meat,  or  preparation 
for  mince  pies.  The  flesh,  or  meats,  usu- 
ally employed  for  making  what  is  denomi- 
nated the  minced  meat,  are  either  the  in- 
side of  a rump  or  underpart  of  a sirloin 
of  beef,  a bullock’s  heart,  tripe,  a neat’s 
tongue,  or  the  lean  of  a loin  or  fillet  of 
veal;  the  fat,  or  suet,  is  either  beef  or  veal 
suet,  or  marrow;  the  fruit,  apples  of  the 
most  favourite  sorts,  raisins  also  of  the 
6 F 


482 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


choicest  kinds,  and  the  best  currants  ; the 
spices,  some  of  all  descriptions  ; and  the 
sweetmeats,  candied  citron,  lemon,  and 
orange  peel,  &c.  The  meat  is,  by  most  per- 
sons, dressed  previously  to  being  minced  : 
but  some  of  our  best  modern  cooks  prefer 
using  it  raw  ; while  others  recommend  hard 
yolk  and  even  white  of  eggs  in  preference  to 
any  meat  whatever.  After  the  whole  is  pro- 
perly minced,  it  is  moistened  with  wine, 
brandy,  lemon  juice,  Seville  orange  juice, 
&c.  and,  when  the  mince  meat  is  properly 
made  and  kept,  it  will  continue  good  two 
months  or  more.  Some,  indeed,  are  of 
opinion,  that  it  ought  always  to  be  pre- 
pared a month  or  six  weeks  before  it  is 
wanted  for  use.  Though  sufficient  may 
seem  to  have  been  said,  as  a guide  for  every 
person’s  discretion  in  making  mince  meats, 
we  shall  concentrate,  in  a single  receipt, 
what  we  conceive  to  be  one  of  the  very 
best  methods  of  preparing  mince  pies  — 
Chop  small  three  pounds  of  tongue,  beef, 
or  veal,  or  half  the  quantity  of  hard  boiled 
yolks  of  eggs;  three  pounds  of  fine  fresh 
beef  suet,  or  two  pounds  of  suet  and  one 
pound  of  marrow  j three  pounds  of  lemon 
pippins,  nonpareils,  or  other  fine  flavoured 
apples  ; and  one  pound  of  jar  or  sun  rai- 
sins stoned.  Then  add  three  pounds  of 
currants,  washed  and  picked  ; w ith  a pound 
of  candied  citron,  and  half  a pound 
each  of  candied  orange  and  lemon  peel, 
cut  in  very  small  pieces.  Mix  the  whole 
together  with  a pound  of  powdered  loaf 
sugar;  a quarter  of  an  ounce  each  of  finely 
pounded  and  sifted  mace,  nutmegs,  cloves, 
and  cinnamon  ; and  the  grated  rinds  of 
three  lemons,  and  three  Seville  oranges. 
Put  the  whole,  when  blended,  in  a deep 
pan  ; and,  mixing  in  a bason,  a pint  and 
a half  of  brandy,  and  a pint  each  of  white 


wine,  and  rose  or  orange-flower  water, 
with  the  juice  of  the  three  lemons  and  three 
oranges,  pour  nearly  half  the  liquor  over 
the  mince  meat,  and  press  the  whole  down 
as  closely  as  possible  w ith  the  hand  : after- 
ward, add  the  remainder  of  the  liquor,  and 
leave  it  to  soak  in  at  leisure.  Keep  it  close 
covered,  in  a cool  place,  and  it  will  re- 
main good  a long  time.  When  wanted 
for  use,  sheet  pans  with  a fine  puff  paste, 
put  in  some  of  this  mince  meat,  cover  them 
over  with  another  sheet  of  the  same  paste, 
and  set  them  in  a moderate  oven  for  about 

ten  minutes.  Thev  must  not  be  baked  of 

%/ 

a high  colour. 

Tuffs. 

Puffs,  properly  so  called,  are  a sort  of 
small  pasties,  made  with  delicate  puff  paste 
instead  of  what  is  denominated  standing 
or  raised  crust.  This  puff  paste  is  alsc  to 
be  cut  in  square  pieces,  instead  of  round  ; 
and  prepared  apple,  raspberry  jam,  &c. 
being  put  on  each  square,  the  puffs  are 
turned  over,  and  baked  on  tin  plate.  They 
are  called  apple  puffs,  raspberry  puffs,  &cr 
according  to  the  contained  ingredient. 

Fried  Eggs  in  Puff  Paste. 

Put  any  number  of  eggs  into  boiling 
water,  over  the  fire,  and  let  them  remain 
three  minutes;  then,  putting  them  into 
cold  water,  carefully  take  off  the  shells 
without  injuring  the  whites,  and  cover 
them  compleatly  with  puff  paste.  Egg 
them  over  with  a brush,  and  sprinkle  them 
with  a few  finely  sifted  bread  crumbs. 
Melt  sufficient  fresh  lard  or  clarified  but- 
ter in  astevvpan,  entirely  to  cover  the  eggs; 
and,  when  it  is  quite  hot,  put  them  in,  and 
fry  them  of  a nice  golden  yellow7.  They 
should  be  dished  up  on  a napkin. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


483 


Mushroom  Fritters. 

MAKE  a fine  batter,  by  boiling  half  a pint 
each  of  nfilk  and  cream,  with  a little  cinna- 
mon and  the  rind  of  half  a lemon,  very 
slowly,  for  near  three  quarters  of  an  hour  ; 
then,  beating  up  three  eggs  about  five  mi- 
nutes, mixing  four  table-spoonfuls  of  flour, 
with  some  sifted  loaf  sugar,  and  adding  the 
strained  milk  and  cream,  with  three  table- 
spoonfuls of  brandy.  This  batter,  with  a 
table-spoonful  less  of  flour,  will  make  most 
excellent  pancakes;  but,  for  the  present 
purpose,  it  must  be  stiller,  otherwise  it 
will  not  adhere  to  the  mould  in  which 
these  fritters  must  be  formed.  Having 
procured  a proper  mushroom  mould,  or 
shape,  and  made  the  batter  as  above  direc- 
ted, melt  some  fine  lard,  or  clarified  butter, 
in  a stewpan ; and,  putting  some  sweet  oil 
in  a bason,  dip  in  the  mould,  drain  the  oil 
from  it,  and  then  dip  it  into  the  batter,  and 
immediately  after  into  the  hot  lard  or  clari- 
fied butter.  As  the  fritters  become  brown, 
lay  them  on  paper,  to  soak  up  the  fat : and 
then  fill  the  hollow  part  with  a nice  cus- 
tard, previously  made  for  the  purpose; 
sift  over  them  some  powdered  loaf  sugar; 
glaze  them  with  a salamander ; and  serve 
them  up  hot,  dished  on  a napkin.  The 
custard  may  be  delicately  made  as  follows 
— Boil,  for  nearly  half  an  hour,  half  a pint 
each  of  milk  and  cream,  with  a little  cin- 
namon, loaf  sugar,  lemon  peel,  and  a leaf 
or  two  of  laurel;  then  take  it  off  the  fire, 
and  let  it  stand  to  cool : in  the  mean  time, 
beat  up  in  a bason  the  yolks  of  four  eggs, 
with  half  a table-spoonful  of  flour;  and 
add  the  mixed  milk  and  cream,  by  small 
quantities  at  a time,  stirring  it  well  con- 
tinually. Then  strain  it  into  a stewpan, 
through  a hair  sieve;  set  it  over  a clear 


fire;  and,  stirring  it  incessantly,  till  it 
comes  to  a boil,  take  it  then  instantly  off, 
set  it  to  cool,  and  add  to  it  half  a glass  of 
brandy,  or  a glass  of  ratafia,  with  or  vvith- 
1 out  a couple  of  table-spoonfuls  of  orange- 
j flower  water.  When  these  fritters  are  in 
all  respects  thus  made,  they  are  exquisitely 
delicious. 

Good  Family  Method  of  P idling  Salmon. 

After  properly  cleaning  and  scraping 
a fine  fresh  salmon,  split  it  down  the  back, 
and  cut  it  into  pieces  of  a proper  size : 
then,  putting  it  into  a fish  kettle  with  suf- 
ficient water  to  cover  it,  add  about  a pint 
of  vinegar,  with  a handful  of  salt,  a few 
bay  leaves,  a little  allspice,  and  some  whole 
white  pepper.  When  the  salmon  is  done, 
lay  the  pieces  to  drain  on  a clean  cloth; 
and,  boiling  the  strained  liquor  till  nearly 
three  parts  reduced,  put  it  in  a pan  to 
cool.  On  it’s  becoming  quite  cold,  put 
in  the  salmon;  which,  if  thus  well  man- 
aged, will  not  only  be  very  good  in  a few 
days,  but  keep  so  several  months. 

Baked  Carp. 

STUFF  a fine  large  carp,  egg  it  all  over, 
cover  it  well  with  fine  bread  crumbs,  and 
drop  on  them  a little  clarified  butter  or 
oil.  Then  put  it  in  a deep  baking  dish, 
with  a little  stock,  broth,  or  gravy,  half  a 
dozen  anchovies,  as  many  bay  leaves,  a 
bunch  of  parsley,  a faggot  of  both  the  mar- 
jorams and  thyme,  a sprig  or  two  of  basil, 
and  half  a pint  of  red  port.  Set  it  in  a 
moderate  oven,  to  remain  for  at  least  an 
hour:  then,  melting  in  a stewpan  a small 
bit  of  butter,  dredge  as  much  flour  as  will 
soak  it  up,  pour  in  the  liquor  from  the 
baked  carp,  and  keep  stirring  it  over  the  fire 
till  it  boils  up.  On  taking  it  off,  squeeze 


484 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


to  it  the  juice  of  a lemon,  add  a little  su-  ' 
gar,  and  season  to  palate  with  Cayenne 
pepper  and  salt.  Dish  up  the  carp  garnished 
with  parsley,  and  send  the  sauce  to  table 
in  a small  bason  or  tureen. 

Braised  Neck  of  Veal,  and  Oyster  Sauce. 

Put  on  to  blanch,  in  cold  water,  a fine 
neck  of- veal  neatly  trimmed;  and,  on  it’s 
coming  to  a boil,  take  it  out,  and  plunge 
it  into  fresh  cold  water.  Then,  taking  a 
stewpan,  with  about  a quart  of  veal  stock  j 
or  broth,  and  any  trimmings  of  the  veal, 
&c.  with  a few  onions,  bay  leaves,  a bunch 
of  parsley,  a faggot,  of  sweet  herbs,  and  a 
blade  of  mace,  put  in  the  neck  of  veal,  co- 
vered with  a few  slices  of  lemon  and  sheets 
of  bacon,  over  which  place  white  paper, 
and  let  it  simmer  on  a stove  for  about  two 
hours.  In  the  mean  time,  prepare  the 
oyster  sauce  in  the  following  manner — 
Blanch  a pint  and  a half  of  large  03’sters; 
then  beard  them,  strain  the  liquor,  and  put 
to  it  the  oysters.  Melt,  in  a stewpan,  a 
little  butter,  not  more  than  an  ounce ; and, 
dredging  it  with  flour  till  dried  up,  stirred 
all  the  time  with  a wooden  spoon,  add  the 
liquor  of  the  oysters,  a little  stock,  or  veal 
broth,  and  a gill  or  more  of  cream.  It  must 
be  of  a consistence  somewhat  thicker  than 
bechamel,  on  account  of  the  additional 
liquid  which  it  will  receive  with  the  oys- 
ters, as  they  always  retain  a considerable 
quantity.  The  oysters  being  added,  set  the 
stewpan  on  a stove,  to  become  quite  hot; 
but  they  must  by  no  means  be  suffered  to 
boil,  which  would  render  them  flavourless 
as  well  as  hard.  Squeeze  in  a little  lemon 
juice,  add  a bit  of  sugar,  and  season  to  pa- 
late with  salt  and  pepper.  The  veal  being 
then  taken  «up,  and  the  fat  dried  from  it 
on  a cloth,  place  it  on  the  dish  in  which  it 


is  to  be  served  up,  with  the  oyster  sauce  so 
poured  over  as  to  leave  as  many  oysters  as 
possible  on  the  top  of  the  meat. 

Buttered  Lobsters. 

AFTER  boiling,  till  about  half  done,  a 
couple  of  fine  large  lobsters,  take  off  the 
tails,  cut  in  halves  the  bodies,  pick  out  the 
meat,  and  leave  the  shells  entire.  Then, 
breaking  the  tails  and  claws,  get  out  their 
meat  also,  cut  the  whole  very  small,  and 
put  it  in  a stewpan  with  some  fresh  butler, 
a little  essence  of  ham,  half  a sill  each  of 
cream  and  rich  stock  or  consume,  a shallot, 
chopped  parsley,  half  a blade  of  finely 
beaten  mace,  and  a few  sifted  bread  crumbs; 
the  whole  to  be  mixed  over  the  fire  for  a 
few  minutes,  with  a little  juice  of  lemon, 
and  seasoned  with  salt  and  Cayenne  pepper. 
I he  reserved  shells  being  filled  with  the 
mixture,  it  is  to  be  sifted  over  with  fine 
| bread  crumbs,  and  they  are  to  be  gently 
j baked  for  rather  better  than  a quarter  of 
an  hour;  and,  on  serving  them  up,  they 
j may  be  heightened  by  a salamander,  if 
not  of  a good  colour. 

Lobster  Cake. 

PjCK  the  meat  out  of  a couple  of  fine 
hen  lobsters,  which  are  to  be  preferred  on 
account  of  the  beauty  of  the  spawn,  and 
pound  it  very  fine  in  a mortar,  with  eight 
or  ten  washed  and  boned  anchovies  ; add  a 
little  beef  marrow,  the  yolks  of  three  eggs, 
and  a bit  of  French  roll  soaked  in  cream. 
Add  a little  beaten  mace,  and  season  with 
fine  salt  and  Cayenne  pepper.  Line  a 
mould  with  sheets  of  fat  bacon,  put  in  the 
mixture,  cover  it  with  other  sheets  or  thin 
slices  of  bacon  fat,  and  set  it  in  the  oven 
for  at  least  an  hour  and  a half.  When  done, 
let  it  stand  till  quite  cold;  and  then,  put- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


485 


ting  the  mould  in  warm  water  for  a few  ! 
minutes,  the  cake  will  turn  out.  Take 
away  the  bacon,  and  serve  up  the  cake, 
either  ornamented  or  plain,  with  chopped 
aspect  or  savoury  jelly  placed  round. 

Hare  Cake,  fyc. 

Bone  a hare,  and  cut  the  flesh  in  dice, 
with  about  a pound  of  lean  mutton,  and 
half  a pound  of  lean  ham.  Mix  all  toge- 
ther with  a little  finely  pounded  spice, 
salt,  long  pepper,  and  the  yolks  of  four 
eggs.  Then,  lining  a mould  with  fat  ba- 
con, proceed  in  the  same  way  as  for  the 
lobster  cake,  and  serve  it  up  in  like  man- 
ner surrounded  by  chopped  aspect.  In  a 
similar  way,  may  be  made  cakes  of  fowl, 
&c. 

Veal  Cake. 

POUND  very  fine,  in  a marble  mortar, 
cold  fillet  of  veal,  with  one  third  the  quan- 
tity of  fat  of  ham.  Spice  and  season  it  in 
the  same  manner  as  hare  cake,  &c.  and 
mix  it  up  well  with  clarified  butter.  Put 
it  in  a mould,  set  the  mould  in  an  oven  for 
half  an  hour;  and,  on  it’s  being  done,  let 
it  stand  to  cool,  dip  the  mould  for  a few 
minutes  in  w arm  water,  turn  out  the  cake, 
and  ornament  as  fancy  may  direct. 

Ham  Cake. 

This  is  made  in  all  respects  like  veal 
cake,  with  fat  and  lean  of  dressed  ham, 
pounded,  spiced,  seasoned,  &c.  instead  of 
lean  veal  and  ham  fat.  Ham  cake  may 
also  be  ornamented  or  garnished  accord- 
ing to  fancy. 

Orange  Marmalade. 

THOUGH  orange  marmalade  is  usually 
made  with  Seville  oranges,  a very  fine  mar- 


malade may  be  prepared  in  the  same  man- 
ner with  China  oranges.  The  best  season 
for  Seville  oranges,  in  England,  is  from  the 
middle  of  January  to  nearly  the  end  of 
March;  they  may,  indeed,  be  had  at  other 
times,  but  they  are  not  in  equal  perfection  . 
At  this  season,  therefore,  particularly  the 
beginning  of  March,  scoop  the  pulp  from 
the  oranges,  into  a hair  sieve,  with  a 
bason  beneath  to  receive  the  juice.  Cut 
all  the  rind  into  thin  slices,  soak  it  three 
days  in  spring  wmter,  and  then  set  it  over 
the  fire  till  it  is  near  boiling  up;  when  the 
water  is  to  be  poured  off,  and  fresh  added. 
After  boiling  the  peel  till  very  tender, 
strain  from  it  theliquor,  and  beat thepulp  of 
the  oranges,  having  first  taken  away  the  pips, 
&c.  till  it  be  fine  enough  to  pass  through 
a sieve.  Put  as  many  pounds  of  powdered 
loaf  sugar  as  there  are  of  orange  into  a 
preserving  pan,  with  an  equal  number  of 
pints  of  the  liquid  in  which  the  peels  were 
boiled,  and  the  juice;  and  let  the  syrup 
boil,  till  it  hangs  to  the  spoon:  then  add 
the  orange  pulp  ; and,  boiling  the  whole 
together  about  ten  minutes,  well  stirred 
w'hile  on  the  fire,  fill  the  marmalade  into 
pots,  and  let  it  stand  till  quite  cold.  Next 
day,  put  over  each  pot  a cover  of  white 
paper  moistened  with  brandy ; and,  on  that, 
paper  and  wdiite  leather,  or  bladder  and 
paper,  in  the  same  manner  as  other  mar- 
malades, jellies,  ike.  and  keep  them  in  a 
dry  situation  for  use. 

Curious  French  Method  of  rendering  JVood 
Fire  Proof. 

This  very  simple  mode -of  defending 
wooden  materials  from  being  consumed  by 
flames,  though  exposed  for  two  hours  to 
their  influence,  was  invented  by  M.  Bou- 
lar^,  an  architect,  at  Lyons,  in  France,  a 
6 G 


486 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


few  years  ago;  who  gives  the  history  of 
li is  discovery  in  words  to  the  following  ef- 
fect. Being  satisfied,  after  many  tedious 
experiments,  that  a solution  of  potash  is 
the  most  efficacious  liquid  for  long  resist- 
ing the  action  of  fire,  he  was  induced  to 
apply  it  in  a sort  of  paint  or  coating  on 
wood;  and  found  that,  by  the  following 
easy  method,  wood  was  compleatly  ren- 
dered fire  proof — Dissolve,  in  cold  water, 
as  much  potash  as  it  is  capable  of  holding 
in  solution  ; and  wash  or  daub  with  it  all 
the  boards,  wainscoting,  timbers,  palings, 
&c.  intended  to  be  prepared.  Then,  di- 
luting the  same  liquid  with  a little  water, 
add  to  it  such  a portion  of  fine  yellow  clay 
as  will  make  the  mixture  the  same  con- 
sistence as  common  paint  employed  on 
wood;  and  stir  into  it  a small  quantity  of 
flour  paste,  such  as  is  used  by  paper-hang- 
ers, bookbinders,  &c.  to  combine  both  the 
other  substances  more  intimately  together. 
By  coating,  three  or  four  times,  similar  to 
painted  work,  all  wooden  materials  with 
this  mixture,  they  will  be  secured  from  the 
action  of  fire,  though  exposed  to  it  for  a 
time  exceeding  two  hours.  The  grand 
advantage,  however,  of  this  admirable  pre- 
paration, consists  in  it’s  preventing  the 
wood  from  ever  bursting  into  flames.  It 
is  remarked,  by  the  ingenious  inventor, 
that  twrenty  pounds  of  sifted  yellow  clay, 
a pound  and  a half  of  flour  for  making  the 
paste,  and  a pound  of  potash,  are  sufficient 
to  prepare  a square  rood  of  deal  boards ; so 
that  the  expences,  when  compared  with 
the  importance  of  the  object,  are  truly 
trifling.  Even  furniture  made  of  wood, 
such  as  chairs,  tables,  &c.  and  particularly 
the  stair-cases  and  floorings  of  dwelling 
houses,  may  be  so  far  enabled  to  resist  the 
ravages  of  fire,  as  only  to  be  reduced  to 


coals,  or  embers,  without  spreading  tb-Q 
conflagration  by  additional  flames;  by 
which  means,  two  hours  at  least  arc  gained, 
for  removing  valuable  effects  to  a place  of 
safety,  as  well  as  rescuing  the  lives  of  all. 
the  family  from  danger.  Such  is  M.  Bou- 
lard’s  account  of  the  nature  and  uses  of  his 
discovery;  which,  certainly,  may  be  ap- 
plied with  advantage  on  several  occasions. 

Fly  Water. 

Most  of  the  fly  waters,  and  other  pre- 
parations commonly  sold  for  the  destruction 
of  flies,  are  variously  disguised  poisons, 
dangerous  and  even  fatal  to  the  human 
species;  such  as  solutions  of  mercury,  ar- 
senic, & c.  mixed  with  honey  or  syrup. 
The  following  preparation,  however,  with- 
out endangering  the  lives  of  children,  or 
other  incautious  persons,  is  not  less  fatal 
to  flies  than  even  a solution  of  arsenic — 
Dissolve  two  drams  of  the  extract  of  quas- 
sia, in  half  a pint  of  boiling  water;  and, 
adding  a little  sugar,  or  syrup,  pour  the 
mixture  on  plates.  To  this  enticing  food 
the  flies  are  extremely  partial,  and  it  never, 
fails  to  destroy  them. 

Mr.  Bakevocll’s  Liquid,  and  Mr.  Cullcy’s 

Bed  Salve,  for  the  Foot-Rot  in  Sheep. 

The  foot-rot  is  a cruel  disease,  often  fatal 
to  sheep.  It’s  first  symptom  is  manifested 
by  the  animal’s  beginning  to  limp,  without 
any  visible  cause,  though  the  foot  feels  ex- 
tremely hot.  In  the  second  stage,  a yel- 
lowish white  spot  appears  in  the  cleft  of 
the  hoof;  which,  gradually  spreading,  and 
growing  livid,  destroys  the  hair  that  in  a 
sound  sheep  covers  the  foot : the  diseased 
part  also  acquires  a disagreeable  smell, 
and  the  lameness  increases.  In  the  third 
, stage,  the  malady  sinks  into  the  frog  of  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


48? 


foot 5 the  shell  of  the  hoof  becomes  loose; 
the  frog  fills  with  a fetid  matter,  which 
oozes  out  on  a slight  pressure;  and  a 
small  tumour  sometimes  breaks  out  in  the 
front  of  the  leg,  about  an  inch  above  the 
hoof.  In  the  last  stage,  the  foot  is  so  com- 
pleatly  mortified  by  the  cancerous  humour 
as  to  become  incurable,  and  the  skin  is  now 
the  only  valuable  part  of  the  animal.  Not- 
withstanding the  sufferings  of  the  sheep 
under  this  distemper,  and  though  they  very 
soon  begin  to  fall  away,  losing  at  length 
all  their  fat,  they  continue  so  ea^er  for 
food,  at  the  end  of  the  second  and  com- 
mencement of  the  third  stage,  that  they 
even  crawl  on.  their  knees  for  sustenance. 
The  famous  Mr.  Bakewell,  and  the  almost 
equally  celebrated  Mr.  George  Culley,  of 
Fenton  in  Northumberland, have  each  given 
remedies,  highly  approved,  for  the  cure  of 
the  foot-rot  in  sheep,  which  are  thus  de- 
scribed— For  Air.  Bakewell’s  liquid,  dis- 
solve four  ounces  each  of  vitriol  and  com- 
mon alum,  three  ounces  of  verdigrease,  an 
ounce  and  a half  of  white  mercury,  and  an 
ounce  of  white  copperas,  all  finely  pulverized 
in  a quart  of  white  wine  vinegar. — For  Air. 
Gulley’s  red  salve, mix  four  ouncesof  the  best 
honey,  two  ounces  of  burnt  alum  reduced 
to  powder,  and  half  a pound  of  Armenian 
bole,  with  as  much  train  or  fish  oil  as  will 
convert  these  ingredients  into  the  consis- 
tence of  a salve.  The  honey  is  first  to  be 
gradually  dissolved,  when  the  Armenian 
bole  must  be  properly  stirred  in  ; after 
which,  the  alum  and  train  oil  are  to  be 
added.  Air.  Arthur  Young,  who  always 
employs  the  liquid  previously  to  anointing 
the  animals  with  the  salve,  seems  to  think 
Mr.  Gulley’s  red  salve  more  efficacious 
than  Air.  Bakewell’s  liquid  ; having  known 
it  'cure  diseased  feet,  in  one  or  two  in- 


stances, where  the  liquid  had  failed.  Either 
however,  will  commonly  effect  a cure,  if 
not  too  long  delayed.  This  disease  is  ge- 
nerally said  to  be  infectious;  but  we  doubt 
much  the  fact.  The  chief  cause  of  the 
malady,  is  supposed  to  be  long  grass  in 
wet  seasons  ; but  it  is  said  that,  if  sheep 
be  only  suffered  to  lie  on  their  own  dung, 
a fermentation  will  take  place,  which  oc- 
casions cither  the  foot-rot  or  the  foot-halt. 
So  that  good  dry  littering,  and  a strict 
attention  to  cleanliness,  are  here,  as  in  most 
other  cases,  the  best  preservatives  against 
disease. 

Mr.  Frederic's  Patent  Coal  Cakes. 

In  the  year  1801,  a patent  was  granted 
to  Air.  Frederic,  of  AVelbeck  Street,  for 
bis  invention  of  a fuel,  or  coal  cake,  which 
i burns  longer  than  common  coal.  The 
j principal  ingredient  is  clay  ; or,  where 
that  cannot  be  procured;  cow  dung,  road 
or  street  mud,  sawdust,  turf,  horse  dung, 
straw,  and  particularly  tanners  waste : to 
which  may  be  added,  broken  glass  pul- 
verised, or  pitch,  tar,  oil  cakes,  or.  any 
other  combustible  matter  that  is  not  too 
expensive.  These  are  to  be  mixed  with 
coal  dust,  in  circular  pits,  each  five  or  six 
feet  diameter,  paved  at  bottom  with  bricks. 
In  one  of  these  pits,  some  clay  being  pre- 
viously softened  with  water,  and  well  work- 
ed with  an  iron  rake,  any  other  of  the  in- 
gredients may  be  added  after  the  follow- 
ing manner — Two  men,  provided  with  a 
pail,  should  first  fill  one  of  the  pits  a foot 
deep  with  clay  ; and  throw  in  the  small 
coal,  together  with  the  other  ingredients,  . 
according  to  the  quantity  and  proportion 
required.  The  whole  should  then  be  stir- 
red repeatedly  with  a large  rake,  and  the 
pit  progressively  be  filled  up,  till  the  clay 


483 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


becomes  so  thoroughly  incorporated  with 
1 he  other  substances,  and  acquires  such  a 
stiffness  of  consistence,  as  no  longer  to  be 
stirred.  More  clay  is  then  to  be  added, 
and  the  same  operation  repeated  till  the  | 
pit  becomes  full.  When  the  mixture  has 
remained  till  the  water  being  in  a great  , 
measure  evaporated  it  is  ready  to  form  j 
into  cakes,  a mould  made  of  deal,  about  | 
four  cubic  inches  square,  having  been  in 
the  mean  time  prepared  for  that  purpose, 
is  to  be  first  wetted,  so  as  to  prevent  the 
mass  from  adhering;  and  it  is  also  recom- 
mended to  be  overspread  with  sawdust, 
which  will  not  only  make  the  cakes  more 
expeditiously  dry,  but  occasion  them  to 
burn  much  the  better.  The  cakes  being 
moulded,  the  last  operation  is  that  of  dry- 
ing them;  which  should  be  done  in  ashed 
about  seven  feet  high,  and  of  a length  pro- 
portionate to  the  quantity  which  may  at  j 
once  require  drying.  They  might,  indeed,  j 
be  dried  on  the  ground,  in  the  open  air, 
if  there  were  no  danger  of  losing  the  la- 
bour bestowed  on  them  by  rainy  weather. 
A shed,  therefore,  is  most  eligible;  which, 
as  the  patentee  advises,  should  be  divided 
into  upright  rows  six  or  seven  feet  high, 
about  three  inches  thick,  and  three  feet 
distant;  being  intersected  every  six  inches 
by  a cross  bar  twelve  inches  long,  for  re- 
ceiving on  both  sides  laths  of  about  three 
quarters  of  an  inch  thick,  and  which  should 
be  about  two  inches  and  a half  apart.  On 
these  laths,  the  cakes  are  to  be  laid  for  dry- 
ing; where  they  will,  during  the  summer, 
become  sufficiently  dry  in  less  than  a week. 
Mr.  Frederic,  the  patentee,  has  voluntarily 
consented  to  relinquish  his  exclusive  ^pri- 
vilege, with  a liberality  which  does  this 
gentleman  the  highest  honour;  and  even 
oilers  to  explain  his  process  to  any  public 


establishment,  or  charitable  institution 
that  may  incline  to  prepare  these  cakes 
on  a large  scale,  so  as  to  sell  them  at  a re- 
duced price,  for  the  convenience  and  com- 
fort of  the  poor. 

Coal  Balls  or  Cakes. 

I\T  the  Museum  Rusticum,  it  is  said  that, 
many  years  ago,  coal  balls  or  cakes,  made 
with  two  thirds  of  soft  mellow  clay,  free 
from  stones  and  one  third  coal  dust,  or  a 
ton  weight  of  such  clay  worked  into  three 
or  four  bushels  of  small  sea  coal  previously 
sifted,  and  formed  into  cakes  or  balls  of 
about  four  inches  diameter,  thoroughly 
dried,  were  seen  burning  in  several  fires 
at  the  house  of  the  Royal  Society,  then  in 
Crane  Court,  Fleet  Street.  A similar  sort 
of  fuel  has  long  been  prepared  in  Ger- 
i many;  and  particularly  in  the  Bishopric 
| of  Liege,  where  it  proves  to  the  inhabi- 
! tants  a source  of  considerable  emolument, 

I as  they  annually  manufacture  great  quan- 
j tities  of  it  for  sale. 

Count  Rumford’s  Kindling  Balls,  8$c. 

Tins  composition,  known  by  the  name 
of  Count  Rumford’s  kindling  balls,  is  com- 
posed of  equal  parts  of  coal,  charcoal,  and 
clay:  the  two  former  being  reduced  to  a 
fine  powder,  well  mixed  and  kneaded  to- 
gether with  the  clay  moistened  in  water; 

: then  formed  into  balls  the  size  of  an  egg, 
j and  thoroughly  dried.  These  balls,  if  dip- 
ped in  a strong  solution  of  nitre,  and  again 
dried,  will  be  so  inflammable  as  instantly 
to  take  fire  from  the  smallest  spark.  Count 
Rumford  expresses  an  opinion,  in  his  cele- 
brated CEconomical  Essays,  that  a certain 
proportion  of  straw,  cut  very  small,  or  of 
i chaff,  or  even  of  sawdust,  may  be  advan- 
t tageously  incorporated.  The  excellence  of 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 1 


the  fuel  thus  prepared  consists  not  only 
in  it's  oeconomy,  but  in  it’s  cleanliness;  so 
that  it  is  as  well  suited  to  improve  the 
apartments  of  the  opulent,  as  to  augment 
the  comfort  of  the  humblest  cottage  hearth: 
for,  as  the  Count  truly  remarks,  “ nothing 
is  more  dirty,  inelegant,  and  disgusting, 
than  a common  coal  fire.” 

Mr.  Darcy's  Improved  Palcut  Fuel. 

For  the  improved  fuel,  as  this  article  is 
denominated,  a patent  was  obtained,  in 
1801,  by  Mr.  Peter  Davey.  It  is  describ- 
ed, in  the  specification,  as  a mixed  coke, 
composed  of  pit  coal  and  charcoal,  in  va- 
rious proportions,  united  previously  to  the 
operation  of  coking.  For  this  purpose, 
the  patentee  adds  to  small  sea  or  pit  coal, 
charcoal,  sawdust,  tan,  or  any  other  ma- 
terials which  may  be  converted  into  char-  j 
coal,  in  proportionate  quantities.  These 
proportions,  however,  are  not  specified: 
the  patentee  simply  observing  that,  for 
furnaces,  or  other  large  fires,  the  quantity 
of  sea  coal  is  to  be  increased;  and,  where 
the  fuel  is  intended  for  small  fires,  it  is  to 
be  diminished.  The  different  ingredients, 
after  being  mixed,  are  to  be  dried  in  kilns; 
and  so1  heated  as  to  make  them  not  only 
intimately  cohere,  but  to  expel  the  mois- 
ture and  oleaginous  parts,  without  con- 
suming the  substance  of  the  coal.  In  this 
state,  the  improved  fuel  is  fit  for  immedi- 
ate use.  It  is  easy  to  see,  that  all  these 
different  factitious  fuels  are  formed  on  the 
same  original  principles  of  combination; 
and  it  is  truly  astonishing  that,  consider-  i 
ing  the  obvious  utility  of  them  all,  none 
of  them  appear  to  have  been  by  any  means 
very  generally  adopted,  in  a country  where 
there  is  much  good  sense,  and  no  want  of 
motives  to  frugality. 


489 

Mr.  Cruickslicinks's  Prescription  for  a Cough 
and  Soreness  of  the  Chest. 

Mix  together  an  ounce  of  boiling  water 
| or  barley  water,  an  ounce  of  gum  Arabic 
powdered,  and  half  an  ounce  of  honey, 
l ake  a tea-spoonful  now  and  then. 

I 

Iiussian  Remedy  against  Bugs , Gnats , 
Booku'orms , 8Cc. 

Place  on  the  bedstead,  or  even  in  any 
other  part  of  the  room,  a whole  skin  or 
large  piece  of  genuine  Russia  leather,  in 
the  red  dressed  state,  as  it  comes  from  that 
country;  for,  if  it  be  dressed  here,  it  is  not. 
found  so  effectual.  This  method  of  de- 
stroying or  driving  away  bugs,  gnats,  &c. 
is  practised  in  Russia,  and  has  been  found 
to  succeed  equally  well  in  England.  A 
few  books  bound  in  Russia  leather,  which 
is  the  most  durable  of  all  bindings,  will 
often  preserve  a whole  library  from  the 
depredations  of  those  insects  called  book- 
worms. The  odour,  or  scent,  of  the  real 
Russia  leather,  is  very  peculiar;  and  it 
operates  powerfully  against  these  insects, 
which  cannot  exist  where  it  greatly  pre- 
vails. 

Singular  Case  of  Cure  for  a Scald. 

The  following  singular  case  was  pub- 
lished, some  years  since,  in  a respectable 
public  journal,  from  which  it  is  verbatim 
transcribed,  as  it  was  subscribed  by  the 
party,  Mr.  William  May — “ In  the  winter 
of  1/88,”  says  this  gentleman,  in  support 
of  the  usefulness  of  cold  water  for  the  cure 
of  recent  scalds,  “ I was  sitting  near  a lire, 
on  which  was  placed  a large  tea-kettle,  111-, 
led  with  water  that  was  then  of  a boiling 
heat.  The  kettle  slipped  from  off  the  fire, 
and  the  whole  or  greater  part  of  it’s  contents 
6 H 


490 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


was  thrown  over  one  of'my  logs.  1 o lessen 
the  extreme  heat  and  pain  which  were  in- 
stantly produced,  the  first  thing  that  struck  || 
me  was  the  allusion  of  cold  water  out  of  a 
large  decanter,  which  fortunately  stood  at 
the  time  on  the  table;  and  which  I instantly  i 
made,  without  waiting  to  take  off  my  stock- 
ing, over  the  affected  parts.  In  the  mean 
time,  feeling  some  relief  from  the  applica- 
tion of  cold,  I ordered  a pail  of  water  to  be 
procured,  in  which  I repeatedly  immersed 
the  leg;  and  this  I continued  to  do  for 
about  two  hours,  as  nearly  as  I can  recol- 
lect, getting  a fresh  pail  of  water  as  soon 
as  any  sensible  degree  of  warmth  was  com- 
municated by  the  scalded  limbtotlmt  which 
I had  been  using.  Having,  by  these  re- 
peated  immersions,  almost  if  not  entirely 
got  rid  of  the  heat  and  smarting,  I proceeded  j; 
to  draw  off'  my  stocking,  with  some  caution,  j! 
and  not  without  suspicion  that  a part  of  the  ! 
cuticle  would  have  been  removed  along  j 
with  it:  but  I was  agreeably  surprised  to 
find,  that  the  skin  had  suffered  little  or  no 
injury;  except  that  it  was  a little  shrivelled 
and  stiff'  in  some  places,  which  was  as  likely 
to  have  been  occasioned  by  the  cold  as  the 
hot  water.  No  vesication  succeeded;  and, 
except  a little  peeling  of  the  skin,  and  some 
partial  stiffness,  which  were  soon  removed 
by  rubbing  the  surface  with  oil,  I never  . 
felt  any  subsequent  inconvenience.  To  those 
whd  may  chance  to  suffer  any  similar  acci- 
dent, I can  venture,  from  this  fact,  inde- 
pendently of  any  theory  in  it’s  favour,  to 
recommend  the  like  mode  of  treating  it. 
Oil,  which  is  no  unfrequent  application,  is 
a bad  one;  as  it  is  an  ill  conductor  of  heat, 
and  therefore  tends  to  increase  the  heat  of 
the  surface  to  which  it  may  be  applied. 
Vinegar,  though  it  has  been  considered  to 
possess  a sedative  quality,  and  therefore  to 


be  useful  in  such  cases,  as  it  will  irritate 
much  more  than  water,  is  on  that  account 
less  proper;  and  the  same  may  be  said  of 
other  acids.  Even  lead  dissolved  in  vine- 
gar, which  makes  the  famous  extract  of  M. 
Goulard,  is  liable,  in  my  opinion,  to  the 
same  objection.  It  is  hardly  requisite  to 
add,  that  there  is  a necessity'  of  making  the 
application  of  cold  water  as  speedily  as  pos- 
sible after  the  accident ; for,  if  it  be  delayed 
till  the  blistering  has  taken  place,  which 
will  happen  in  a very  short  space  of  time, 
any  application  made  with  a view  to  effect 
a compleat  cure,  must  prove  ineffectual. ” 
To  this  case,  as  stated  by  Mr.  May,  who 
disapproves  of  vinegar,  perhaps  without 
trial,  we  may  add  the  following  case  of  a 
still  more  alarming  nature  than  his  own* 
which  was  positively  cured  by  cold  vinegar 
only.  Many  years  ago,  Mr.  Potter,  the  ce- 
lebrated maker  of  German  flutes,  had  the 
misfortune  most  dreadfully  to  burn  or  scald 
his  hand,  by  overturning  on  it  a consider- 
able quantity  of  melted  resin.  Fortunately, 
at  the  moment  of  the  accident,  a German 
workman  in  his  service  proposed  instantly 
to  cure  it  by  what  he  called  his  country' 
method  ; being,  in  fact,  nothing  more  than 
a plentiful  use  of  cold  vinegar.  This  was 
immediately  obtained,  the  hand  long  im- 
mersed, and  fine  linen  rags  doubly  or  trebly' 
folded  kept  afterward  constantly  wet  with 
vinegar  till  the  next  day;  after  which,  lit- 
tle or  no  pain  or  inconvenience  w7ere  suf- 
fered by  Mr.  Potter,  who  related  this  ex- 
traordinary but  undoubted  fact  to  the  pre- 
sent writer. 

Decoction  of  Peruvian  Bark,  as  prescribed  by 
Mr.  Cruickshanks. 

PUT  two  ounces  of  powdered  Peruvian 
bark  into  a pint  and  a half  of  boiling  wa* 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


491 


ter,  in  a tin  saucepan  with  a cover,  with 
some  cinnamon  and  a little  Seville  orange  i 
peel.  After  the  whole  has  boiled  together  j 
for  twenty  minutes,  take  it  oft' the  tire,  and 
let  it  stand  till  quite  cold;  then,  straining  ; 
it  through  flannel,  put  it  up  in  small  phials,  I 
and  take  four  table-spoonfuls  three  times 
a day. 

Cream  for  a Consumption. 


Liquid  to  take  out  Spots  or  Stains  of  Ink , 
Bed  Wine,  Ironmould , Mildew,  S'c. 

Mix  an  ounce  each  of  sal  ammoniac  and 
salt  of  tartar,  in  a quart  bottle  of  water, 
and  keep  it  for  use.  Soak,  and  wash  out 
in  this  liquid,  the  table  linen,  &c.  thus 
spotted  or  stained;  and,  after  the  colour 
is  discharged,  get  them  up  in  the  usual 
manner,  when  there  will  remain  no  visible 


Boil,  in  three  pints  of  water,  till  half 
be  wasted,  one  ounce  each  of  eringo  root, 
pearl  barley,  sago,  and  rice;  then,  strain- 
ing it  oft,  put  a table-spoonful  of  the  mix- 
ture into  a coffee  cup  of  boiling  milk,  so 
as  to  render  it  the  consistence  of  cream, 
and  sweeten  it  with  loaf  or  Lisbon  sugar 
to  palate. 

Dr.  Den  vein’s  Decoction  of  Fox-Glove,  for 
the  Dropsy,  Scurvy,  8$c. 

This  genuine  receipt  of  the  late  Dr. 
D;  irwin,  of  Derby,  given  by  him  as  an 
effectual  remedy  for  the  dropsy  before  tap- 
ping, was  also  recommended  by  that  cele- 
brated physician,  in  all  scorbutic  and  scro- 
phulous  complaints,  &c. — 'lake  four  ounces 
of  the  leaves  of  fox-glove,  and  boil  it  in  a 
quart  of  water  till  it  be  reduced  to  a pint; 
add  a table-spoonful  of  brandy,  and  cork 
it  up  close  for  use.  Of  this  decoction,  the 
dropsical  patient  must  take  a small  table- 
spoonful at  going  to  rest;  and  another  at 
eleven  o’clock  next  morning.  Should  this 
prove  too  violent,  the  above  quantity  must 
only  be  taken  at  bed-time.  In  cases  of 
scurvy,  &c.  where  the  patient  is  not  too  far 
reduced,  and  particularly  where  the  lungs 
are  ulcerated,  it  is  of  the  highest  use. 
As,  however,  it  is  a powerful  remedy,  cau- 
tion must  be  taken  in  administering  it  to 
subjects  of  a tender  age,  &c. 


effect  of  the  injury. 

| Method  of  Washing  Gold  mid  Silver  Muslins, 

Sic. 

i 

Make  a strong  lather,  with  hot  water 
I and  hard  soap;  then,  turning  the  gold  or 
I silver  muslins  about,  in  the  same  manner 
| as  other  fine  muslins,  chintzes,  &c.  let 
them  go  through  two  or  three  lathers, 
squeeze  and  spread  them  out  immediately, 
and  dry  them  either  in  the  air  or  before  a 
j clear  fire.  By  no  means  let  them  be  rub- 
1 bed,  except  in  the  spaces  between  the  flow* 
j|  ers;  or  lay  an  unnecessary  time  in  the  wa- 
ter, as  that  will  hurt  the  lustre  cf  the  gold 
or  silver.  This  method,  carefully  pur- 
sued, will  not  only  u'ash  them  entirely 
clean,  but  restore  and  preserve  their  beauty 
equal  to  it’s  original  state  when  perfectly 
new. 

Art  of  Cleaning  White  Sattins , and  all  Sorts 
of  Flowered  Silks  with  Gold  or  Silver,  Sgc. 

Mix  fine  sifted  stale  bread  crumbs  with 
powder  blue,  and  rub  it  very  thoroughly 
over  the  silk  or  sattin  ; then  shake  it  well, 
and  dust  it  with  clean  soft  cloths.  After- 
ward, where  there  are  any  gold  or  silver 
flowers,  take  a piece  of  crimson  in  grain 
velvet,  and  rub  the  flowers  with  it,  which 
will  restore  them  to  their  primitive  lus- 
, tre. 


192 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Prepared  Alabaster,  for  Cleaning  Gold  and 
Silver  Lace,  See. 

Pur  into  an  earthen  pipkin  some  finely 
pounded  and  sifted  alabaster;  and,  setting 
it  on  .a  chatting  dish  of  coals,  or  over  a 
store,  let  it  hoi!  for  some  time,  first  stirring 
it  frequently  with  a stick.  On  it’s  begin- 
ning to  boil,  it  will  be  very  heavy;  but, 
when  enough  boiled,  will  in  stirring  be 
found  very  I i q lit.  It  is  then  to  be  taken 
oil  the  fire,  as  sufficiently  prepared.  In 
order  to  use  it,  lay  the  gold  or  silver  lace 
on  a piece  of  flannel,  and  strew  the  alabas- 
ter powder  over  the  lace:  beat  it  well  in 
with  a hard  cloaths  brush:  and,  when  this 
seems  enough  done,  dust  away  the  pow- 
der with  a clean  and  softer  brush.  Cal- 
cined hartshorn  is  also  recommended  for 
cleaning  silver  or  flat  silver  trimmings; 
and  warm  spirits  of  wine,  applied  with  a 
soft  brush  and  flannel,  for  restoring  tar- 
nished gold  of  any  sort. 

Curious  small  Cakes  of  Incense  for  Per- 
fuming Apartments. 

Take  equal  quantities  of  lignum  Rho- 
dium, and  anise,  in  powder,  with  a little 
powder  of  dried  Seville  orange  peel,  and 
the  same  of  gum  benzoin,  or  Benjamin,  and 
beatall  together  in  a marble  mortar.  Then, 
adding  some  gum  dragon,  or  tragacanth, 
dissolved  in  rose  water,  put  in  a little  civet; 
beat  the  whole  again  together,  make  up 
this  mixture  into  small  cakes,  and  place 
them  on  paper  to  dry.  One  of  these  cakes 
being  burnt  in  the  largest  apartment,  will 
diffuse  a most  agreeable  odour  through  the 
whole  room. 

Sea  Venison. 

On  killing  a sheep,  keep  stirring  the 


blood  till  it  gets  quite  as  cold  as  it  will  be 
without  congealing.  Then,  cutting  up  the 
sheep,  take  off  the  leg  of  one  side  like  a 
haunch,  cutoff  the  shoulder  and  loin,  and 
the  neck  and  breast  in  two.  Steep  all  in 
the  blood  as  long  as  the  weather  will  per- 
mit, having  first  taken  off  all  the  suet;  then 
hang  the  haunch  where  the  sun  cannot 
penetrate,  as  long  as  it  will  keep  sweet,  and 
roast  it  like  a haunch  of  vension,  w hen  it 
r " id  eat  very  finely.  Lay  the  other  joints 
jj  with  the  fat  sides  of  the  meat  down  in  a 
ji  large  pan,  or  in  a hollow  tray  ; pour  over 
jj  them  a quart  of  red  wine,  and  a quart  of 
f rape  vinegar;  and,  when  they  have  re- 
mained twelve  hours,  take  the  neck, 

i 

| breast  and  loin,  out  of  the  pickle.  If  the 
heat  will  permit,  the  shoulder  should  re- 
main a whole  week;  and  then,  being  rub- 
' bed  with  a quarter  of  an  ounce  each  of  bay 
; salt  and  saltpetre,  and  coarse  sugar,  with 
a handful  of  common  salt,  continue  a week 
j or  ten  days  longer.  Bone  the  neck,  breast, 
and  loin;  season  them  to  palate,  with  salt 
and  pepper;  and  make  a pasty  in  the  same 
manner  as  with  venison.  Boil  the  bones 
for  gravy,  to  fill  the  pasty  when  it  comes 

out  of  the  oven.  The  shoulder  is  to  be 

/ 

boiled  just  as  it  comes  out  of  the  pickle, 
and  eaten  with  peas  pudding.  If  the 
heart,  liver,  and  lights,  on  being  first 
taken  out  of  the  sheep,  are  boiled  for  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  then  cut  small,  chop- 
ped very  fine,  and  mixed  with  four  large 
blades  of  mace,  a dozen  cloves,  and  a large 
nutmeg,  all  beaten  to  powder,  adding  a 
pound  of  finely  chopped  suet,  half  a pound 
of  sugar,  two  pounds  of  picked  and  cleans- 
ed currants,  and  half  a pint  of  red  wine, 
and  the  whole  being  made  into  a pie  is 
baked  for  about  an  hour,  it  will  be  found 
very  rich,  and  highly  agreeable  to  most 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  49 1 


palates.  This  is  considered  as  an  admi- 
rable disposal  of  a sheep,  at  sea  ; and,  per- 
haps, might  sometimes  be  agreeably  adopted 
on  shore,  in  situations  where  venison  is 
difficult  to  be  procured. 

Parmasan  Toast. 

CUT  a thick  round  of  bread,  toast  it 
nicely  brown,  and  butter  it  well  while 
quite  hot;  then  grate  over  it  Parmasan 
cheese  to  the  thickness  of  the  toast,  and 
brown  it  with  a salamander,  or  other  hot 
iron.  Though  it  may  seem  difficult  to 
improve  the  flavour  of  Parmasan,  by  any 
seasoning,  those  who  are  of  a different 
opinion  may  endeavour  to  please  their 
own  palates,  with  pepper,  salt,  mustard, 
a little  mace,  &c.  In  either  way,  it  is 
what  the  French  gourmands  denominate 
an  excellent  bonne  bouche. 

Bombarded  Veal. 

This  elegant  dish  is  thus  made — Get 
a fine  fillet  of  veal;  and,  cutting  out  of  it 
five  lean  pieces  the  thickness  of  the  hand, 
roll  tlrem  a little  up,  and  lard  them  very 
thickly  on  the  round  side  with  little  nar- 
row and  thin  pieces  of  bacon.  Take  five 
sheeps  tongues,  which  have  been  first 
boiled  and  blanched ; lard  them,  as  it  is 
called,  with  very  small  bits  of  lemon  peel; 
and  make  a well  seasoned  force  meat  of 
veal,  bacon,  ham,  beef  suet,  and  anchovy, 
well  beaten  in  a mortar.  Make  another 
tender  force  meat  of  veal,  beef  suet,  mush- 
rooms, spinach,  parsley,  thyme,  sweet  mar- 
joram, winter  savory,  and  green  onions; 
beating  it  well  with  a seasoning  of  salt, 
pepper,  and  a little  mace.  Form  a round 
ball  with  the  other  force  meat;  and,  stuf- 
fing it  in  the  middle  of  this,  roll  it  up  in  a 
veal  caul,  and  bake  it.  Tie  up  what  re- 


mains like  a Bologna  sausage,  and  boil  if  ; 
first,  however,  rubbing  the  caul  with  the 
yolk  of  an  egg.  Put  the  larded  veal 
into  a stewpan,  with  some  good  gravy, 
and  stew  it  gently  till  enough;  then, 
skimming  off'  the  fat,  put  in  some  truffles 
and  morels,  with  a few  mushrooms.  The 
force  meat  being  sufficiently  baked,  lay  it 
in  the  middle  of  the  dish,  the  veal  round 
it,  and  the  tongues  fried  and  laid  between. 
The  boiled  force  meat  is  to  be  cut  into 
slices,  fried,  and  thrown  all  over;  and, 
on  them,  pour  the  sauce.  Artichoke  bot- 
toms maybe  added,  with  sweetbreads  and 
cocks  combs,  &c.  Garnish  with  slices  of 
lemon , and  bunches  of  barberries. 

Excellent  Garlic  Cough  Syrup. 

Thinly  slice  three  heads  of  garlic  into 
a half  pint  bason  or  mug;  and,  adding 
four  ounces  of  clarified  honey,  with  a quar- 
ter of  a pint  of  vinegar,  set  the  mug  or  ba- 
son in  a boiling  water  bath.  After  it  has 
remained  about  half  an  hour,  so  as  to  smell 
powerfully  of  the  garlic,  strain  it  off,  mix 
it  with  an  equal  quantity  of  the  best  French 
brandy,  and  keep  it  closely  corked  for  use. 
To  be  taken,  the  first  thing  in  the  morning, 
and  the  last  at  night,  in  doses  of  two  tea- 
spoonfuls at  a time,  out  of  a glass  in  which 
is  first  put  a single  tea-spoonful  of  water. 
This  excellent  syrup,  the  communicator 
says,  is  known  to  have  cured  may  persons 
in  the  last  stage  of  a consumption,  after 
every  thing  else  lnd  failed,  and  is  parti- 
cularly efficacious  in  asthmatic  coughs  and 
shortness  of  breath. 

Polish  Remedy  for  the  Bite  of  a Mad  Dog 

This  celebrated  remedy  for  the  most 
dreadful  of  all  calamities,  is  thus  described 
by  Dr.  Moneta,  formerly  Physician  to  the 

6 i 


494 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


King  of  Poland — Instantly  cover  the  wound 
with  fresh  earth,  or  with  snuff,. to  imbibe 
the  saliva  of  the  animal,  and  then  wash  it 
with  water.  At  the  same  time,  let  half  a 
pound  of  fresh  butter  be  warmed  in  four 
times'  as  much  vinegar;  and,  when  the 
wound  is  cleared,  apply  a compress  of 
linen  steeped  in  that  mixture,  and  moisten 
it  very  often  with  the  same,  for  nine  days  ; 
after  which,  remove  the  compress,  and  cure 
the  wound  in  the  usual  way.  During  the 
time  the  vinegar  mixture  is  used  outward- 
ly, the  patient  must  take,  four  times  a day, 
doses  of  an  ounce  and  half  each  of  vinegar, 
warmed  with  a little  fresh  butter  ; and  also 
use,  as  common  drink,  for  at  least  fifteen 
days,  pure  water,  acidulated  with  vinegar 
and  lemon  or  citron  juice.  The  patient, 
if  plethoric,  may  be  bled.  Dr.  Moneta 
lias,  by  the  above  remedy,  prevented  the 
hydrophobia,  which  follows  the  bite  of  a 
mad  dog,  in  more  than  sixty  persons;  and 
has  also  used  it,  always  with  success,  against 
the  venomous'  bites  of  vipers,  & c. 

Fox -Glove  Juice , for  Deafness. 

Bruise,  in  a marble  mortar,  the  flowers, 
leaves,  and  stalks,  of  fresh  fox-glove;  and, 
mixing  the  juice  with  double  the  quantity 
of  brandy,  keep  it  for  use.  The  herb 
flowers  in  June,  and  the  juice  will  thus 
keep  good  till  the  return  of  that  season. 
The  method  of  using  it  is,  to  drop  every 
night,  in  the  ear,  a single  drop;  and  then, 
moistening  a bit  of  lint  with  a little  of  the 
juice,  put  that  also  into  the  ear,  and  take 
it  out  next  morning,  till  the  cure  be  com- 
pleated. 

Dr.  Hartley’s  Celebrated  Mixture  for  the 
Gout  in  the  Stomach. 

This  admirable  remedy  of  the  celebrated 


| Dr.  Hartley  for  that  dangerous  malady, 
the  gout  in  the  stomach,  which  often  proves 
so  soon  fatal,  is  thus  simply  prepared — 
Take  cardiac  confection,  and  aromatic 
species,  each  one  dram  and  a half;  syrup 
of  ginger,  six  drams;  orange  peel  water, 
two  ounces;  and  simple  cinnamon  water, 
six  ounces.  Make  a mixture;  of  which, 
take  three  table-spoonfuls  occasionally. 

Wonderful  Case  of  immediate  Relief  afforded 
to  Persons  injured  by  Lightning . 

The  following  extraordinary  case  of  re- 
lief afforded,  by  cold  water,  to  a family 
in  America,  who  had  been  smote  with 
lightning,  is  extracted  from  the  New  York 
Advertiser — “ On  the  night  of  the  i25th  of 
June  1803,  the  house  of  Mr.  William  Mar- 
tin was  struck  with  lightning,  which  en- 
tered the  room  where  Mr.  Martin  and  his 
wife  were  asleep.  Mrs.  Martin  was  af- 
fected across  her  loins,  and  particularly  in 
her  right  arm  ; the  other  arm  was  affected, 
but  in  a less  degree.  Before  she  got  off 
the  bed, she  discovered  her  husband  speech- 
less. When  she  had  got  off  the  bed  to  the 
floor,  with  the  child,  she  crawled  to  the 
front  of  the  bed.  Here,  on  the  floor,  the  wa- 
ter stood  a small  depth,  being  driven  in  at 
the  door.  On  putting  her  right  hand,  which 
was,  as  already  observed,  the  most  affected, 
into  the  water,  she  felt  immediate  relief. 
Her  arm  and  hand  remained  weak,  but 
the  insensibility  and  numbness  were  im- 
mediately taken  away.  She  had  called  her 
two  little  sons,  who  slept  in  the  chamber; 
and,  on  putting  her  hand  into  water,  as 
mentioned  above,  ordered  the-  oldest  to 
fetch  a bucket  of  water,  which  she  directed 
him  to  pour  on  his  father,  as  he  immedi- 
ately did.  This  he  repeated,  till  Mr.  Mar- 
tin began  to-  move,  and  raised  himself  on 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


his  hand  and  knees.  The  little  boy  then 
came  in  with  the  fifth  bucket  of  water, 
which  his  mother  ordered  him  to  pour  on 
his  father’s  head.  This  he  did;  when  Mr. 
Martin  got  up,  stood  on  his  feet,  and  with 
wildness  in  his  countenance  cried  out — 
“ What  are  you  doing?”  Mrs.  Martin 
informed  him  they  were  struck  with  light- 
ning, and  shewed  how  the  bed-cloaths 
were  burnt.  He  then  became  composed. 
He  remained,  however,  in  great  pain,  in 
his  head,  neck,  and  shoulders ; which  con- 
tinued for  several  days,  but  by  degrees 
went  off.”  This  account,  however  ex- 
traordinary, was  so  certified  in  America, 
as  to  leave  no  reasonable  doubt  of  it’s  au- 
thenticity; an  important  discovery,  in  that 
quarter  of  the  world,  where  the  effects  of 
the  frequent  and  terrible  lightnings  are 
often  dreadful. 

Dutch  Receipt  for  Curing  Herrings. 

The  following  is  said  to  be  a genuine 
account  of  the  Dutch  process  for  curing 
herrings — The  herrings,  as  soon  as  caught, 
must  be  strewed  plentifully  with  salt,  on 
board  the  vessel.  The  full  herrings,  with 
either  hard  or  soft  roes  discernible,  when 
salted,  must  be  sorted,  and  separately  pack- 
ed ; those  which  are  not  yet  come  to  ma- 
turity, or  have  no  roes,  are  not  to  be  by  any 
means  mixed  or  packed  with  those  which 
have.  The  fresh-caught  herrings,  when 
salted,  must  be  gipp'ed  with  a very  sharp 
knife  ; and,  the  guts  being  carefully^  taken 
out,  without  injuring  or  dislodging  either 
of  the  roes,  a small  quantity  of  small  salt 
must  be  introduced  into  the  belly  with  the 
middle  finger.  To  this  account,  we  may 
be  permitted  to  suggest  that,  perhaps,  the 
common  salt  used  by  the  Dutch  is  coarse 
bay  salt;  and,  not  very  improbably,  the 


m 

small  salt  may''  be  a little  finely  pounded 
sal  prunella. 

Treacle  Carimel,  or  Pop- Lolly. 

This  article,  so  well  known  to  children, 
by  the  names  of  lolly-pop,  suckers,  &c.  is 
thus  directed  to  be  made — Take  a pound 
of  treacle,  two  ounces  of  butter,  and  a quar- 
ter of  a pound  of  Lisbon  or  fine  moist  su- 
gar, with  about  a race  of  ginger  finely 
grated,  and  boil  the  whole  in  a brass  skil- 
let till  it  is  quite  crisp;  then,  wetting  a 
wooden  bowl,  pour  it  in,  to  cool,  and  roll, 
twist,  or  otherwise  form  it  into  any  of  the 
usual  shapes. 

j Raspberry  Syrup. 

Mix  half  a pint  of  white  wine  vinegar 
with  a pound  of  raspberries  a little  mashed, 
in  a well  glazed  pan,  and  set  it  in  a cool 
place  for  twenty-four  hours.  Then  run 
the  liquid  through  a hair  sieve,  but  without 
any  forcible  pressure,  to  three  quarters  of  a 
pound  of  powdered  loaf  sugar:  and,  when 
the  sugar  is  all  dissolved,  just  boil  it  up, 
over  a stove  or  other  clear  fire;  and  keep 
stirring  it,  when  taken  off,  till  quite  cold. 
Bottle  it,  and  keep  it  in  a cool  place.  The 
raspberries,  after  the  liquid  is  run  off, 
make  excellent  jam,  with  the  addition  of 
about  half  a pound  of  powdered  loaf  sugar 
to  a pound  of  the  fruit. 

Astonishing  Cures  of  the  Palsy. 

Tins  disorder  has  generally  been  deem- 
ed incurable  ; but,  if  credit  be  given  to  the 
following  article,  published  in  the  New- 
castle and  other  newspapers  in  January 
1802,  a discovery  has  been  made,  by  means 
of  which  it  may  more  easily  be  cured  than 
almost  any  disease  with  which  humanity 
is  afflicted.  The  particulars  of  this  singular 


49f>  FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


discovery  are  thus  related — “ We  have 
great  pleasure  in  informing  our  medical 
readers,  that  palsy,  hitherto  the  oppro- 
brium of  the  healing  art,  yields  to  the 
vivifying  powers  of  the  gaseous  oxyd  of 
nitrogen  taken  into  the  lungs.  This  re- 
markable effect  was  discovered  partly  by 
chance,  during  the  lectures  on  chemistry 
lately  given  in  Newcastle  upon  Tyne,  by 
Mr.  Stand iffe.  As  the  mode  of  prepara- 
tion, and  the  uses  of  this  gas,  formed  a part 
of  the  course,  and  the  newly  invented 
breathing  apparatus  rendered  it’s  appli- 
cation extremely  easy,  it  was  taken  by 
many  of  the  subscribers  with  the  effects 
it  usually  has  on  persons  in  health,  as  de- 
scribed in  Dr.  Beddoes’s  Treatise.  A poor 
man,  who  had  been  afflicted  with  the  para- 
lysis for  two  years,  which  deprived  him  of 
the  use  of  one  arm,  and  nearly  of  one  side, 
and  of  course  plunged  him  deeply  in  me- 
lancholy, was  brought  rather  with  the  view 
of  trying  it’s  usual  exhilarating  effects  on 
his  mind,  than  with  the  hope  of  his  receiv- 
ing any  corporeal  benefit.  The  result, 
however,  exceeded  all  hope,  and  surprised 
the  spectators.  In  a short  time,  he  felt  a 
tingling  ssnsation  in  the  palsied  parts, 
which  was  succeeded  by  their  compleat 
restoration  to  healthy  action.  He  has 
breathed  the  gas  two  or  three  times  since, 
and  continues  well.  It  is  remarkable  that, 
although  this  patient  consumed  four  or 
five  times  more  of  the  air  than  a healthy 
person  could,  it  did  not  produce  those  in- 
toxicating effects  which  it  does  on  a person 
in  health,  but  only  caused  a serene  chear- 
fulness;  which,  we  conceive,  is  a distin- 
guished mark  of  it’s  being  a fit  applica- 
tion to  paralytic  subjects.  It  has  since 
been  applied  in  cases  still  more  desperate, 
and  of  longer  standing,  with  the  most  asto- 


nishing effects.  Sight,  which  had  been  lost 
for  seventeen  years, ?by  paralysis,  has  been 
restored;  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  this 
terrible  malady,  till  now  reckoned  incur- 
able, will  in  future  be  expelled  from  that 
class  of  ills  which  baffle  the  physician’s 
art.” 

Caraway  Buns. 

Take  two  pounds  of  fine  flour,  well 
dried  and  sifted ; and,  beating  up  four  eggs, 
put  to  them  four  table-spoonfuls  each  of 
yeast  and  white  wine,  beat  the  whole  well 
together,  and  strain  it  into  the  flour.  Stir 
it  well  about  with  a spoon  ; and,  melting 
a pound  of  butter  in  a gill  of  cream,  put 
it  in,  and  stir  it  with  the  hand  all  one  way. 
Then  set  it  by  the  fire  to  rise,  till  the  oven 
be  ready,  strew  in  a pound  of  cleansed 
caraway  seeds,  make  it  up  into  buns  or 
cakes,  and  bake  them  on  tin  plates. 

Frosted  Currants. 

Dip  bunches  of  currants  in  white  of 
eggs;  sift  over  them  double  refined  sugar; 
and  lay  them,  bunch  by  bunch,  to  dry  on 
wires,  in  a stove  or  other  warm  place. 

Gilliflower  Wine. 

Pick  the  flowers  clean  from  the  seeds, 
and  put  them  into  an  earthen  pan  or  pot; 
then,  having  boiled  the  water,  and  let  it 
stand  till  the  steam  is  off,  pour  it  in  over 
the  flowers,  and  bruise  them  well  together 
tdl  it  looks  as  deeply  coloured  as  is  wished. 
Strain  it  oft  ; and,  on  it’s  becoming  only  the 
warmth  of  new  milk,  put  to  it  a little  good 
ale  yeast,  and  cover  up  the  vessel  close. 
When  the  liquid  becomes  clear,  draw  it 
into  bottles,  with  a little  loaf  sugar,  and 
cork  them  close.  It  may  be  drank  in  six 
weeks,  but  will  keep  good  two  years. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-ROOK. 


Oyster  Sausages. 

SilRED  very  small  a pound  of  the  lean 
of  a leg  of  mutton,  and  two  pounds  of 
beef  suet;  in  larger  bits,  a pint  and  a half 
of  oysters;  and  very  small,  half  a handful 
of  sage.  Mix  all  together  with  the  liquor 
of  the  oysters  ; season  it  with  pepper  and 
salt,  adding  half  a dozen  pounded  cloves, 
and  a blade  or  two  of  beaten  mace;  break 
among  it  three  eggs;  and  work  up  the 
whole  with  grated  bread  crumb.  Make 
them  up,  as  wanted,  either  in  skins  or 
cakes,  and  fry  them  in  butter. 

Excellent  Hot  Cakes  for  Tea. 

Dry  before  the  fire  a quart  of  fine  flour, 
and  rub  into  it  a quarter  of  a p«und  of 
butter;  then,  beating  up  a couple  of  eggs, 
with  two  tea-spoonfuls  of  moist  or  pow- 
dered loaf  sugar,  and  a table-spoonful  of 
yeast,  pour  the  whole  into  the  centre  of 
the  flour,  and  keep  mixing  it  well  with  a 
pint  of  warm  new  milk.  Beat  it  up  with 
the  hand,  till  it  comes  off  without  sticking; 
and  set  it,  covered  with  a cloth,  to  rise 
before  the  fire.  After  it  has  remained  about 
half  an  hour,  make  it  up  in  round  cakes 
about  an  inch  thick;  put  them  on  a tin 
plate;  set  them  before  the  fire,  to  rise  a 
little,  for  ten  minutes;  and,  having  baked 
them  in  a slow  oven,  butter  them,  and  eat 
them  hot. 

Eye  Water  for  Horses. 

The  following  preparation  is  highly  re- 
commended, as  being  of  singular  efficacy 
in  curing  the  eyes  of  horses,  when  they 
are  afflicted  with  rheum — Beat,  in  a mar- 
ble mortar,  four  ounces  of  ground  ivy, 
with  the  hard  boiled  whites  of  half  a dozen 
eggs;  adding  half  a pint  of  strained  white 


497 

; wine,  a gill  of  rose  water,  and  an  ounce 
and  a half  each  of  sugar  candy’  and 
white  vitriol.  After  beating  and  well  in- 
; corporating  the  whole  with  the  pestle, 
strew  over  the  mixed  ingredients  an  ounce 
of  pure  salt;  and,  covering  the  mortar, 
place  it  in  a cool  cellar.  When  it  has  thus 
stood  six  hours,  pour  the  whole  into  a clean 
bag  of  white  serge,  place  beneath  a vessel 
to  receive  the  liquor,  and  preserve  it  for 
use  in  a glass  bottle.  A small  quantity  of 
this  liquor  is  to  be  poured  into  the  horse’s 
eyes  every  morning  and  evening.  Some 
horses  have  naturally  weak  and  weeping 
eyes  ; which,  on  being  daily  washed  or 
bathed  with  brandy  only,  may  easily-  be 
cured. 

Sir  John  Hill's  Curious  Art  of  Preserving 
Flowers,  8$c. 

WASH  a sufficient  quantity  ©f  fine  sand, 
so  as  compleatly  to  separate  all  extrane- 
ous matter;  and,  after  drying  it,  sift  it 
quite  free  from  such  gross  impurities  as 
would  not  rise  in  washing.  The  sand  be- 
ing thus  carefully  prepared,  and  in  readi- 
ness, any  flower  or  plant  intended  to  be 
preserved  should  be  gathered  with  a con- 
venient portion  of  the  stalk;  and,  an  earth- 
en vessel  being  provided,  adapted  to  the 
size  of  the  flower  or  plant,  some  of  the 
prepared  sand  is  to  be  heated,  and  so 
placed  in  the  vessel  as  equally  to  cover 
the  bottom.  On  this  bed  of  sand,  the 
flower  or  plant  is  to  be  placed,  without 
tohehing  any  part  of  the  vessel;  and  more 
sand  is  now  to  be  sifted  over,  so  as  that 
the  leaves  may  gradually  expand,  without 
receiving  any  injury,  till  the  plant  or  flower 
be  covered  to  the  depth  of  two  inches. 
The  vessel  is  next  to  be  placed  in  a stove, 
or  hot  house,  heated  by  gradations  to  the 
6 K 


498 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


fiftieth  degree  of  Reaumur,  or  about  a hun- 
dred and  forty-four  degrees  of  Fahrenheit, 
where  it  should  stand  for  a da}',  two  days, 
or  more,  in  proportion  to  the  thickness  or 
succulence  of  such  plant  or  flower.  At 
the  termination  of  the  requisite  period,  the 
sand  may  be  gently  shook  off  on  a sheet 
of  paper,  and  the  plant  carefully  taken 
out.  It  will  then  be  found  in  all  it’s  beauty; 
it’s  shape  being  as  elegant,  and  it’s  colour 
as  vivid,  as  when  it  was  growing  in  a na- 
tural state.  There  are  some  flowers,  es- 
pecially tulips,  which  require  certain  little 
operations,  in  order  to  preserve  the  ad- 
herence of  their  petals:  and,  with  respect 
to  these,  it  will  be  necessary  to  cut  the 
triangular  fruit  that  rises  in  the  middle  of 
the  flower,  previously  to  covering  it  with 
sand;  for  the  petals  will  then  remain  more 
firmly  attached  to  the  stalk.  This  method 
may  be  applied,  with  advantage,  to  such 
plants  and  flowers  as  are  employed  in  me- 
dicine; as,  though  it  may  not  always  be 
necessary  to  preserve  their  original  colour 
and  form,  it  seems  agreed  that  the  less 
change  they  undergo  the  better  their  na- 
tural properties  will  be  retained. 

Art  of  Preserving  Flower  Buds,  so  as  to 
Bloom  in  the  Winter. 

By  the  following  process,  flowers  may  be 
prepared  so  as  to  retain  their  beauty  during 
the  winter,  and  even  to  blow  at  any  re- 
quired period — Select  the  most  perfect 
buds  of  the  flowers  intended  for  this  pur- 
pose, just  at  the  time  when  they  are  about 
to  open;  and,  cutting  them  off,  with  a pair 
of  scissars,  leaving  to  each  a piece  of  the 
stem  about  three  inches  long,  immediately 
cover  the  end  of  the  stem  with  Spanish 
wax.  When  these  buds  become  somewhat 
shrunk  and  wrinkled,  they  are  to  be  folded 


| up,  separately,  in  a piece  of  clean  dry  pa- 
per, and  deposited  in  a dry  box  or  drawer 
where  they  will  keep  without  decaying. 
The  day  before  the  flowers  are  wanted  to 
blow,  the  wax  is  to  be  cut  off  the  buds; 
and  they  shovdd,  in  the  evening,  be  im- 
mersed in  water  wherein  there  has  pre- 
viously been  dissolved  a little  nitre  or  com 
mon  salt:  when  they  will,  next  dayr,  if  ex- 
posed to  the  rays  of  the  sun,  expand  with 
all  their  original  fragrance  and  beauty. 

Methods  of  forming  a Herbal,  Herbarium , 
or  Hortus  Siccjts. 

By  the  several  names  of  a herbal,  her- 
barium, or  hortus  siccus,  botanists  distin- 
guish those  collections  of  dried  plants  or 
herbs,  which  they  preserve  on  or  between 
the  leaves  of  books;  and  where,  to  form  a 
compleat  classical  assemblage,  they  should 
be  scientifically  arranged,  agreeably  to  the 
improved  state  of  the  Linnaean  system,  in 
their  respective  classes,  genera,  species, 
and  varieties.  The  name  hortus  siccus, 
or  dry  garden,  is  applied,  however,  to  any 
collection  of  specimens  of  plants  which 
are  carefully  dried  and  preserved.  Various 
are  the  methods  employed  by  botanists  for 
drying  and  preserving  plants  with  this 
intention.  The  following  process  was  sug- 
gested, many  years  ago,  by  Sir  R.  South- 
well,  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  of 
the  Royal  Society — Lay  the  plants  flat  be- 
tween papers ; then  place  them  between 
two  smooth  plates  of  iron  screwed  together 
at  the  corners ; and,  in  this  state,  commit 
them  to  a baker’s  oven  for  two  hours. 
After  taking  them  out,  rub  them  over  with 
a mixture  of  equal  parts  of  brandy  and 
aqua  fortis ; then  paste  them  down  on  pa- 
per, with  a solution  of  gum  tragacanth  in 
water.  Then  lay  them  in  a book,  where 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


499 


they  will  adhere,  and  retain  their  original 
freshness.  By  the  following  still  more 
simple  process,  however,  the  colour  of  the 
tenderest  herbs  may  be  preserved,  and  the 
most  delicate  flowers  retain  all  their  pris- 
tine beauty — Flatten  the  plant,  by  passing 
a common  smoothing  iron  over  the  papers 
between  which  it  is  placed,  and  dry  it  slow- 
ly in  a sand  heat.  For  this  purpose,  the 
cold  sand  ought  to  be  spread  evenly,  the 
smoothed  plant  laid  gently  on  it,  and  sand 
be  sifted  over  so  as  to  form  a thick  bed. 
The  fire  is  then  to  be  kindled,  and  the 
whole  process  carefully  watched  till  the 
plant  be  gradually  and  perfectly  dried. 
A more  com  pleat  method  than  even  this, 
but  obviously  formed,  in  like  manner,  on 
Sir  John  Hill’s  plan  of  preserving  the 
bloom  of  flowers,  &e.  has  been  suggested 
by  Mr.  Whateley.  This  gentleman  re- 
commends to  be  procured,  as  preliminary 
preparations,  in  the  first  place,  a strong 
oak  box,  of  the  same  size  and  shape  as 
those  employed  for  packing  up  tin  plates  ; 
secondly,  a quantity  of  fine  sifted  sand 
sufficient  to  fill  the  box;  thirdly,  a con- 
siderable number  of  pieces  of  pliant  paper, 
from  one  to  four  inches  square;  and,  lastly, 
some  small  flat  leaden  weights,  with  a few 
small  bound  books.  The  specimen  of  each 
plant  intended  for  the  herbal  is  to  be  ga- 
thered, when  dry  and  in  full  bloom,  with 
all  it’s  parts  as  perfect  as  possible,  and  con- 
veyed home  in  a tin  box,  well  secluded  from 
the  air.  Being  cleared  from  the  soil,  as 
well  as  stripped  of  any  decayed  leaves,  it 
is  to  be  laid  on  the  inside  of  one  of  tlie 
leaves  of  a sheet  of  common  cap  paper. 
The  upper  leaves  anc^  flowers  of  the  plant 
are  next  to  be  covered,  when  expanded, 
by  pieces  of  the  prepared  paper,  and  have 
one  or  two  of  the  leaden  weights  placed 


on  them;  after  which,  the  remainder  ofthe 
plant  is  to  be  treated  in  a similar  manner. 
The  weights  ought  next  to  be  gently  re- 
moved, and  the  other  leaf  of  the  sheet  of 
paper  folded  over  the  opposite  one,  so  as 
to  contain  the  loose  pieces  of  paper  and 
plants  between  them.  A book  or  two  is 
now  to  be  applied  to  the  outside  of  the  pa- 
per, till  the  intended  number  of  plants  is 
thus  prepared;  when,  a box  being  filled 
with  sand  to  the  depth  of  an  inch,  one  of 
the  plants  "is  to  be  put  in,  and  covered  with 
sand  sufficient  to  prevent  the  form  of  the 
plant  from  varying.  The  other  plants  may 
then  be  placed  in  succession;  and  likewise 
covered  with  a layer  of  sand,  one  inch  thick, 
between  each.  After  which,  the  whole  is 
to  be  gently  pressed  down  in  a greater  or 
less  degree,  according  to  the  tenderness 
or  firmness  of  the  plants.  The.  box  is  next 
to  be  carefully  placed  before  a fire,  with 
one  side  occasionally  a little  raised,  as  may 
be  most  convenient,  the  sides  being  alter- 
nately presented  to  the  fire  two  or  three 
times  in  the  day ; or,  the  whole  may  be  put 
into  a gently  heated  oven.  In  two  or  three 
days,  the  plants  will  become  perfectly  dr}"; 
when  the  sand  should  be  taken  out,  and 
put  into  another  box,  while  the  plants  are 
removed  to  a sheet  of  writing  paper. 
This  method  of  preserving  plants  is  stated 
as  being  preferable  to  every  other;  since 
both  the  flowers  and  leaves,  if  kept  loosely 
within  the  paper,  in  a dry  room,  without 
exposure  to  the  air,  will  retain  their  beauty 
for  several  years.  It  is,  however,  necessary 
to  inspect  them  at  least  once  in  every  year, 
for  the  purpose  of  destroying  any  small 
insects  which  may  accidentally  breed 
among  the  plants.  This  effect,  too,  may 
be  greatly  if  not  entirely  prevented,  by 
confining  the  leaves  in  Russia  leather. 


5(X> 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Easy  Method  of  making  a Cork  Waistcoat 
to  prevent  Drowning. 

The  following  curious  contrivance  of  a 
cork  waistcoat,  to  prevent  accidents  by 
drowning,  does  not  exceed  twelve  ounces 
in  weight ; it  may  be  easily  made,  and  at 
a very  moderate  expence.  Mr.  Dubourg, 
the  inventor,  simply  describes  it  as  com- 
posed of  four  pieces  of  cork,  two  for  the 
breasts  and  two  for  the  back,  each  being 
nearly  of  the  same  length  and  breadth  as 
the  quarters  of  a common  waistcoat.  The 
whole  is  covered  with  coarse  canvas,  hav- 
ing two  holes  to  put  the  arms  through. 
Spaces  are  left  between  the  two  back  pieces 
and  each  breast  piece,  that  they  may  be 
the  more  easily  adjusted  to  the  body. 
Thus,  the  waistcoat  is  open  only  in  the 
front,  and  may  be  either  fastened  on  the 
wearer  with  strings,  or  leather  straps  and 
buckles.  This  cork  waistcoat,  which  is 
thought  more  simple  in  it’s  form  than  any 
contrivance  for  a similar  purpose,  was 
tried  by  the  inventor  in  the  Thames;  who 
not  only  found  that  it  supported  him  on 
the  water,  but  that  even  two  men,  with 
their  utmost  efforts,  were  unable  to  sink 
him.  This  contrivance  is  eminently  cal- 
culated for  mariners,  fishermen,  sea  pas- 
sengers in  general,  and  all  who  resort  to 
bathing  places;  as  the  most  timid  and  de- 
licate person  may,  with  perfect  safety, 
boldly  venture  into  a rough  sea,  protected 
by  one  of  these  waistcoats.  Nothing  but 
extreme  folly  can  prevent  their  becoming 
very  general. 

Chinese  simple  Apparatus  to  prexent  Drowning. 

The  Chinese  merchants,  when  going 
any  voyage,  always  provide  themselves 
with  the  following  simple  apparatus,  by 


i the  use  of  which  all  persons,  however  un- 
j skilled  in  the  art  of  swimming,  may  easily 
keep  above  water,  and  thus  save  their  lives 
in  case  of  shipwreck — Place,  horizontally, 
; four  bamboos,  two  before  and  two  behind 
the  body  of  each  person,  of  such  equal 
j lengths  as  to  project  about  twenty-eight 


| by  two  others  of  the  same  lengths,  the 
j whole  are  to  be  properly  fastened  or  se- 
cured together,  leaving  a square  space  in 
the  middle  sufficiently  large  for  admission 
of  the  body.  The  four  cross  bamboos  be- 
ing thus  formed  and  fastened,  the  person 
in  danger  puts  his  head  through  the  cen- 
tral square,  drops  the  bamboo  frame  down 
to  his  waist,  and  there  securely  ties  it,  by 
which  ready  expedient  he  is  effectually  pre- 
vented from  a possibility  of  sinking.  Hol- 
low rods,  of  a proper  size,  made  like  the 
larger  joints  which  inclose  the  smaller  in 
portable  fishing  rods,  would  supply  the 
place  of  those  sufficiently  large  bamboos 
which  it  might  be  difficult  to  procure  in 
Europe. 

Dr.  Radclijfc’s  Syrup  for  Shortness  of 
Breath. 

Take  balsam  salve,  commonly  called 
balsam  of  Tolu,  two  ounces;  and  coltsfoot 
flower  water,  twelve  ounces.  Digest  them 
in  a glazed  vessel,  well  luted,  for  two 
hours;  then  strain  it;  and,  with  a double 
quantity  of  fine  loaf  sugar,  make  it  into  a 
syrup.  Take  two  spoonfuls,  in  the  morn- 
ing, afternoon,  and  at  night,  fasting  some 
time  before  and  after. 

Old  Receipt  for  Daffy's  Elixir. 

In  a very  old  collection  of  valuable  re- 
ceipts, we  find  the  following  for  Daffy’s 
celebrated  elixir — Take  elecampane  roots. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


501 


sliced  liquorice,  coriander  and  anise  seeds, 
senna,  oriental  guiacum,  and  carraway 
seeds,  each  two  ounces;  and  raisins,  stoned, 
one  pound.  Infuse  these,  four  days,  in 
aqua  vitae  or  white  anniseed  water,  three 
quarts  of  either.  The  utmost  dose  is 
four  spoonfuls,  to  be  taken  at  night.  An 
ounce  of  rhubarb,  two  ounces  of  manna, 
and  one  nrujre  of  guiacum,  may  be  added. 

Elder  Flower  White  Wine. 

Boil  six  gallons  of  the  purest  spring 
water;  and,  when  it  has  stood  till  only 
little  more  than  blood  warm,  put  in  twenty 
pounds  of  Malaga  raisins  chopped  small, 
with  the  juice  and  peels  of  six  lemons  and 
three  ounces  of  dried  elder  flowers.  Let 
the  whole  stand  for  a fortnight  in  a large 
tub,  stirring  it  at  least  once  every  day;  and 
then,  straining  it  through  a hair  sieve  to 
five  pounds  of  powdered  loaf  sugar,  stir 
it  well  to  assist  the  fermentation.  Stop  it 
up  close  for  five  or  six  weeks ; and,  if  then 
fine,  bottle  it  off.  Should  it  not  be  fine, 
put  to  a quart  of  the  wine  two  ounces  of 
isinglass;  and,  when  it  has  stood  to  dissolve 
two  or  three  days,  put  it  into  the  cask,  and 
stir  the  whole  well  together:  after  which, 
let  it  stand  a fortnight,  and  it  will  not  only 
be  fit  to  bottle,  but  keep  good  any  length 
of  time. 

Countess  of  Kent’s  Celebrated  Powder. 

Take  half  an  ounce  of  the  blacks  of 
crabs  claws,  two  drams  of  crabs  eyes,  one 
dram  and  a half  each  of  red  coral  and  the 
purest  amber,  half  a dram  each  of  the  roots 
of  contrayerva  and  scorzonera,  four  scru- 
ples of  the  largest  seed  pearl,  and  forty 
grains  of  the  best  oriental  bezoar.  Pow- 
der all  these  severally;  mix  them  together; 
and,  having  infused  a little  saffron  in  harts- 


horn jelly,  make  them  up  into  balls,  with 
the  addition  of  a dram  and  a half  more  of 
contrayerva.  Dry  them  not  in  the  sun,  or 
by  the  fire,  but  only  in  a warm  place.  A 
little  musk  or  ambergrease  may  also  be 
added,  or  not;  but  perfume  is  considered  as 
prejudicial  for  any  person  who  is  subject 
to  fits  or  vapours. 

Dr.  Radclijfcs  Universal  Powder. 

It  has  been  observed,  by  an  ingenious 
medical  writer,  that  “ testaceous  powders 
were  never  more  universally  used  than  by 
this  great  man.  They  were,  to  him,  like 
Hudibras’s  sword,  for  they  served  all  pur- 
poses.” The  following  prescription  of 
Dr.  Radclilfe,  which  seems  founded  on  that, 
of  the  Countess  of  Kent’s  in  our  preceding 
article,  though  considerably  simplified,  has 
obtained  the  name  of  Dr.  Radcliffe’s  uni- 
versal powder — Take  crabs  claws  prepared, 
crabs  eyes  prepared,  pearl  prepared,  and 
pearl  sugar,  of  each  a dram.  Mix,  and 
make  a powder.  Divide  it  into  eight  pa- 
pers; of  which,  take  one  every  morning 
and  evening,  in  a table-spoonful  of  ass’s 
milk,  drinking  half  a pound  after  it.  “ To 
speak  truth,”  says  the  writer  above  men- 
tioned, “ in  England,  the  most  rebellious 
distempers  we  are  infested  with,  are  from 
stubborn  mineral  salts;  the  correction  of 
which  is  in  no  way  better  compassed  than 
by  the  absorbing  powders,  calces,  and  lac- 
teats:  so  that,  in  consumptions,  where  the 
salts,  by  their  vicinity  and  plenteousness 
dilaniate  the  fibres  into  an  ulcer ; or  oc- 
casion, by  their  irritating  particles,  a bris- 
ker oscillation  of  the  fibres,  and  consequent- 
ly a quicker  circulation,  and  a hectic;  no- 
thing has  been  found  more  effectual,  than 
this  powder  and  ass’s  milk.  Moreover, 
as  the  excessive  heat  in  the  blood  is  also 
6 L 


502 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


communicated  to  the  stomach,  the  milk,  if 
put  to  it,  would  coagulate,  as  is  usual  in 
dairies  which  are  over  hot,  and  thus  would 
be  robbed  of  great  part  of  it’s  virtue. 
This  prescription  is  also  of  admirable  use 
in  any  eruptions  that  depend  on  acrimo- 
nies of  the  volatile  species;  and  which  are 
generally  known  by  their  great  itchings, 
and  a great  effervescence  in  the  palms  of 
the  hands  and  soles  of  the  feet.  In  stran- 
guaries,  from  acrimonious  salts,  milks  and 
these  powders  do  well.  Scorbutic  persons 
of  the  hotter  kind  are  relieved  by  this  me- 
thod, having  first  premised  some  few  doses 
of  an  infusion  of  senna  and  rhubarb.”  In 
_ short, wherever  acrimonious  salts  prevail,  as 
is  the  case  in  the  greater  part  of  diseases, 
these  universal  powders  may  be  more  or 
less  beneficially  administered. 

Dr.  Palmer’s  Efficacious  Electuary  for  the 
Stone. 

Tiie  following  is  extracted  from  a very 
old  and  respectable  collection  of  manu- 
script receipts — Take  cassia,  newly  drawn, 
one  ounce  and  a half;  chosen  rhubarb,  in 
powder,  one  dram  and  a half;  Cyprus  tur- 
pentine, well  washed,  seven  drams;  species 
diatragacanth,  frigid,  one  scruple;  liquo- 
rice, in  powder,  half  a dram.  Mix  all 
these  together,  in  a sufficient  quantity  of 
syrup  of  althea,  or  marshmallows.  The 
dose  is  a quantity  the  size  of  a good  wal- 
nut, in  the  morning  fasting;  drinking  with 
it  a good  quantity  of  plain  posset.  An 
hour  after,  drink  a good  draught  of  white 
wine  posset,  with  nutmeg  and  sugar.  Then 
walk  some  time,  and  eat  when  appetite 
invites.  This  electuary  was  prescribed  by 
the  doctor  to  his  brother;  who,  at  twenty- 
six  years  of  age,  was  to  have  been  cut  for 
the  stone;  this,  however,  had  so  successful 


an  effect  as  to  dissolve  the  stone  in  a very 
short  time,  carrying  it  away  in  gravel ; and 
he  lived,  after  it,  without  torment,  or  any 
trouble,  to  eighty  years  of  age.  The  like 
good  effect  it  had  with  Lady  Packhurst, 
who  had  been  most  miserably  tormented 
with  the  stone,  and  with  an  ulcer  in  her 
kidneys ; but,  for  these  seventeen  years, 
since  she  used  this  electuary,  was  never 
troubled  more. 

Excellent  Remedy  for  an  Asthma. 

Boil  half  an  ounce  of  zedoary,  two 
drams  and  a half  of  flour  of  brimstone,  a 
dram  and  a half  of  gum  ammoniac,  and 
half  a dram  of  saffron,  in  three  pints  of 
hydromel,  or  water  sweetened  at  discre- 
tion with  honey,  till  reduced  to  a quart. 
Drink  an  ounce  of  this  cold,  three  times  a 
day  ; in  the  morning  fasting,  at  five'in  the 
afternoon,  and  on  going  to  rest. 

Wash  and  Fomentation  for  an  Old  Wound. 

Boil  two  handfuls  of  ground  ivy  with 
roche  alum,  about  the  quantity  of  two  wal- 
nuts, in  three  quarts  of  spring  water,  till 
it  comes  to  two.  Wash  the  wound  with  it 
twice  a day,  for  half  an  hour,  bathing  or 
fomenting  with  flannel  as  hot  as  can  be 
borne  by  the  patient.  The  use  of  this  has 
been  attended  with  very  great  success. 

Dr.  Willoughby’s  Pills  for  Palsy,  Convulsion 
Fits  which  affect  the  Head,  Vapours , Luna- 
cy, £fc. 

Take  equal  parts  of  galbanum,  assafe- 
tida,  and  saffron,  dried  and  powdered; 
beat  them  well  in  a marble  mortar,  with 
sufficient  mithridate  to  make  a good  con- 
sistence for  pills;  and,  to  each  ounce,  after 
the  whole  is  thus  mixed,  put  three  drams 
of  oil  of  amber.  Keep  it  closely  covered 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


503 


in  the  manner  of  a conserve;  and  roll  up, 
for  a grown  person,  two  large  pills,  every 
night  and  morning,  to  be  taken  for  at  least 
a month.  These  pills,  it  is  added,  in  the 
manuscript  collection  from  which  this  re- 
ceipt has  been  extracted,  have  cured  per- 
sons in  such  outrageous  fits  of  insanity  as 
occasioned  them  to  be  fastened  down  in 
their  beds* 

Diet  Drink  for  the  King’s  Evil,  and  for 

Sweetening  the  Blood,  to  he  taken  at  Spring 

and  Fall. 

Mix  six  ounces  of  senna  of  Alexandria; 
two  ounces  of  rhubarb;  two  ounces  each 
of  sarsaparilla,  sassafras,  and  green  li- 
quorice; four  ounces  of  sliced  or  bruised 
mechoachan ; and  one  ounce  each  of  the 
seeds  of  cardamom,  anise,  sweet  fennel, 
carraway,  and  coriander.  Infuse,  for  a 
night,  ten  ounces  of  sassafras,  in  two  gal- 
lons of  water,  over  a gentle  fire;  and,  next 
morning,  putting  the  above  ingredients 
into  the  said  liquor,  with  two  handfuls  of 
borage  and  buglos  flowers,  let  all  infuse, 
for  two  or  three  hours,  over  a gentle  fire, 
till  reduced  to  about  six  quarts.  Put  a 
pound  of  antimony  into  a linen  bag;  and 
tie  it  to  the  lid  of  the  pot,  so  as  that  it  may 
hang  in  the  infusion.  When  the  whole  is 
taken  off  the  fire,  and  has  stood  till  cold, 
strain  it,  let  it  settle,  and  then  bottle  it  for 
use.  The  same  antimony  will  serve  for 
repeated  use  at  least  twelve  months.  Half 
a pint,  more  or  less,  of  the  above  diet 
drink,  may  be  ^iven  to  the  person  afflicted, 
according  to  the  age  or  constitution  of  the 
party.  If  it  should  not  purge  sufficiently, 
a little  gentle  physic  may  be  taken  once 
a week.  The  receipt  for  this  medicine, 
which  is  stated  to  have  done  great  cures 
in  the  family  from  whose  collection  it  is 


extracted,  cost  them  a very  considerable 
sum.  It  is  a most  excellent  diet  drink  for 
all  persons  who  have  a humour  in  the 
blood,  though  not  come  to  any  swellings, 
or  what  is  called  the  king’s  evil,  scrofula, 
&c. 

Powder  for  Vapours  occasioned  by  Wind. 

Beat  to  a fine  powder  one  ounce  each 
of  tormentil  and  alexander  roots,  bay 
leaves,  and  anise  and  fennel  seeds.  Sift 
them  through  a fine  sieve,  mix  them  well 
together,  and  take  half  a spoonful  just  be- 
fore eating.  This  is  said  to  have  cured  a 
person  who  had  many  years  tried  other 
medicines. 

Bed  Water. 

Put  three  pints  of  brandy,  one  dram  of 
hiera  picra,  four  drams  of  liquorice  pow- 
der, and  a dram  of  cochineal,  in  a bottle; 
and,  setting  it  by  the  fire  side  for  eight 
days,  often  shaking  it,  strain  it  through  a 
flannel  bag,  and  put  to  it  a pound  of  sugar 
candy.  This  is  highly  recommended  to 
procure  labour  and  afterpains,  bring  away 
a false  conception,  &c. 

Admirable  Breast  Salve. 

PUT  into  a new  pipkin  a pint  of  the  best 
sallad  oil,  and  thinly  slice  into  it  a quarter 
of  a pound  of  yellow  bees  wax.  Set  it  over 
a slow  but  clear  fire,  and  keep  stirring  it 
till  ready  to  boil;  then  take  it  off,  stir  it 
till  a little  cool,  and  put  in  two  table- 
spoonfuls of  the  best  honey.  This  being 
well  mingled,  set  it  over  the  fire,  and  put 
in  six  ounces  of  diachylon  cum  gummis, 
sliced  very  thin.  The  whole  being  incor- 
porated, take  it  off  the  fire;  and  continue 
stirring  it  till  entirely  cold,  to  prevent  any 
settlement  at  the  bottom.  Keep  it  close 


504 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


covered  for  use ; and,  when  wanted,  spread  j 
it  thick,  and  dress  the  afflicted  breast  twice 
a day.  If  the  humour  is  capable  of  being  ! 
dispersed,  this  will  effect  it; and,  at  any  rate,  j 
will  occasion  it  to  break  with  more  ease.  | 
The  patient  should  drink  balm  posset  i 
drink,  and  refrain  from  salt  meats  or  strong  | 
liquors.  It  cures  old  ulcers,  sore  legs,  St. 
Anthony’s  tire,  tetters,  all  swellings  whe- 
ther red  or  white,  and  is  a most  excellent 
salve  for  the  King’s  evil  and  green  wounds. 
Where  there  are  holes,  they  are  to  be 
tented  with  the  salve.  We  find,  in  ano- 
ther place,  the  virtues  of  this  same  salve 
thus  enumerated — “ It  eases  all  pains,  and 
dissolves  any  hard  swelling.  If  it  be  laid 
to  the  breasts  as  soon  as  the  party  is 
brought  to  bed,  it  will  prevent  the  breasts 
from  swelling  or  being  sore.  It  is  excel- 
lent for  any  old  sore  or  running  humour, 
and  to  draw  out  splinters  of  broken  bones.  I 
For  an  old  sore,  lay  it  on  twice  a day: 
where  a breast  is  broken,  tent  it  first  with  j 
the  salve;  and  then,  spreading  a cloth  with  j 
the  salve,  lay  it  all  over  the  breast,  which  | 
should  be  kept  warm.  This  has  cured  ! 
cancers,  when  the  breast  was  to  have  been 
cut  off.  If  the  sore  be  very  foul,  wash  it  ; 
with  oil  of  St.  John’s  wort,  and  spirit  of 
wine  mixed  together,  before  laying  on  the 
plaster.  If  there  be  any  proud  flesh,  put 
in  a little  precipitate;  and,  where  flesh  is 
wanted  to  grow,  wet  the  part  with  a fea- 
ther dipped  in  tincture  of  myrrh.”  The 
account  adds — “ Mr.  Ilushvvorth  used  this 
salve  to  Lady  St.  John’s  throat,  and  recom- 
mended it  to  her  in  other  cases.” 

Blackberry  Powder. 

Gather  blackberries  when  full  grown, 
but  before  they  begin  to  turn  black;  and, 
picking  off  the  husks,  dry  them  in  a cool 


oven,  and  keep  them  closely  covered  in  a 
dry  situation.  When  wanted  for  use,  beat 
them  to  powder,  pass  it  through  a fine 
sieve,  and  take  as  much  as  will  lay  on  a 
shilling  in  simple  cinnamon  water.  This  is 
an  admirable  remedy  for  a flux.  It  may  be 
taken  the  first  thing  in  the  morning,  as 
well  as  the  last  at  night;  or  even  oftener, 
where  the  disease  is  violent. 

Salve  for  Boils. 

Put  into  a pipkin  half  a pint  of  oil  of 
roses,  with  two  ounces  of  thinly  sliced  Cas- 
tille  soap;  and  setting  it  on  the  fire,  when 
the  soap  is  melted,  put  in  a quarter  of  a 
pound  of  red  lead,  and  two  ounces  of  ce- 
ruse in  fine  powder.  Stir  it  well  together, 
and  let  it  gently  simmer  till  it  changes 
colour,  and  ceases  frothing;  then  put  in 
two  ounces  of  hog’s  lard,  and  four  ounces 
of  oil  of  bays,  stir  it  well  together,  let  it 
simmer  a little,  take  it  off  the  fire,  and  roll 
it  up  for  use.  It  v.  ill  both  break  and  heal 
boils,  if  spread  on  new  linen,  and  applied 
twice  a day. 

Bitter  Drops. 

Put  into  a glass  bottle  an  ounce  of 
sliced  gentian  root,  a dram  each  of  cochi- 
neal powder  and  saffron,  and  the  pared 
rinds  of  three  Seville  oranges,  with  or  with- 
out two  drams  of  cardamom  seeds;  and, 
pouring  over  the  whole  a quart  of  brandy, 
stop  it  close,  and  let  it  stand  ten  days  or  a 
fortnight  in  a warmish  situation,  well  shak- 
ing the  bottle  once  or  twice  every  day. 
Strain  it  off,  and  take  from  twenty  to  forty 
drops  in  a glass  of  white  wine. 

Honey  of  Mulberries. 

Boil,  and  carefully  scum,  a pound  of 
clarified  honey,  in  a pint  and  a half  of  the 


505 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


juice  of  red  mulberries.  The  honey  being 
well  dissolved  in  the  juice,  take  it  off  the 
fire,  pour  it  into  pots,  and  keep  it  closely 
covered  for  use,  as  a curious  cooling  and 
cleansing  honey.  A very  good  honey, 
called  also  honey  of  mulberries,  is  made 
with  a quart  each  of  blackberries  and  mul- 
berries, gathered  when  they  begin  to  ripen, 
at  a time  when  the  dew  is  oft’  them,  bruised, 
strained,  and  the  mixed  juices  boiled  with 
two  pounds  of  fine  thin  honey,  over  a 
gehtle  fire,  to  the  consistence  of  common 
honey. 

Mace  Cakes. 

Mix  well  together  a pound  of  dried  and 
sifted  flour,  half  a pound  of  powdered  loaf 
sugar,  half  an  ounce  of  mace  cut  very  small, 
and  a very  little  fine  salt;  then,  melting  a 
pound  of  butter  with  two  or  three  table- 
spoonfuls of  rose  water,  pour  sufficient  of 
the  clearest  of  the  butter  into  the  mixture 
to  make  it  a stiff  paste,  roll  it  out  thin, 
cut  it  into  cakes  with  a wine  glass  or  tin 
cutter,  and  bake  them  on  tin. 

Liltle  Plum  Cakes. 

SfFT  a pound  and  a half  of  well  dried 
flour,  and  add  to  it  three  quarters  of  a 
pound  of  powdered  loaf  sugar,  half  a grated 
nutmeg,  and  a little  salt.  Break  well  into 
the  flour,  &c.  a pound  of  butter,  by  very 
small  bits  at  a time  ; then  wet  it  with  the 
yolks  of  two  or  three  eggs  and  three  or 
four  table-spoonfuls  of  rosewater.  When 
it  is  mixed  up  so  as  to  form  a good  paste, 
add  three  quarters  of  a pound  of  fine  cur- 
rants nicely  washed  and  dried,  make  the 
whole  up  into  small  cakes,  lay  them  on 
floured  tin  plates,  and  bake  them  in  a quick 
oven.  A very  good  large  plum  cake  may 
be  made  in  the  same  manner. 


Peony  Powclev  for  Fits. 

CLEAN  the  root  of  the  double  peony, 
cut  it  in  thin  slices,  and  hang  it  up  till 
thoroughly  dry ; then  pound  it  very  fine, 
and  take  as  much  as  will  cover  a sixpence 
for  three  mornings. 

Remedy  for  a Whitloe. 

Mix  in  a phial  one  tea-spoonful  of  tinc- 
ture of  opium,  a dram  of  camphor  dissolved 
in  an  ounce  of  spirit  of  wine,  and  twenty 
drops  of  extract  of  Saturn.  Bathe  the 
whitloe  with  a little  of  this  liquid,  and  keep 
it  covered  with  fine  linen  rag,  frequently 
wetted  in  the  same,  till  a cure  is  effected. 
An  ointment  made  with  two  ounces  of 
mutton  suet,  an  ounce  of  finely  pounded 
resin,  and  half  an  ounce  6f  olive  oil,  is  also 
a most  assured  remedy  for  a felon  or  whit- 
loe. 

Excellent  Lavender  Water. 

In  a pint  of  spirit  of  wine,  put  three 
drams  of  the  essential  oil  of  lavender,  and 
one  dram  of  essence  of  ambergrease. 

Fi  ’ each  Method  of  converting  Iron  into 
Cast  Steel. 

The  following  process  for  preparing 
cast  steel  has  been  discovered  and  described 
in  France  by  a person  named  Clouet  — 
Place  layers  of  small  pieces  of  iron  in  a 
crucible,  with  a mixture  of  the  carbonate 
oflime.  Six  parts  of  the  carbonate  of  lime, 
— being  either  chalk,  marble,  limestone,  or 
any  other  calcareous  substance — and  six 
parts  of  the  earth  of  pounded  Hessian  cruci- 
bles, must  be  employed  for  twenty  parts 
of  iron:  and  this  mixture  is  to  be  so  dis- 
posed, as  that,  after  fusion,  the  iron  may  be 
compleatly  covered  by  it,  in  order  to  pre- 
6 M 


50(5 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


vent  it’s  coming  into  contact  with  the  at- 
mosphere; when  the  mixture  is  to  be  gra- 
dually heated,  and  at  length  exposed  to  a 
heat  capable  of  melting  iron.  Where  the 
fire  is  well  kept  up,  an  hour  will  generally 
be  found  a sufficient  time  to  convert  two 
pounds  of  iron  into  excellent  and  exceed- 
ingly hard  steel,  capable  of  being  forged; 
an  advantage  not  possessed  by  steel  pro- 
cured in  the  common  manner. 

Dairy  Secret  for  Increasing  the  Quantity  of 
Cream. 

Have  ready  two  pans  in  boiling  water  ; 
and,  on  the  new  milk’s  coming,  take  out 
the  hot  pans,  put  the  milk  into  one  of 
them,  and  cover  it  over  with  the  other. 
This  will  occasion,  in  the  usual  time,  a 
great  augmentation  of  the  thickness  and 
quantity  of  the  cream. 

Virginia  Trouts. 

Cut  off  the  heads  and  tails  of  a quarter 
of  a hundred  of  soft  roed  herrings,  slit 
them  down  the  side,  and  take  out  the  roes 
and  gills.  Scale  them,  wash  them  very  \ 
clean,  and  dry  them  with  a cloth.  Then  j 
season  them  with  pepper,  salt,  and  pounded 
allspice,  all  well  mixed  together;  put  them 
into  a deep  pan,  with  a pint  and  a half  of 
vinegar,  half  a pint  of  red  wine,  and 
sufficient  cochineal  to  give  the  whole  a 
good  colour.  Tie  double  paper  close  over 
the  pan,  and  bake  them  in  the  oven  with 
houshold  bread.  The  roes  floured,  and 
fried  in  butter,  make  an  agreeable  dish. 
Herrings  thus  properly  dressed  appear 
red  like  trout  or  salmon,  and  eat  equally 
as  well  as  either  of  those  excellent  fish. 

Bengal  Lights. 

TlIESE  curious  lights,  which  are  much 


j used  in  the  East  Indies,  make  the  night 
like  day,  and  are  seen  at  an  immense  dis- 
tance. They  are  of  great  service  in  for- 
tifications, for  ships,  and  even  for  private 
dwellings,  to  discover  an  enemy  or  thieves; 
for  which  purposes  they  are  placed  on  any 
eminence,  as  the  top  of  a castle,  a steeple, 
a mast  head,  or  a country  house.  The 
ingredients  for  making  Bengal  lights  are 
as  follow — Saltpetre  pulverized,  two  pounds 
and  a quarter;  flour  of  brimstone,  half  a 
pound;  red  orpiment,  two  ounces;  and  zinc, 
half  a pound,  pounded  in  a mortar.  Half 
the  quantity  of  antimony  is  frequently  used 
instead  of  the  half  pound  of  zinc,  but  the  zinc 
is  greatly  preferable.  Ram  the  whole,  well 
mixed,  hard  into  an  iron  pan  or  large  iron 
ladle;  and,  if  intended  to  burn  slowly,  wet 
it  with  a little  water,  first  making  trial  with 
a small  quantity.  Strew  over  it  some  gun- 
powder for  the  purpose  of  setting  it  on  tire 
when  requisite.  An  inferior  sort  may  be 
made  with  only  two  pounds  of  saltpetre, 
half  a pound  of  flour  of  brimstone,  and 
three  ounces  of  argol. 

India  Blue  Lights. 

Take  nitre,  in  fine  powder,  twenty-eight 
pounds  ; flour  of  brimstone,  nine  pounds; 
orpiment,  two  pounds ; and  wheat  or  bar- 
ley meal,  half  a pound.  Mix  half  a pound 
or  more,  in  a flat  earthen  pan,  which  is 
sufficient  for  a signal ; and,  squeezing  it 
to  a paste,  place  a piece  of  cartouch  paper 
on  it,  so  as  compleatly  to  cover  the  edge 
of  the  pan.  A piece  of  port  fire  metal  is 
to  be  placed  in  the  centre  ; which  light, 
having  made  a hole  for  that  purpose. 

Blue  Candles. 

These  blue  candles,  which  are  of  a si- 
milar nature  with  the  two  foregoing  articles. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


507 


are  composed  of  two  ounces  of  saltpetre, 
one  ounce  of  flour  of  brimstone,  and  a 
quarter  of  an  ounce  of  barley  meal. 

Composition  for  preserving  Wood  against 
Injury  from  Fire-  Works. 

PUT  into  a pot  equal  quantities  of  finely 
pulverized  iron  filings,  brickdust,  and 
ashes;  pour  over  them  size  or  glue  water; 
set  the  whole  near  the  fire;  and,  when 
warm,  stir  them  well  together.  With  this 
liquid  composition,  or  size,  wash  over  all 
the  wood  work  which  might  be  in  dfanger; 
and,  on  it’s  getting  dry,  give  it  a second 
coat,  when  it  will  be  sufficiently  proof 
against  any  damage  by  fire. 

Excellent  Remedy  for  Contractions  of  the 
Sinews , Stiffnesses  of  the  Joints,  Sgc. 

Beat  as  thin  as  possible  the  yolk  of  a 
new  laid  egg;  and  then  add,  by  a spoonful 
at  a time,  three  ounces  of  pure  water; 
agitating  the  mixture  continually,  that  the 
egg  and  water  may  be  well  united.  This 
liquid  is  to  be  applied  to  the  part  contract- 
ed, either  cold  or  milk  warm,  rubbing  it 
for  a few  minutes,  three  or  four  times  a 
day. 

Pomade  Divine. 

Put  half  a pound  of  beef  marrow,  well 
cleansed  from  bones  and  filaments,  into  a 
pan  of  water;  carefully  changing  the  wa- 
ter twice  every  day,  for  ten  successive 
days  ; then  drain  it,  and  put  to  it  a pint 
of  rose  water  for  twenty-four  hours.  After 
draining  it  and  drying  it  with  a cloth,  add 
an  ounce  each  of  finely  powdered  storax, 
benzoin,  cypress  root,  and  Florentine  or- 
rice;  half  an  ounce  of  beaten  cinnamon, 
and  two  drams  each  of  pounded  cloves 
and  nutmegs.  Put  the  whole,  in  a pewter 


vessel,  into  boiling  water,  and  let  it  remain 
boiling  for  three  hours,  taking  care  that  it 
be  constantly  under  water.  Then  strain 
it  through  fine  muslin;  and,  when  quite 
cold,  but  not  before,  cover  it  closely  up 
with  bladder  and  paper,  and  keep  it  for  use. 

Fine  Dry  Biscuits. 

Take  two  pounds  of  flour;  one  yolk, 
and  four  whites  of  eggs,  well  beat  up  toge- 
ther; and  as  much  milk,  warmed  withalittle 
bit  of  butter  in  it,  as  will  wet  the  flour. 
Mix  it  well  up  into  a stiff  paste,  roll  it  out 
thin,  and  bake  it  on  tins. 

Curious  Biscuit  Bread, 

Dry  well,  before  the  fire,  half  a pound 
of  fine  sifted  flour ; and,  taking  out  the 
treads  from  four  eggs,  whisk  them  tho- 
roughly together,  by  themselves,  for  some 
time.  Then  add  half  a pound  of  powdered 
loaf  sugar,  and  beat  that  up  also  with  the 
eggs;  after  which,  put  in  the  flour,  and  beat 
the  whole  together  for  at  least  half  an  hour. 
Throw  in  some  anise  or  carraway  seeds, 
roll  it  out,  make  it  up,  rub  the  plates  with 
butter,  and  set  the  cakes  or  biscuit  bread 
in  the  oven. 

Rosemary  Pomatum. 

STRIP,  from  the  stem,  a large  double 
handful  of  fresh  gathered  rosemary ; and 
boil  it,  in  a tin  or  copper  vessel,  with  half 
a pound  of  common  soft  pomatum  or  hog’s 
lard,  till  it  comes  to  about  three  or  four 
ounces.  Strain  it  off,  and  keep  it  in  the 
usual  way. 

Cure  for  a Strain  in  the  Back. 

Beat  up  well  four  table-spoonfuls  of 
white  wine  vinegar  with  the  yolk* of  an 
egg;  then  add  thirty  drops  of  oil  or  spirit. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


508 

of  turpentine.  Mix  them  thoroughly,  and 
drink  the  whole  on  going  to  bed  at  night. 
This  dose,  three  times  repeated,  is  stated 
to  be  an  infallible  cure. 

Long's  Pills  for  a Sick  Head- Ache. 

Take  Castille  soap,  one  dram  and  a half ; 
rhubarb,  in  powder,  forty  grains;  oil  of 
juniper,  twenty  drops;  syrup  of  ginger,  a 
sufficient  quantity  to  form  the  whole  into 
twenty  pills.  The  dose  is  two  or  three  of 
these  pills,  to  be  taken  occasionally. 

Art  of  making  Paper  nearly  as  Transparent 
as  Glass. 

For  the  purpose  of  producing  this  effect, 
nothing  more  is  necessary,  than  to  spread, 
by  means  of  a feather,  a very  thin  layer  of 
resin  dissolved  in  spirit  of  wine,  on  both 
sides  of  a sheet,  or  part  of  a sheet,  of  fine 
thin  post  paper. 

Capital  Oyster  Ketchup. 

Take  a hundred  bruised  oysters,  with 
their  liquor,  a pound  of  anchovies,  three  j 
pints  of  white  wine,  and  a sliced  lemon 
with  half  the  peel.  Boil  them  together, 
gently,  for  an  hour;  then,  straining  them  I 
through  muslin,  put  in  half  an  ounce  each 
of  cloves  and  mace,  with  a sliced  nutmeg, 
and  boil  the  whole  a quarter  of  an  hour 
longer:  after  which,  add  twelve  shallots; 
and,  when  cold,  bottle  it  for  use. 

Lemon  Pickle. 

Cut  through  the  rind  and  to  the  pulp, 
of  each  lemon,  in  quarters,  lengthway,  and 
quite  to  the  ends,  to  prevent  separating: 
then  stuff’  them  as  full  as  possible  with 
salt,  in  a pewter  dish;  on  which,  so  place 
them  that  they  may  not  touch  one  another, 
and  in  this  situation  they  are  to  be  dried. 


If  made  in  summer,  they  may  dry  in  the 
sun  ; otherwise,  in  an  oven  of  a gentle  heat, 
or  before  afire.  They  must  be  very  drv  be- 
fore putting  to  them  the  following  pickle — 
Boil  as  much  vinegar  as  will  cover  them; 
and,  when  it  is  cold,  put  into  a stone  jar 
the  lemons,  with  the  dried  salt  and  juice 
which  are  in  the  dish.  Add  a pint  of  mus- 
tard seed,  bruised  and  well  dried;  from  a 
dozen  to  a dozen  and  a half  of  long  pepper, 
at  discretion ; about  twelve  cloves  of  gar- 
lic; and  two  or  three  races  of  sliced  gin- 
ger. The  vinegar  must  quite  cover  all  the 
ingredients.  It  will  be  fit  for  use  in  a 
fortnight.  Strain  it,  and  keep  it  stopped 
close. 

Baked  Savoloys. 

Free  six  pounds  of  fine  young  pork 
from  it’s  bone  and  skin;  and  salt  it  with 
an  ounce  of  saltpetre,  and  a pound  of  com- 
mon salt,  for  two  days.  Chop  it  very7  fine, 
and  put  in  three  tea-spoonfuls  of  pepper, 
twelve  sage  leaves  chopped  fine,  and  a 
pound  of  grated  bread.  Mix  it  well,  fill 
the  skins,  bake  them  half  an  hour  in  a 
slack  oven,  and  eat  them  hot  or  cold. 

Sir  Richard  Jehb's  Receipt  for  Glocestcr 
Jelly. 

PUT  two  ounces  of  pearl  barley,  and  two 
ounces  of  sago  or  rice,  into  a pipkin.  Sim- 
mer and  boil  them  in  two  quarts  of  W'ater 
till  half  reduced  ; then  strain  it  through  a 
fine  sieve,  and  give  a cupful  to  the  patient 
three  times  a day7.  A little  sugar  and  wine 
may  be  added,  if  there  is  no  inflammation. 

Dr.  Cullen’s  Pills  for  an  Eruption  on  the 
Hand. 

Take  gum  guaicum,  and  loaf  sugar, 
each  one  dram,  camphor,  half  a dram  ; 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK*  500 


emetic  tartar,  live  grains;  and  rectified 
spirit  of  wine,  thirty  drops.  Rub  them  ali 
together,  in  a marble  mortar,  to  a fine 
powder;  and  then,  with  a thick  mucilage 
of  gum  Arabic,  make  the  whole  into  forty 
pills.  Take  one  of  these  pills  every  night, 
for  three  weeks.  If  it  be  not  felt  in  the 
stomach,  two,  three,  or  even  four,  may  be 
taken  by  a grown  person,  but  not  more. 

Debretgin’s  Art  of  making  Bread  with 
Leaven , instead  of  Yeast. 

The  ferment  is  to  be  thus  prepared — 
Boil  two  large  spoonfuls  of  hops  in  a gal- 
lon of  water;  and  pour  it  on  as  much  wheat 
bran  as  can  be  well  moistened  with  it. 
To  this,  add  four  or  five  pounds  of  leaven  ; 
and,  when  it  becomes  barely  warm,  work 
the  mass  well  together,  in  order  to  mix 
the  different  parts.  Put  this  mass  into  a 
Warm  place  for  twenty-four  hours;  and, 
after  that,  divide  it  into  small  pieces,  about 
the  size  of  eggs  or  small  oranges.  Place 
them  on  a board,  exposed  to  a dry  air, 
but  they  must  not  be  dried  in  the  sun. 
When  thoroughly  dry,  they  are  to  be  kept 
for  use,  and  will  remain  good  half  a year 
or  longer.  The  ferment  thus  made  is  to 
be  used  in  the  following  manner — For  a 
baking  of  half  a dozen  large  loaves,  six 
good  handfuls  of  these  balls  are  dissolved 
in  seven  or  eight  quarts  of  warm  water. 
This  is  poured,  through  a sieve,  into  the 
end  of  the  kneading  or  bread  trough;  and 
three  quarts  more  of  warm  water  are  also 
poured  through  the  sieve.  After  what  re- 
mains in  the  sieve  is  well  pressed  out,  the 
liquor  is  mixed  up  with  as  much  flour  as 
forms  a lump  the  size  of  a large  loaf,  and 
strewed  over  with  flour.  The  sieve,  with 
it’s  contents,  is  put  on  it ; and,  when  the 
whole  is  covered  up  warm,  and  has  been  left 


till  it  is  enough  risen,  known  by  it’s  sur- 
face beginning  to  crack,  this  forms  the  lea- 
ven. Then,  pouring  fifteen  quarts  of  warm 
water,  in  which  six  handfuls  of  salt  have 
been  dissolved,  over  it,  covered  by  the 
sieve,  the  necessary  quantity  of  flour  is  add- 
ed, and  mixed  and  kneaded  with  the  lea- 
ven. This  is  covered  up  warm,  and  left 
for  about  an  hour:  when  it  is  formed  into 
loaves,  which  are  kept  in  a warm  room  for 
half  an  hour;  and,  after  that,  put  in  the 
oven,  where  they  remain  two  or  three 
hours,  according  to  their  respective  sizes. 
These  are  excellent  instructions. 

Good  and  Easy  Method  of  making  Rolls. 

Take  a quart  of  flour,  three  table-spoon- 
fuls of  yeast,  a bit  of  butter  the  size  of  a 
large  walnut,  as  much  warm  milk  and  wa- 
ter as  will  wet  the  flour,  a little  salt,  and 
an  egg.  Mix  the  whole  up  light,  make  it 
into  rolls,  put  them  on  tins,  place  the  tins 
before  the  fire  for  the  rolls  to  rise  a little, 
then  put  them  in  the  oven,  and  be  careful 
not  to  burn  them  black. 

Camp  Vinegar. 

THOUGH  this  is  always  called  camp 
vinegar,  it  is  rather  to  be  considered  as  a 
sort  of  universal  sauce.  It  is  thus  directed 
to  be  made — Peel  a large  head  of  garlic, 
cut  it  in  thin  slices,  and  put  it  in  a bottle 
with  a wide  mouth;  then  add  half  an  ounce 
of  Cayenne  pepper,  two  table-spoonfuls 
each  of  India  soy  and  walnut  liquor  or 
ketchup,  four  or  five  chopped  anchovies, 
twenty  grains  of  cochineal,  and  a pint  of 
white  wine  vinegar.  When  it  has  stood 
six  weeks,  being  in  the  mean  time  fre- 
quently shaken,  pour  or  strain  off  the  clear 
liquid,  and  keep  it  in  small  bottles  closed 
or  sealed  up  with  wax. 

6 N 


510 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Quins  Pocket  Sauce. 

PUT  into  a bottle  half  a pint  each  of 
mushroom  and  walnut  ketchup,  six  pound- 
ed anchovies,  three  whole  anchovies,  three 
pounded  shallots,  a table-spoonful  of  soy, 
and  a tea-spoonful  of  Cayenne  pepper. 
Shake  the  bottle  well,  when  used. 

Curious  Blue  Ink. 

MAKE  a solution,  with  one  ounce  of 
finely  powdered  verdigrease  and  half  an 
ounce  of  cream  of  tartar,  in  three  ounces 
of  water.  This  will  make  a fine  blue  writ- 
ing ink;  which  has  the  extraordinary  pro- 
perty of  giving  to  an  iron  nail,  immersed 
in  it  for  twenty-four  hours,  a beautiful  green 
colour. 

Yellow  Ink. 

There  are  several  different  methods  ' 

I 

of  making  yellow  writing  ink,  though  it  is 
but  little  used.  One  of  the  readiest  ways 
of  preparing  it,  is  by  dissolving  a small 
portion  of  powdered  gum  Arabic  and  alum 
in  pure  water;  and  infusing,  in  this  solu- 
tion, a little  dry  saffron.  The  following, 
however,  is  considered  as  the  best  mode 
of  producing  a fine  yellow  ink — Boil,  slow- 
ly, tw7o  ounces  of  French  berries,  sometimes 
called  Avignon  berries,  in  a quart  of  wa- 
ter, with  half  an  ounce  of  alum,  till  the 
liquid  be  a third  part  evaporated  ; then, 
dissolving  in  it  two  drams  of  gum  Arabic 
and  one  dram  of  sugar,  add  lastly  a dram 
of  alum  in  powder,  strain  or  filtre  the  mix- 
ture, and  keep  the  ink  carefully  bottled. 

Green  Ink. 

Pour  into  a glass  retort  a pint  of  dis- 
tilled vinegar  ; and,  placing  it  in  a sand 
heat,  introduce  gradually,  as  soon  as  the 


vinegar  begins  to  boil,  small  portions  of 
powdered  verdigrease,  till  a saturated  so- 
lution be  obtained;  and,  consequently,  no 
more  colouring  matter  can  be  dissolved. 
To  keep  the  colouring  suspended,  and  pre- 
vent the  formation  of  crystals,  add  pow- 
dered gum  Arabic  m the  proportion  of 
about  one  sixth  part  of  the  verdigrease. 
By  a much  readier  "process,  however,  an 
at  least  equally  good  green  writing  ink 
may  be  made,  which  we  shall  also  describe. 
Put  an  ounce  ol  powdered  verdigrease  to 
a quart  of  vinegar;  and,  after  it  has  stood 
two  or  three  days,  strain  off  the  liquid: 
or,  instead  of  this,  use  the  crystals  of  ver- 
digrease dissolved  in  water.  Then  dis- 
solve, in  a pint  of  cither  of  these  solutions, 
five  drams  of  gum  Arabic,  and  two  drams 
of  white  sugar. 

Fine  Liquid  Blue  Dye. 

Levigate,  in  a glass  mortar,  an  ounce 
of  the  finest  indigo:  and  then  very  gradual- 
ly pour  on  the  powder  four  ounces  of  the 
most  concentrated  vitriolic  acid;  stirring 
it,  on  every  addition,  with  a glass  pestle, 
so  that  the  whole  mixture  may  occupy  at 
least  two  or  three  hours.  This  great  pre- 
caution is  indispensable;  as  the  heat  which 
is  generated  on  adding  the  vitriolic  acid, 
would  otherwise  impair  the  brightness  of 
the  colour.  The  thick  mixture  thus  pre- 
pared is  to  be  introduced,  by  small  por- 
tions, into  such  a quantity  of  water  as  may 
be  necessary  to  produce  a darker  or  lighter 
shade;  a fine  blue  liquid,  may  in  general 
be  made,  with  a spoonful  of  the  mixture 
in  from  thirty  to  forty  spoonfuls  of  water. 
This  diluted  solution  of  indigo  is,  however, 
in  a state  much  too  caustic  to  be  used  as  a 
blue  writing  ink.  The  vitriolic  acid,  there- 
fore, must  be  carefully  divested  of  it’s  cor- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


511 


rosive  quality,  by  means  of  some  such  sub-  ! 
stance  as  may  form  a chemical  combination  ; 
with  the  acid,  and  thus  preserve  the  indigo  j 
from  precipitation.  Where  the  solution  ! 
is  wanted  merely  for  colouring  paper,  or  I 
to  he  used  as  writing  ink,  an  addition  of 
finely  pulverized  chalk  will  be  sufficient 
for  either  purpose.  This  powder  of  chalk 
must  be  carefully  added,  in  small  portions;  as 
a large  quantity  at  once  would  occasion  the 
liquid  to  rise  above  the  brim  of  the  vessel. 
The  point  of  saturation  is  easy  to  be  as- 
certained; for,  when  the  powdered  chalk 
scattered  on  the  surface  of  the  liquid  no 
longer  produces  any  bubbles,  so  that  all 
effervescence  has  ceased,  the  solution,  after 
being  suffered  to  stand  for  twenty-four 
hours,  may  be  filtered  through  blotting  pa- 
per, and  preserved  in  bottles.  Where,  how- 
ever, it  is  intended  to  be  used  as  a liquid 
blue  dye  for  silk;  such  as  stockings,  &c. 
the  neutralization  of  the  vitriolic  acid  will 
be  preferably  effected,  by  substituting,  for 
the  chalk,  aluminous  earth,  which  ren- 
ders the  colour  more  durable.  If  the  so- 
lution be  wanted  for  painting  on  silk,  it 
must  previously  be  mixed  with  gum  tra- 
gacanth. 

Cure  for  ihe  Nettle  Rash. 

The  nettle  rash,  which  is  a cutaneous 
disease,  so  called  from  the  resemblance  of 
the  sensation  which  it  excites  to  what  is 
produced  by  the  stinging  of  nettles,  being 
that  of  a most  unpleasant  prickly  heat,  is 
very  common  in  hot  countries,  and  by  no  ; 
means  unfrequent  in  England,  particularly 
during  the  summer.  Of  the  causes,  doc- 
tors very  considerably  differ.  Dr.  Ileber-  ; 
den  was  of  opinion,  that  it  does  not  cor- 
rupt the  humours,  so  as  to  require  internal 
remedies;  while  some  of  the  most  cele- 


! brated  German  physicians  prescribe  for 
it  first  sudorifics  and  diuretics,  and  after- 
ward resolvent  and  strengthening  medi- 
cines, but  particularly  a copious  use  of 
Seltzer  water.  From  whatever  cause  this 
affection  may  arise,  Dr.  Ileberden  con- 
ceived that,  if  the  itching  could  be  speedily 
mitigated,  no  farther  medicine  would  be 
necessary.  A mixture  of  oil,  vinegar,  and 
spirits  of  wine,  applied  to  the  skin,  affords 
a temporary  relief,  with  regard  to  the  itch- 
ing; and  the  following  simple  medicine 
will  with  almost  invariable  certainty  coin- 
pleat  the  cure — Procure  half  a dram  of  cal- 
cined magnesia;  and  take  of  it  five  grains, 
three  limes  a day,  in  a glass  of  lime  water. 

Chemical  Compound  for  Manure. 

The  following  chemical  compound,  in- 
vented a few  years  since  by  Dr.  Bahrens,  a 
respectable  German  clergyman,  is  highly 
recommended,  as  of  the  utmost  utility; 
particularly,  for  situations  where  such  ma- 
nures as  are  conducive  to  the  fertility  of 
the  soil  are  not  to  be  procured  without 
great  difficulty.  Consistently  with  the 
theory  adopted  by  agricultural  writers  on 
the  continent,  that  such  substances  as  yield, 
or  evolve,  the  largest  quantity  of  carbonic 
acid  gas,  or  inflammable  air,  afford  the 
principal  matter  of  manure,  Dr.  Bahrens 
has  confessedly  formed  his  newly-discover- 
ed chemical  compound,  the  preparation 
and  application  of  which  are  thus  described 
by  the  liberal  inventor — Iloast,  in  an  iron 
pan,  half  a peck  of  common  salt,  till  it 
ceases  to  crackle;  and  then,  putting  it  into 
an  old  iron  pot,  set  it  over  a fire  strong 
enough  to  reduce  it  to  that  glowing  and 
shining  state  in  which  it  will  resemble 
melted  metal,  when  it  must  be  poured  into 
another  vessel  that  it  may  the  sooner  cool. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


512 

It  will  thus  form  a bard  and  stony  mass ; 
which  must  be  broken  into  fragments,  and 
immediately  dissolved,  before  it  has  attract- 
ed any  moisture,  in  three  large  pailfuls  of 
boiling  liquor  from  farm  yards.  After  be- 
ing eompleatly  incorporated  over  the  fire, 
it  is  to  be  well  mixed,  in  a trough,  with 
half  a dozen  pailfuls  of  good  moor  earth 
taken  from  ponds,  or  the  richest  mire 
collected  berteath  dunghills.  To  this  mix- 
ture, must  be  added  sufficient  wood  ashes 
for  forming  the  whole  fluid  mass  into  a 
thick  paste.  Having,  in  the  mean  time, 
made  a pit  in  the  ground,  by  way  of  re- 
servoir, of  a capacity  suited  to  the  quan- 
tity, the  sides  of  which  are  lined  with  bricks 
or  stone  work,  so  as  to  be  perfectly  tight, 
two  bushels  of  unslacked  lime  coarsely 
pounded  being  also  in  readiness,  a layer 
of  the  new  composition  is-to  be  spread  at 
the  bottom ; and,  immediately  over  it,  a 
thin  stratum  of  the  pounded  lime:  and 
thus,  in  alternate  strata  of-composition  and 
of  lime,  the  whole  is  to  be  arranged,  till 
the  pit  is  quite  full;  having  a surface  of  the 
compound  at  top,  which  must  speedily  be 
well  covered  over  with  swards  or  turf,  so 
as  entirely  to  exclude  the  air.  As,  in  per- 
forming these  operations,  the  utmost  dis- 
patch is  necessary,  two  persons  should  by 
all  means  be  employed  in  filling  and  clos- 
ing the  pit ; both  to  prevent  a too  sudden 
fermentation  of  the  ingredients,  and  the 
escape  of  the  inflammable  gas  into  the  at- 
mosphere. After  the  whole  has  remained 
undisturbed  a few  days,  the  internal  heat 
and  commotion  will  cease;  and  the  whole 
be  reduced  to  a dry,  fine  powder,  which  is 
fit  for  immediate  use.  This  powder  is  di- 
rected to  be  strewed  over  the  land,  after  the 
seed  has  been  sown,  and  the  ground  once 
harrowed,  so  that  the  composition  may  be 


duly  mingled  with  the  soil  by  the  subse- 
quent operations  of  the  harrow.  The  in- 
ventor observes  that,  in  repeated  experi- 
ments, this  chemical  compound  has  been 
found  productive  of  great  advantage;  not 
only  to  every  species  of  grain,  as  well  as 
all  garden  fruits,  but  also  to  meadows  and 
pastures.  The  quantity  above  directed  to 
be  prepared  is  used  on  a piece  of  land 
sufficiently  agreeing  with  our  computation 
of  an  English  acre;  and,  if  it  be  applied 
two  years  successively,  it’s  fertilizing  pro- 
perties continue  to  act  with  undiminished 
effect  for  three  subsequent  crops  also:  so 
that,  by  it’s  adoption  in  this  way,  the  soil 
obtains  an  improvement  fully  equal  to  what 
is  ever  acquired  from  the  richest  dung. 

Cure  for  a Scald  Head,  <5 fc. 

The  following  is  given,  on  highly  re- 
spectable authority,  as  an  infallible  reme- 
dy for  the  cure  of  a scald  head;  or  herpes 
of  any  description,  either  in  the  face  or 
any  part  of  the  body — Take  equal  portions 
of  hog’s  lard,  and  good  Stockholm  tar,  to 
be  rubbed  on  the  part  afflicted,  three  or 
four  times  a day.  It  is  to  be  washed  off, 
with  soap  and  w'ater,  each  time,  before 
another  application. 

Gooseberry  Brandy. 

It  is,  perhaps,  very  little  known,  that 
fine  ripe  gooseberries  impart  a most  de- 
licious flavour  to  brandy.  Like  raspberry 
or  cherry  brandy,  it  may  be  made  more 
or  less  compound,  as  well  as  dulcified  and 
spiced  : it  wants,  however,  but  little  sugar; 
and  is,  perhaps,  best  without  spice  of  any 
sort.  By  merely  half  filling  a bottle  with 
the  choicest  gooseberries,  putting  in  a 
small  lump  or  two  of  sugar,  and  pouring 
in  brandy  till  the  bottle  is  almost  but  not 


FAMILY  KECEIPT-BOOK. 


513 


quite  full,  corking  it  close,  and  shaking  it 
a little  once  or  twice  a day,  an  excellent 
gooseberry  brandy  will  be  obtained,  fit 
for  immediate  use. 

English  Claret . 

An  admirable  wine,  very  like  claret,  and 
«ven  surpassing  common  claret  in  strength, 
may  be  prepared  by  the  following  process 
— Take  any  quantity  of  Malaga  raisins, 
chop  them  very  small,  put  to  every  pound 
of  them  a quart  of  water,  and  let  them 
stand  in  an  open  vessel  having  a cloth 
thrown  over  it  for  a week  or  nine  days, 
stirring  them  well  daily.  Then,  draw  ing  off 
as  much  of  the  liquid  as  will  run,  and  strain- 
ing out  the  rest  from  the  raisins  by  pres- 
sure, tun  up  the  whole  in  a seasoned  bar- 
rel ; and,  to  every  gallon  of  this  liquid,  add 
a pint  of  the  cold  juice  of  ripe  elder  ber- 
ries, which  has  been  previously  boiled  and 
scummed.  Let  it  stand,  closely  stopped, 
about  six  weeks:  then  draw  it  off,  as  far 
as  is  tolerably  fine,  into  another  vessel ; 
add  half  a pound  of  moist  sugar  to  every 
gallon  of  liquor;  and,  when  it  gets  per- 
fectly fine,  draw  it  into  bottles. 

Apricot  Wine. 

Boil  six  pounds  of  loaf  sugar  with  six 
quarts  of  water,  taking  off  the  scum  as  it 
rises ; then  put  in  twelve  pounds  weight 
of  stoned  and  pared  ripe  apricots,  and  let 
them  boil  till  tender.  The  fruit  being  now 
taken  out,  which  may  either  be  immedi- 
ately eaten,  or  made  into  marmalade,  put 
in  two  or  three  sprigs  of  flowered  clary, 
and  let  it  boil  up  once  or  twice  more. 
'When  the  liquor  gets  quite  cold,  bottle  it 
off;  and,  in  six  months,  it  will  be  fit  to 
drink.  This  delicious  wine,  however,  like 
most  others,  improves  by  keeping;  and. 


though  a boiled  wine,  will  remain  good 
two  or  three  j-ears.  If,  at  the  end  of  a 
week,  any  settlement  should  appear  in  the 
bottles,  the  liquor  must  be  poured  off  into 
fresh  bottles;  all  that  is  not  clear  being 
put  by  itself  into  other  bottles,  from  whence 
it  may  also  be  afterward  separated  as  it 
grows  fine. 

Walnut  Tree  Wine. 

Though,  in  England,  the  birch  tree  is 
alone  tapped  for  wine,  there  are  other 
trees  which  produce  excellent  juice  for 
this  purpose;  and,  among  the  rest,  that 
of  the  walnut.  This  tree  affords  very  plen- 
teously  a vinous  sap,  or  juice,  which  is 
thus  extracted  and  prepared  — Penetrate 
the  body  of  the  tree  with  an  auger;  and, 
putting  in  a fosset,  receive  the  liquid  in  a 
bottle  or  any  proper  vessel:  or.  rather, 
with  less  injury  to  the  tree,  though  to  the  ac- 
quisition of  still  more  liquid,  cut  off  the  ends 
of  some  such  superfluous  branches  as  are  of 
a size  fitted  to  the  mouths  of  gooseberry 
or  other  wide  mouthed  bottles,  and  hang 
I them  on  the  respective  branches,  bv  thrust- 
j ing  in  the  respective  ends,  from  whence  the 
sap  will  flow  into  the  bottles.  This  must 
be  done  in  the  months  of  March  and  April 
only.  AEhen  the  liquor  is  obtained,  to 
every  gallon  add  two  pounds  of  sugar,  or 
a quart  of  honey:  boil  it  half  an  hour, 
scumming  it  well;  and,  setting  it  to  cool, 
add  a little  yeast  when  it  gets  only  blood 
warm.  After  it  has  a little  fermented, 
tun  it  up  ; hanging,  from  the  bung,  a small 
bag  of  spice,  such  as  bruised  cinnamon 
and  mace,  if  agreeable  to  the  palate,  though 
none  is  absolutely  necessary.  As  soon  as 
the  fermentation  ceases,  drive  the  bung 
close;  and,  in  a month’s  time,  it  will  be 
ready  for  the  bottle.  This  wine,  though 
6 o 


514 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


expeditiously  ready  for  drinking,  is  not 
calculated  for  long  keeping.  It  is  a cu- 
rious wine,  and  considered  as  peculiarly 
salubrious. 

Cultivation  of  Liquorice. 

The  glycyrrhiza,  in  the  Linnaean  sys- 
tem, is  a genus  of  exotic  plants,  compre- 
hending two  species;  of  which,  the  glabra, 
or  common  liquorice,  is  the  principal. 
The  long,  thick,  creeping  roots  in  this 
plant  strike  several  feet  deep  in  the  earth; 
the  stalk  frequently  grows  to  the  height  of 
five  feet;  and  it’s  flowers,  which  are  red 
or  blue,  appear  in  the  month  of  July  be- 
tween it’s  mucilaginous  leaves.  It  is  pro- 
pagated by  cuttings  of  the  fibres  which 
spring  from  the  principal  root,  near  the 
surface  of  the  earth.  These  are  divided 
into  sets  of  six  or  eight  inches  long;  each 
such  set  having  at  least  one  good  bud  or 
eye.  They  should  be  planted  in  February, 
or  at  the  beginning  of  March,  in  a light, 
sandy,  and  very  deep  soil;  after  it  has 
been  well  manured,  and  dug  three  spades 
deep.  The  sets  are  put  into  the  ground, 
by  means  of  a line  and  dibble,  at  the  dis- 
tance of  a foot  from  each  other,  and  in  rows 
eighteen  inches  apart,  with  the  tops  of  the 
plants,  or  sets,  about  an  inch  beneath  the 
surface.  Three  years  after  planning,  the 
roots  are  sufficiently  large  for  taking  up, 
which  should  always  be  done  between  the 
months  of  November  and  February;  nei- 
ther commencing  before'  ihe  stalks  are 
quite  decayed,  nor  delayed  till  late  in  the 
spring,  when  the  roots  are  apt  to  shrivel 
and  diminish  in  succulence  and  weight. 
For  this  last  reason,  they  should  be  dis- 
posed of  as  soon  as  possible  after  being 
taken  up.  An  acre  of  good  land  produces 
more  than  three  thousand  roots ; and,  as 


liquorice  is  sold  to  druggists  for  about  two 
guineas  a hundred  weight,  the  produce  is 
sometimes  more  than  sixty  pounds  an  acre. 
Liquorice  of  our  own  growth  is-  preferable 
to  any  imported,  which  is  generally  moul- 
dy when  it  arrives  in  England;  as  these 
roots,  unless  preserved  in  a dry  place,  are 
very  liable  to  spoil.  It  is  on  this  account 
that,  though  vast  quantities  are  cultivated 
abroad,  in  most  countries  of  Europe,  we 
chiefly  receive  it  in  cakes  of  extract,  com- 
monly called  Spanish  liquorice;  while  the 
liquorice  itself  is  with  us  vulgarly  denomi- 
nated stick  liquorice.  The  powder  of  li- 
quorice, as  sold  by  druggists,  &c.  is  often 
adulterated  with  flour;  and,  perhaps,  with 
substances  less  salubrious.  The  best  li- 
quorice powder  is  of  a brownish  yellow 
colour,  of  a very  rich  sweet  taste,  and  more 
agreeable  than  that  of  the  fresh  root  to  al- 
most every  palate.  It’s  gently  detergent 
qualities  render  it  an  incomparable  medi- 
cine in  coughs,  hoarseness,  asthma,  &c. 
for  lubricating  the  throat,  softening  acrid 
humours,  and  relieving  the  organs  of  res- 
piration. With  these  intentions,  it’s  in- 
fusion may  be  taken  plentifully,  as  a diet- 
drink;  the  patient,  in  the  mean  time,  ab- 
staining from  tea  and  other  hot  liquids. 
In  some  parts  of  the  continent,  the  sound 
roots  are  employed  for  stopping  bottles, 
being  considered  as  more  w holesome  and 
durable  than  cork.  Sour  ale,  or  beer,  we 
are  told  by  Bohmer,  may  be  compleatly 
restored,  by  suspending  in  the  cask  a linen 
bag,  filled  with  liquorice  powder  and  a 
small  quantity  of  pulverized  chalk  and 
potash. 

Spanish  Liquorice. 

That  extract  of  the  juice  of  liquorice, 
called  generally  Spanish  liquorice,  from 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


515 


having  been  originally  imported  from 
Spain,  is  prepared  in  many  other  coun- 
tries, from  which  we  now  also  receive 
it.  Townsend,  in  his  Travels  through 
Spain,  however,  remarks  that*  of  the  two 
hundred  tons  weight  of  liquorice,  or  Spa- 
nish juice,  annually  produced  in  that  king- 
dom, a considerable  part  is  imported  into 
London  for  the  use  of  our  porter  breweries. 
It’s  uses  in  medicine  are  well  known.  In 
order  to  extract  this  juice,  the  roots  are 
first  cut  in  pieces,  then  moistened,  and 
afterward  crushed  in  a mill.  In  this  man- 
ner, it  is  formed  into  a mass  resembling 
dough;  which  is  boiled  for  eight  hours, 
and  occasionally  supplied  with  water.  It 
is  next  twice  pressed,  so  as  compleatly  to 
separate  all  the  mucilage;  which  is  now 
slowly  evaporated  in  another  cauldron  for 
about  twenty-four  hours,  or  till  reduced  to 
a proper  consistence  for  cutting,  when 
cold,  into  cakes  of  either  a square  or  cylin- 
drical form.  These  cakes  are  packed  in 
chests,  separated  by  bay  leaves,  bits  of 
which  are  so  frequently  found  to  adhere. 

Soda. 

The  singular  salt,  called  soda,  is  a fossil 
or  mineral  alkali,  found  native  in  many 
parts  of  the  world ; but,  as  it’s  extensive 
uses  in  the  arts,  manufactures,  and  for  do- 
mestic purposes,  &c.  occasion  a prodigious 
demand  for  this  article,  far  beyond  what 
can  be  naturally  obtained,  it  is  artificially 
prepared  from  sea  salt,  and  by  burning  the 
saltwort,  with  other  saline  plants  which 
grow  near  the  sea  coasts.  As  it  is  indis- 
pensably necessary  for  making  hard  soap, 
so  it  forms  an  excellent  substitute  for  that 
article  ; since  a quarter  of  a pound  of  soda, 
with  six  ounces  of  soap,  are  not  only  fully 
equal  in  effect  to  a pound  of  soap  alone, 


for  cleansing  fourteen  pounds  weight  of 
cloth  by  hand,  but  the  soda  also  effectually 
softens  the  hardest  water.  Indeed,  beside 
the  obvious  saving  in  expence,  the  superior 
powers  of  soda  are  abundantly  demon- 
strated in  the  cleansing  of  flannels,  fleecy 
hosiery,  or  worsted  stockings;  which,  when 
washed  with  warm  water  and  soap,  and 
even  with  the  addition  of  potash,  often  ac- 
quire an  unpleasant  smell,  beside  being 
very  apt  to  shrink,  particularly  if  immers- 
ed in  cold  water:  whereas,  by  using  soda, 
these  disagreeable  effects  are  compleatly 
avoided.  Not  only  are  the  goods  thus  pre- 
served from  injury;  but  the  soda,  when 
judiciously  employed,  never  affects  the 
hands  like  common  ley.  A small  portion 
of  soda,  dissolved  in  the  water  for  bathing 
or  washing  any  part  of  the  body,  is  greatly 
conducive  to  health;  or  a towel  wetted 
with  a solution  of  soda  and  soap,  may  be 
passed  over  the  surface.  It’s  peculiar  pow- 
er of  opening  the  pores,  and  removing  the 
disagreeable  consequences  of  a too  pro- 
fuse and  rank  perspiration,  renders  it  an 
admirable  application  for  horses  frequently 
over  heated  by  racing,  or  other  hard  rid- 
ing, driving  post,  &c.  On  pouring  a weak 
solution  of  soda  into  foul  casks  or  bottles, 
in  which  wine  has  for  a considerable  time 
been  kept,  it  will  compleatly  dissolve  the 
tartarous  crust  formed  on  their  inner  sur- 
face. Boot  tops,  saddles,  bridles,  and  other 
articles  of  similar  leather,  may  be  cleaned 
with  such  liquor,  so  as  still  to  retain  their 
original  colour.  Soda  is  also  extremely 
serviceable  for  sweetening  kitchen  and 
dairy  utensils  : it  effectually  removes  those 
concretions  of  grease  or  acids  from  copper 
vessels,  which  when  suffered  to  remain 
form  a pernicious  and  often  fatal  poison; 
prevents  those  of  tin  and  iron  from  becom- 


51(3 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ing  rusty;  and  extracts  the  grease,  sour- 
ness, &c.  imbibed  by  such  as  are  composed 
of  wood.  In  medicine,  the  crystals  of  soda 
arc  very  extensively  useful.  I he  solution 
is  an  admirable  gargle  for  cleansing  the 
throat,  mouth,  and  gums;  not  only  in  a 
sound  state,  but  when  they  are  inflamed 
or  ulcerated.  It  whitens  the  teeth,  and 
dissolves  all  incrustations  formed  on  their 
surface,  without  injury  to  the  enamel; 
while  a small  quantity  of  the  liquid,  occa- 
sionally swallowed  after  washing  or  garg- 
ling the  fauces,  often  effectually  cures  a 
fetid  breath.  For  correcting  acidities  in 
the  stomach,  soda  is  on  many  occasions 
preferable  to  magnesia;  and,  where  that 
fails,  will  commonly  be  found  to  succeed. 
In  short,  the  use  of  soda  is  so  extolled,  by 
some  medi'cal  writers,  that  they  ascribe  to 
it  powers  of  preventing  gout,  gravel,  stone, 
and  what  are  denominated  similar  dis- 
orders. This  fossil  alkali,  combined  with 
cream  of  tartar,  in  the  proportion  of  four- 
teen ounces  of  the  former  to  twelve  of  the 
latter,  forms  one  of  our  mildest  laxatives, 
known  by  the  name  of  Rochelle  salt.  It 
enters,  also,  into  the  composition  of  the 
celebrated  Glauber’s  salt. 

German  Styptic  Powder. 

THE  following  styptic  powder  is  highly 
recommended  by  Professor  Stark,  of  Jena, 
as  uncommonly  efficacious;  particularly, 
in  suppressing  uterine  hemorrhages.  It  is 
thus  to  be  prepared  and  taken — Reduce  to 
a fine  powder  two  drams  each  of  Peruvian 
bark  and  loaf  sugar,  one  dram  of  cinnamon, 
and  half  a dram  of  lapis  haematites  or  blood 
stone;  and  take  of  it  a tea-spoonful  every 
hour,  or  oftener,  according  to  the  urgency 
of  the  case  and  it’s  effects,  in  chamomile 
or  balm  tea. 


Art  of  preparing  Indian  Ink. 

The  genuine  Indian  ink  is  a well  known 
black  pigment,  brought  in  small  oblong 
cakes  from  China;  which,  on  being  rubbed 
with  water,  by  means  of  a fine  camel  hair 
pencil,  dissolves  so  as  to  form  a fluid  re- 
resembling  ink,  but  of  a consistence  ex- 
tremely well  adapted  for  working  with 
such  pencils,  and  also  for  writing  or  draw- 
ing with  a reed  pen,  &c.  It  is  not  only 
used,  as  a delicate  black  colour,  in  minia- 
ture painting;  but,  in  fact,  as  the  universal 
black  for  all  drawings  in  chiaro  obscuro,  or 
where  the  effect  is  to  be  produced  from 
light  and  shade  only.  Neither  the  pre- 
paration of  Indian  ink,  nor  of  other  com- 
positions used  as  paints  by  the  Chinese, 
appear  to  have  hitherto  been  revealed, 
on  any  good  authority:  this,  however,  is 
clearly  manifest,  from  chemical  experi- 
ments, to  be  the  coal  of  fish  bones,  or  some 
other  animal  or  vegetable  substance,  mixed 
with  isinglass  size,  or  some  other  size ; and, 
most  probably,  with  honey  or  sugar  candy, 
to  prevent  it’s  cracking.  A substance, 
therefore,  much  of  the  same  nature,  and 
applicable  to  the  like  purposes,  may  be 
formed  in  the  following  manner — Dissolve 
six  ounces  of  isinglass,  over  the  fire,  in 
double  it’s  weight  of  water.  Then  dissolve 
also  in  double  it’s  weight  of  water,  one 
ounce  of  Spanish  liquorice  ; and  grind  it 
up  with  an  ounce  of  genuine  ivory  black. 
Add  this  mixture  to  the  size,  or  solution 
of  isinglass,  while  hot,  and  stir  the  whole 
together  till  all  the  ingredients  be  tho- 
roughly incorporated.  Evaporate  the  wa- 
ter in  balneoMarim,  ora  boiling  water  bath, 
and  cast  ttie  remaining  composition  into 
lead  moulds  previously  greased.  This 
composition  will  be  of  an  equal  good  co- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


517 


lour  with  that  of  the  genuine  Indian  ink; 
and  the  Spanish  liquorice  will  not  only 
render  it  easily  dissolvable,  on  the  rubbing 
with  water,  to  which  the  isinglass  alone 
proves  somewhat  reluctant,  but  also  pre- 
vent it’s  cracking  and  peeling  off  from  the 
ground  on  which  it  is  laid.  When  this 
ink  is  thus  properly  prepared,  and  cast  in 
oblong  square  moulds  impressed  with  Chi- 
nese characters,  so  as  to  have  the  exact 
semblance  of  the  genuine  Indian  ink,  it 
will  be  no  easy  matter  for  the  most  expert 
artist  to  discover  any  difference. 

Art  of  'preparing  Genuine  Ivory  Black. 

Both  the  coal  of  ivory  and  of  bone  are 
formed  into  what  is  called  ivory  black,  by 
giving  them  a great  heat,  all  access  of  air 
to  them  being  previously  excluded.  This 
black,  when  pure,  and  prepared  actually 
from  ivory,  is  of  a full  clear  black,  and 
would  be  the  most  useful  of  any,  in  all 
kinds  of  painting,  but  that  it  is  apt  to  dry 
somewhat  too  slowly  in  oil.  It  is,  how- 
ever, generally  prepared  only  bv  those 
who  manufacture  it  from  bones,  in  very 
large  quantities,  for  coarse  uses,  and  sell 
it  at  a low  price.  It  is,  therefore,  so  gross- 
ly levigated,  being  ground  only  in  hand 
or  horse  mills — as  well  as  adulterated  with 
charcoal,  which  renders  it  of  a blue  cast — 
that  it  is  entirely  exploded  from  all  more 
delicate  purposes,  and  even  lamp  black  so 
obtains  the  preference  as  to  be  universally 
used  in  it’s  place;  though  far  inferior  to  ge- 
nuine ivory  black,  both  in  purity  and  clear- 
ness of  colour.  Those  artists  who  are  de- 
sirous of  having  genuine  ivory  black,  may 
themselves  prepare  it  to  perfection,  by  the 
following  process — Soak  plates,  chips,  or 
shavings  of  ivory,  in  hot  linseed  oil;  or, 
if  ivory  lilings  are  more  easily  to  be  pro- 


cured, they  may  be  moistened  with  the 
hot  oil.  Put  them  into  a vessel  which  will 
bear  the  fire,  covering  them  with  a sort  of 
lid  composed  of  clay  and  sand;  which 
should  be  dried,  and  have  the  cracks  re- 
paired, before  the  vessel  is  put  into  the 
fire.  Procure  this  vessel  to  be  placed  in  a 
tobacco  pipe  maker’s  or  potter’s  furnace, 
or  any  other  similar  fire,  and  let  it  remain 
during  one  of  their  heats.  When  it  is 
taken  out,  the  ivory  will  be  properly 
burned  ; and  must  be  afterward  thoroughly 
well  levigated  on  the  stone  with  water:  or 
it  should,  indeed,  if  wanted  perfectly  good, 
be  also  washed  over.  Those  who  have  a 
calcining  furnace  may  very  commodiously 
burn  the  ivory  in  it,  and  the  fire  need  not  be 
continued  longer  than  while  thefumes  which 
arise  from  the  vessel  containing  the  ivory 
appear  to  flame.  This  operation  may  like- 
wise be  performed  by  sublimation  in  a coat- 
ed retort,  the  fire  being  continued  while  any 
gross  fumes  come  over.  The  goodness  of 
ivory  black  may  be  perceived  by  it’s  full 
black  colour,  not  inclining  too  much  to 
blue,  and  by  it’s  fineness  as  a powder. 

Lamp  Black. 

This  black,  as  it’s  name  implies,  is  the 
soot  of  oil,  collected  as  it  is  formed  from 
burning  lamps.  For  the  purpose,  there- 
fore, of  making  lamp  black,  a quantity  of 
oil  is  burned,  in  various  large  lamps,  in  a 
confined  place,  from  whence  no  part  of 
the  fume  can  escape ; and  where  the  soot 
formed  by  these  fumes,  being  deposited 
against  the  top  and  sides  of  the  room, 
maybe  swept  together  and  collected:  this, 
being  put  into  small  barrels,  is  sold  for 
use,  without  any  other  preparation.  The 
goodness  of  lamp  black  consists  in  the  ful- 
ness of  the  colour,  and  it’s  being  free  from 
6 P 


518 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


dust  or  other  impurities.  The  lightness  of 
the  substance  furnishes  the  means  of  dis- 
covering any  adulteration,  if  to  a great 
degree,  as  the  bodies  with  which  lamp 
black  is  apt  to  be  sophisticated,  such  as 
common  soot,  charcoal  dust,  &c.  are  all 
very  considerably  heavier. 

Important  New  Process  in  tlic  Art  of  Brew- 
ing, by  a continued  Boiling  Heat  during 
the  Mash. 

From  an  ingenious  work,  fust  published 
at  Oxford,  containing  many  Vcduable  re- 
marks and  experiments  on  different  parts 
of  the  process  of  brewing,  and  in  which  is 
particularly  recommended  to  public  at- 
tention a proposed  continual  application  of 
a,  boiling  heat  during  the  operation  of 
mashing,  we  derive  the  following  very  ac- 
ceptable information.  It  is  observed,  by 
the  very  intelligent  writer,  that  the  prin- 
cipal and  only  essentially  necessary  sub- 
stances employed  in  the  composition  of  ' 1 
beer,  or  malt  liquor  in  general,  are  water, 
malt,  and  hops;  that  it  is  the  ultimate  ob- 
ject of  the  brewer,  to  combine  with  the  wa- 
ter as  much  as  possible  of  the  saccharine 
and  other  soluble  matter  of  the  malt,  toge- 
ther with  the  bitter  and  aromatic  particles 
of  the  hops;  and  that  hot  water  effects  this 
purpose  more  speedily,  and  to  a greater 
extent,  than  cold.  The  common  process 
of  brewing  is  then  thus  simply  described, 
as  chiefly  referable  to  table  beer  brewed 
from  fresh  malt;  that  is,  from  such  malt 
as  has  not  been  previously  used  for  brew- 
ing aleor  strong  beer:  by.  which  judicious 
adoption,  the  entire  process  of  brewing, 
as  well  for  the  stronger  as  the  weaker 
mal-t  liquors,  is  necessarily  in  a great  de- 
gree included.  The  work  is  obviously 
’written  for  philanthropic  purposes.;  and. 


therefore,  though  so  recently  published,  we 
s1k.11  extract  freely  what  appears  admirably 
calculated  for  universal  benefit — “ The 
quantity  to  be  brewed,”  says  the  scientific 
and  liberal  author,  “ may  be  taken  as  a 
barrel,  or  thirty-six  gallons,  from  two  bush- 
els and  a half  of  malt:  and  the  dimensions 
of  the  vessels,  &c.  may  be  supposed  to  cor- 
respond with  those  used  in  a moderate  fa- 
mily; the  copper,  for  instance,  holding 
thirty  gallons.  A quantity  of  boiling  water 
being  poured  into  a vessel  called  a mash 
tun,  is  suffered  to  remain  there  till  it  has 
cooled  to  a temperature  rarely  if  ever  ex- 
ceeding one  hundred  and  eighty  of  Fahren- 
heit The  malt,  previously  broken  in 
a mill,  so  that  each  grain  shall  have  been 
divided  into  two  or  three  parts,  is  then 
thrown  into  the  water;  and,  by  means  of 
an  instrument  called  an  oar,  is  stirred  about 
in  and  thoroughly  mixed  with  it.  This 
mechanical  agitation  of  the  malt  and  water, 
technically  called  mashing,  is  kept  up  for 
about  a quarter  of  an  hour  ; by  which  the 
malt  is  more  effectually  brought  into  con- 
tact with  the  water,  and  a greater  portion 
of  it’s  soluble  matter  extracted.  After 
this,  the  mash  tun  is  covered  over,  in  order 
to  retain  as  much  heat  as  possible;  and  the 
whole  is  suffered  to  remain  undisturbed 
for  an  hour  and  half,  or  two  hours.  At  the 
end  of  that  time,  the  water  thus  impreg- 
nated with  the  extracted  particles  of  the 
malt,  in  which  state  it  is  sometimes  called 
swreet  wort,  sometimes  simply  wort,  is  drawn 
off  into  another  vessel.  The  quantity  of 
water  used  in  this  first  mashing  is  about 
twenty-five  gallons ; of  which,  not  above 
fifteen  are  obtained,  the  rest  being  absorb- 
ed, by  the  malt,  with  the  exception  of  a 
small  quantity  carried  off  by  evaporation. 
This  first  wort  being  drawn  off  from  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


519 


malt,  a fresh  portion  of  hot  water  is  thrown  | 
into  the  mash  tun,  at  a temperature  vary- 
ing, according  to  the  judgement  of  the  , 
brewer,  from  one  hundred  and  eighty  to 
two  hundred  and  twelve  of  Fahrenheit: 
The  process  of  mashing  is  repeated  during 
the  space  of  ten  minutes;  and,  the  tun 
being  again  covered,  the  whole  is  suffered 
to  remain  for  about  an  hour,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  a second  wort  is  drawn  off. 
The  quantity  of  water  used  in  this  second 
mashing  is  about  fifteen  gallons;  and,  the 
malt  having  already  retained  as  much  wa- 
ter as  is  sufficient  to  saturate  it,  the  whole 
amount  of  the  fifteen  gallons  is  afterward  re- 
covered from  the  mash  tub.  Afresh  quan- 
tity of  hot  water,  about  twelve  gallons,  is 
now  added  to  the  malt;  and  the  mixture, 
being  mashed  for  a few  minutes,  is  suffered 
to  remain  in  the  tun  for  half  an  hour,  or  an 
hour,  or  more,  in  order  to  form  a third  wort. 
In  the  mean  time,  a part  of  the  two  first  worts 
is  poured  into  the  copper,  with  a pound 
and  a half  or  two  pounds  of  hops,  and 
boiled  for  an  hour  or  an  hour  and  half; 
after  which,  it  is  strained  through  a sieve 
into  another  vessel.  The  third  wort  is 
now  drawn  off  from  the  mash  tun  ; and, 
being  mixed  with  the  remaining  part  of 
the  first  and  second,  is  boiled  for  an  hour 
or  more  with  the  hops  used  in  the  former 
instance.  The  three  worts  are  then  dis- 
tributed into  shallow  vessels,  called  coolers, 
and  suffered  to  remain  there  till  they  have 
nearly  sunk  to  the  temperature  at  which 
it  may  be  thought  right  to  promote  fer- 
mentation: when  they  are  collected  into 
one  vessel,  called  a fermenting  vat;  aud, 
by  the  addition  of  about  a quart  of  yeast, 
that  effect  is  soon  produced  which  con- 
verts the  wort  into  beer.”  This  excellent 
short  description  of  the  common  method 


of  brewing  table  beer,  is  followed  by  some 
ingenious  remarks  with  regard  to  other 
particulars.  The  author  considers  it  of 
very  little  consequence,  on  the  whole,  whe- 
ther rain,  river,  or  spring  water,  be  em- 
ployed : nor  does  it  seem  of  more  conse- 
quence whether,  in  the  process  of  mashing, 
the  hot  water  is  taken  before  or  after  boil- 
ing, provided  it  be  of  a fit  temperature  for 
the  addition  of  the  malt,  without  what  is 
technically  termed  setting  the  goods.  The 
meaning  of  this  last  phrase  may  be  thus 
explained — Water,  at  or  near  the  boiling 
point,  very  readily  converts  malt  into  a 
paste,  which  is  nearly  impervious  to  liquids 
in  general  ; and,  as  it  is  the  object  of  mash- 
ing to  give  the  water  an  opportunity  of 
dissolving  the  saccharine  particles  of  the 
malt,  the  effect  must  necessarilv  be  in  a 
great  measure  prevented,  if  a paste  cover- 
ing the  surface  of  each  particle,  keeps  the 
water  from  it’s  body;  the  common  lan- 
guage; therefore,  used  on  this  occasion,  is 
very  expressive,  that  “ the  too  great  heat 
of  the  water  closes  the  pores  of  the  malt.” 
The  author  thus  introduces  the  reasoning 
which  led  to  his  proposed  improvement 
of  the  common  process  just  described — 
Since  it  is  evident  that,  in  mashing,  hot 
water  is  used  in  preference  to  cold;  and, 
that  the  reason  for  limiting  the  degree  of 
heat,  is  to  prevent  the  malt  being  converted 
into  a paste,  so  as  to  exclude  the  action  of 
the  water;  it  appears  fair  to  suppose  that, 
if  an  increased  heat  could  be  applied  with- 
out producing  this  last  effect,  the  soluble 
part  w ould  be  more  abundantly,  or  at  least 
more  expeditiously  extracted.  These  con- 
siderations gave  rise  to  the  experiment  of 
gradually  heating  the  malt  and  water  to- 
gether, to  the  boiling  point;  and  the  ex- 
periment is  proved  to  have  fully  succeeded, 


b> 0 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


in  many  repeated  instances,  the  particulars 
of  which  are  minutely  detailed.  From  an 
observation  that,  in  the  common  mode  of 
grinding  malt,  many  grains  escape  unbro- 
ken, in  which  it  was  manifest  the  water 
scarcely  acted,  the  malt  was  finely  ground, 
with  considerable  advantage,  for  some  of 
these  experiments.  “ On  the  whole,”  says 
this  intelligent  writer,  “ it  appears,  that 
the  continued  application  of  a boiling  heat 
to  the  malt,  certainly  occasions  no  loss 
with  respect  to  the  quantity  of  saccharine 
matter  extracted;  and,  that  the  use  of 
finely  ground  malt,  instead  of  that  which 
has  been  ground  in  the  usual  manner, 
gives  a considerable  additional  profit.” 
By  the  process  recommended,  sixteen  bar- 
rels of  wort,  it  is  demonstrated,  families 
may  procure  in  nine  hours  and  a quarter; 
which  is  little  more  than  half  the  time  sup- 
posed to  be  employed  in  a public  brewery 
for  obtaining  the  same  quantity,  while  the 
expence  and  room  of  a mash  tun  are  both 
saved.  The  plan,  indeed,  seems  better  cal- 
culated for  domestic  than  for  public  brew- 
ing. The  strongest  objection,  however, 
appears  to  arise  from  the  difficulty  of  keep- 
ing a very  large  mass  of  malt  and  hops  in 
agitation,  as  is  found  necessary  to  prevent 
their  burning  to  the  bottom  of  the  copper 
during  the  process  of  heating  and  boiling 
the  water ; and  even  this,  the  author 
suggests,  might  probably  be  surmounted, 
by  adapting  to  the  copper  the  apparatus 
which,  in  large  breweries,  is  adapted  to 
the  mash  tun.  The  following  compara- 
tive view  of  the  respective  operations  in 
brewing,  according  to  the  common  pro- 
cess, and  that  now  proposed,  will  com 
pleatly  evince  it’s  utility  in  simplifying, 
at  least,  the  labour.  The  separate  opera 
tions  in  brewing,  after  the  common  me- 


thod, are — 1.  Transferring  the  malt  from 
the  sack  to  the  mash  tun  ; 2.  Filling  and 
boiling  the  copper ; '5.  Transferring  the 
hot  water  from  the  copper  to  the  mash 
tun;  4.  Mashing,  and  then  transferring 
the  first  wort  from  the  mash  tun;  5.  Again 
filling  and  boiling  the  copper;  6.  Again 
transferring  the- hot  water  to  the  mash  tun  ; 
7.  Mashing,  and  then  transferring’the  se- 
cond wort  from  the  mash  tun;  8.  Trans- 
ferring water  to  the  mash  tun  fur  the  third 
mashing;  9-  Mashing,  and  then  transfer- 
ring the  third  wort  from  the  mash  tun  ; 10 
Transferring  to  the  copper,  and  boiling 
together  with  the  hops,  a part  of  the  first 
and  second  worts;  11.  Transferring  the 
wort  thus  boiled  to  the  cooler;  12.  Trans- 
ferring, &c.  and  boiling  the  third  wort 
and  remaining  part  of  the  first  and  second; 
13.  Transferring  the  wort  thus  boiled  to 
the  cooler.  In  the  process  now  newly  re- 
commended, the  operations  are — 1.  Trans- 
ferring the  malt  and  hops  to  the  copper; 
2.  Filling  and  boiling  the  copper;  3.  Draw- 
ing off  the  first  wort  into  the  cooler;  4. 
Again  filling  and  boiling  the  copper;  5. 
Drawing  off  the  second  wort  into  the  cool- 
er; 6.  Adding  a small  proportion  of  cold 
water,  and  mashing  for  five  minutes  ; 7. 
Drawing  off  the  third  wort  into  the  cooler. 
So  that  the  proportion  of  time  and  labour 
saved,  by  adopting  the  latter  process,  is 
very  nearly  one  half.  The  additional  pro- 
fit arising  from  the  use  of  finely  ground 
malt  is  common  to  both  methods.  On  the 
whole,  it  appears  that,  by  adopting  the 
recommended  new  process,  a greater  por- 
tion of  equally  good  wort,  or  an  equal  por- 
tion of  better,  may  be  obtained,  with  less 
trouble,  and  in  a shorter  time,  from  the 
same  quantity  of  malt  and  hops.  Ihese, 
certainly,  are  very  important  advantages; 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


521 


which,  probably,  may  in  time  lead  to  it’s 
general  adoption. 

Common  Cement  for  joining  Alabaster,  Mar-  ! 
hie,  Porphyry,  or  other  Sto?ics.  {j 

Melt  two  pounds  of  bees  wax,  with  ^ 
one  pound  of  resin : in  which,  strew  a 
pound  and  a half  of  the  same  sort  of  sub- 
stance, powdered,  as  the  article  to  be  ce- 
mented ; stirring  them  well  together,  and 
afterward  kneading  the  mass  in  water  so  as 
thoroughly  to  incorporate  the  powder  with 
the  wax  and  resin.  The  portion  of  pow- 
dered matter  may  be  varied,  at  discretion, 
so  as  to  bring  the  colour  of  the  cement 
nearer  to  that  of  the  alabaster,  marble,  &c. 
Thiscementmust  be  heated  when  applied,  as  ; 
must  also  the  parts  of  the  article  to  be  ee-  j 
mented  together;  care  must,  of  course,  be  ! 
taken,  that  they  be  thoroughly  dry.  When  j 
this  composition  is  properly  managed,  it 
forms  an  extremely  strong  cement ; which,  : 
after  becoming  compleatly  dry,  and  set,  j 
will  even  suspend  a projecting  body  of  j 
considerable  weight,  and  is  therefore  of  i 
great  use  to  sculptors  or  carvers  in  stone, 
and  all  others  who  have  occasion  to  join 
together  the  parts  of  bodies  of  this  nature. 

Apricots  a la  Portugaise. 

Split  apricots  nearly  ripe  in  two,  and 
take  out  the  stones;  then,  putting  some 
powdered  loaf  sugar  into  the  bottom  of  a 
dish,  with  very  little  water,  arrange  on  it 
the  apricots,  and  set  them  over  a moderate 
fire.  When  they  are  done,  and  the  liquid 
is  nearly  consumed,  take  them  off  the  lire, 
.sprinkle  them  with  powdered  loaf  sugar, 
and  put  over  them  a cover  on  which  fire 
may  be  placed,  so  as  to  glaze  them  of  a 
fine  colour.  This  done,  place  them  on 
a dessert  dish,  and  serve  them  up  hot. 


Peaches  a la  Portugaise. 

PUT  seven  or  eight  peaches  on  a dish, 
with  powdered  loaf  sugar  under  and  over, 

! cover  them  with  the  cover  of  a baking 
dish,  and  do  them  with  lire  underand  over. 
When  done,  and  well  glazed,  send  them 
hot  to  table. 

Portuguese  Pippins. 

PARE  some  fine  golden  pippins;  and, 
taking  out  the  cores,  with  a small  knife  or 
scoop,  so  as  not  to  break  the  apples,  ar- 
range them  in  a baking  dish;  put  a little 
sugar  into  each  pippin,  either  in  a small 
lump  or  powdered,  and  some  powdered 
sugar  at  the  bottom  of  the  dish.  Set  the 
dish  in  an  oven;  and,  when  the  pippins 
are  done,  silt  over  them  a little  pow'dered 
loaf  sugar,  and  serve  them  up  hot. 

French  Garlic  Vinegar. 

STEEP  an  ounce  of  garlic  in  two  quarts 
of  vinegar,  with  a nutmeg  cut  into  bits, 
and  a dozen  cloves. 

French  Vinegars  of  Orange  Flowers,  Elder 

Flowers,  Clove  Gilliflowci's,  Musk  Poses, 

Tarragon,  0$c. 

Dry  an  ounce  of  either  of  the  above  flow- 
ers— except  the  orange  flowers,  which  must 
not  be  at  all  dried — for  two  days,  in  the 
sun;  then,  putting  them  intoabottle,  pour 
on  them  a pint  of  vinegar,  closely  stop  the 
bottle,  and  let  them  infuse  fifteen  days  in 
the  heat  of  the  sun.  Vinegars  of  other 
flowers,  tarragon,  &c.  may  be  made  in  a 
similar  manner. 

Iced  Cream  Cheese. 

Boil  a pint  of  thick  cream  and  a gill  of 
milk,  with  the  yolk  of  an  egg  and  three 
6 Q 


52  2 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


quarters  of  a pound  of  loaf  sugar.  "When 
the  whole  has  boiled  up  three  or  four  times, 
take  it  off  the  fire;  and,  adding  some  es- 
sence, such  as  of  orange-flowers,  bergamot, 
orange,  or  lemon,  put  it  in  a tin  mould 
to  ice.  Place  the  mould  in  a pail  propor- 
tionately small,  having  previously  put  the 
ice  well  pounded  at  the  bottom,  with  a 
handful  of  saltpetre  or  common  salt,  and 
immediately  arrange  more  ice  and  salt- 
petre or  salt  round  the  mould.  When  the 
cheese  is  iced,  and  wanted  to  be  served  up, 
dip  the  bottom  of  the  mould  in  boiling 
water,  to  detach  the  cheese;  and,  dressing 
it  in  the  bowl,  send  it  to  table. 

Marmalade  of  Barberries. 

Make  a rich  clarified  syrup,  with  a 
pound  and  a half  of  loaf  9ugar ; and  put 
into  it  a pound  of  barberries  pulped 
through  a sieve,  after  being  stoned  and 
boiled  in  a stewpan  with  a gill  of  water 
till  reduced  to  a marmalade,  and  again 
boiled  till  they  are  near  sticking  to  the 
stewpan.  Stir  the  mixed  syrup  and  re- 
duced barberry  pulp  well  together,  over 
the  fire,  till  it  is  near  boiling;  then  take  it 
off  the  fire,  put  it  into  pots,  and  close  it 
up  when  cold  in  the  same  manner  as  other 
marmalades. 

Spanish  Cardoons , as  dressed  in  France. 

Cut  the  cardoons  in  lengths  of  about 
three  inches  each,  taking  care  not  to  use 
those  which  are  hollow  and  green  ; and, 
after  boiling  them  in  water  for  half  an 
hour,  shift  them  into  cold  water,  pick 
them,  and  stew  them  with  some  good  sa- 
voury broth  or  stock,  a little  vinegar, 
a table-spoonful  of  flour,  and  a little  but- 
ter. When  they  are  done,  take  them  out, 
and  boil  them  half  an  hour  in  some  good 


cullis,  with  a little  broth,  so  as  for  the 
sauce  neither  to  be  too  thick  nor  too  thin, 
and  the  whole  of  a fine  w'hiteness. 

French  Method  of  Dressing  Skirrets. 

Some  cooks  scrape  the  skirrets,  by  which 
they  are  greatly  diminished,  though  ren- 
dered more  delicate  ; most,  however,  arc 
contented  wfith  washing  them,  and  break- 
ing off  the  hard  part.  Boil  them,  in  salt 
and  water,  fora  quarter  of  an  hour,  which 
is  quite  a sufficient  time  for  dressing  them 
tender;  and,  afterward,  dip  them  in  a bat- 
ter made  wfith  flour,  white  wine,  a table- 
spoonful of  oil,  and  some  salt.  Then  fry 
the  skirrets,  and  serve  them  up  in  the  last 
course. 

French  Orange  Fritters. 

PEEL  five  or  six  Portugal  or  China 
oranges,  and  cut  them  into  quarters;  take 
out  the  pips,  and  boil  the  oranges  with  a 
little  sugar.  Make  a batter  with  some 
white  w'ine,  flour,  a table-spoonful  of  sweet 
oil,  and  a little  salt.  Mix  it  neither  too 
thick  nor  too  thin;  it  should  rope,  when 
of  a proper  consistence,  m pouring  it  from 
the  spoon.  Dip  the  quarters  of  orange 
into  this  batter,  and  fry  them  in  fine  lard 
or  clarified  butter  till  they  are  of  a good 
colour.  Sift  over  them  fine  loaf  sugar, 
glaze  them  with  a salamander,  and  send 
them  as  hot  as  possible  to  table. 

Venetian  Fritters. 

Boil  some  rice  with  milk;  when  it  is 
done,  and  thick,  stir  into  it  a table-spoon- 
ful or  two  of  flour,  some  fine  sugar,  the 
whites  and  yolks  of  two  or  three  eggs,  some 
dried  orange  flowers,  a little  finely  shred 
fresh  lemon  peel,  some  pippins  cut  into^ 
small  dice,  and  a few  currants.  Form  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


5 23 


whole  into  little  heaps,  arrange  them  on 
paper,  fry  them,  and  strew  over  them 
some  powdered  loaf  sugar. 

Fine  Red  Dye  for  Silk. 

For  every  pound  of  silk,  put  four  hand- 
fuls of  wheat  bran  into  a kettle,  with  two 
pails  of  water;  and,  boiling  them  toge- 
ther, pour  the  liquor  into  a tub,  let  it 
stand  all  night,  and  strain  it  quite  clear 
next  morning.  Then  put  into  it  half  a 
pound  of  alum,  a quarter  of  a pound  of 
tartar  of  red  wine  reduced  to  an  impalp- 
able powder,  and  half  an  ounce  of  finely 
powdered  turmeric.  Boil  and  well  stir 
them  together  for  a quarter  of  an  hour; 
then,  taking  off  the  kettle,  immediately 
put  in  the  silk,  and  cover  the  kettle  very 
close  to  prevent  any  of  the  steam  from  eva- 
porating. When  it  has  stood  thus  for 
three  hours,  take  out  the  silk,  rince  it  in 
cold  water,  beat  it  well  on  a block,  and  let 
it  dry.  Then  put  a quarter  of  a pound  of 
powdered  galls  into  a pail  of  rain  or  river 
water;  boil  them  for  at  least  an  hour;  and, 
taking  the  kettle  from  the  fire,  when  the 
liquor  is  grown  sufficiently  cool  to  admit 
the  hand  without  being  scalded,  put  in 
the  silk,  and  let  it  remain  steeped  in  it  for  an 
hour.  In  the  mean  time,  after  taking  out 
and  drying  the  silk,  for  every  pound  boil 
a pound  of  Brasil  wood,  and  strain  it;  then 
boil  the  wood  again,  adding  cold  water 
to  it.  Wave  or  turn  the  silk  about  in 
this  liquid;  and,  when  it  has  sufficiently 
imbibed  the  tincture,  take  it  out  without 
wringing.  Lastly,  add  a little  potash : or, 
put  the  potash  into  cold  water;  and,  turn- 
ing the  silk  up  and  down  in  it,  when  it  is 
red  enough,  rince  and  dry  it.  After  a very 
little  practice,  it  will  be  easy  to  manage 
any  required  depth  or  lightness  of  colour. 


Beautiful  Crimson  Dye  for  Woollen  Cloths 
or  Stuffs , Sge. 

As  a preparation  to  dye  sixteen  pounds 
weight  of  any  woollen  articles,  boil  some- 
what more  than  twelve  gallons  of  water; 
and,  putting  into  it  sixteen  handfuls  of 
wheat  bran,  stir  it  well,  let  it  stand  all 
night  to  settle,  and  in  the  morning  strain 
off  the  clear  liquor.  Mix  half  this  liquor 
with  as  much  clean  water  as  will  admit  the 
i cloths  or  stuffs  to  be  commodiously  worked 
in  it;  and,  having  boiled  the  mixed  liquor, 
add  to  it  a pound  of  alum  and  half  a pound 
of  tartar.  Alter  boiling  these  well  toge- 
ther, put  in  the  goods,  and  boil  them  for 
two  hours;  keeping  them  continually  stir- 
red, especially  if  they  are  made  of  wool  or 
worsted,  from  top  to  bottom,  in  order  tho- 
roughly to  finish  them.  Boil  the  remain- 
der of  the  bran  and  water  with  an  equal 
quantity,  or  rather  more,  of  fair  water; 
and,  when  it  boils  rapidly,  put  in  four 
ounces  of  cochineal,  and  two  ounces  of 
pure  white  tartar  in  powder:  stirring  the 
whole  about,  and  taking  great  care  that 
it  neither  runs  over  nor  boils  too  fast. 
When  it  is  very  well  boiled,  put  in  the 
cloth,  stuffs,  &c.  and  stir  them  about  till 
they  appear  to  have  every  where  well  ta- 
ken the  dye ; then  cool  them,  and  rince 
them  out. 

Crimson  Dye  for  Silk. 

After  prepaiing  the  silk  as  before  di- 
rected, allow  an  ounce  and  a half  of  cochi- 
neal for  every  pound  of  silk;  which,  being 
powdered  and  passed  through  a hair  sieve, 
must  be  put  into  the  remaining  pail  of  li- 
quor last  mentioned,  and  again  hung  over 
the  fire.  Then  put  it,  with  the  liquor,  into 
a very  closely  covered  brass' kettle,  so  that 


524 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


no  dust  may  enter;  and,  again  hanging  it  | 
over  the  fire,  add  an  ounce  and  a half  of  j 
white  arsenic,  and  two  ounces  and  a half  of  j 
tartar,  both  reduced  to  a fine  powder. 
Boil  them  together  for  a quarter  Of  an 
hour:  then  take  the  liquid  off  the  fire,  and  , 
put  in  the  silk  ; stirring  it  about  very  much,  ! 
that  the  colour  may  not  appear  streaky  or 
variegated  when  the  liquor  is  cold.  After 
wringing  out  the  silk,  if  it  should  appear 
not  enough  tinged,  hang  the  dye  once 
more  over  the  fire;  and,  having  beaten  the 
silk,  put  it  in  again  as  before.  When 
the  silk  is  dyed,  it  must  be  in  the  first 
place  rineedout  in  hot  suds,  made  by  dis-  l 
solving  half  a pound  of  Venice  soap  for 
every  pound  of  silk;  next,  put  into  cold 
river  water;  and,  afterward,  beat  on  a 1 
block,  hung  to  dry,  and  spread  abroad,  ac-  ! 
cording  to  the  usual  custom,  when  it  will  be 
found  a most  beautiful  crimson.  Silks  died  j 
crimson  from  a violet  ground,  require  only 
two  thirds  of  this  quantity  of  ingredients;  | 
that  is,  for  a pound  of  silk  of  a violet  ground, 
an  ounce  each  of  cochineal  and  arsenic,  j 
with  two  ounces  of  tartar,  will  be  quite  j 
sufficient. 

i 

i 

Blue  Dye  for  Silk. 

II  AVING  procured  a tub  which  may  be  jj 
closely  covered,  put  into  it  a ley  made  of 
three  pailfuls  of  river  or  rain  water  and 
clean  beech  wood  ashes;  adding  two  hand- 
fuls of  wheat  bran,  two  ounces  each  of 
madder  and  white  wine  tartar,  and  half  a 
pound  of  pounded  indigo.  Stir  it  well 
with  a stick,  every  twelve  hours,  for  four- 
teen days,  till  it  tinges  a sort  of  green ; and, 
when  the  dye  grows  bright,  it  must  be  stir- 
red only  every,  morning.  Put  the  silk  into  > 
a warm  fresh  ley,  wring  it  out,  and  then 
stir  it  about  in  the  dye  for  some  tune.  Af- 


terward, let  it  hang  in  the  dye,  according 
to  the  usual  custom  in  dyeing.  Besides 
tire  blue  copper  or  kettle,  there  ought  al- 
ways to  be  another  full  of  ley,  for  rincing 
the  silk  when  it  is  wrung  out  of  the  dye; 
and,  after  it  is  also  very  cleanly  wrung  out 
of  the  ley,  it  should  be  rinced  in  river  wa- 
ter, beat,  and  dried.  If  the  silk  be  moist- 
ened in  this  latter  ley  of  suds  before  it  be 
dried,  there  is  no  need  of  the  first  men- 
tioned ley.  With  this  dye,  several  sorts 
of  blue  may  be  easily  made,  either  brighter 
or  darker,  according  to  the  time  the  silks 
are  left  in  ; and,  when  the  copper  gets 
low,  it  may  be  filled  up  out  of  the  rincing 
vat.  When  the  blue  copper  or  vat  grows 
too  weak,  put  in  a quarter  of  a pound  of 
pounded  indigo,  half  a pound  of  potash, 
half  an  ounce  of  madder,  a handful  of  wheat 
bran,  and  a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  pounded 
tartar;  and,  having  let  it  stand  eight  days 
without  using,  stirring  it  well  every  twelve 
hours,  it  may  be  used  as  at  first. 

Yellow  Dye  for  Silk,  §c. 

First  boil  the  cloth,  or  stuff,  in  alum 
and  potash,  and  rince  it  well  out:  then, 
setting  on  the  fire  a sufficient  quantity  of 
water  in  a clean  kettle,  put  in,  for  every 
pound  of  silk,  two  pounds  of  yellow  wood; 
and,  after  it  has  boiled  an  hour,  put  in 
three  ounces  of  pounded  galls  for  every 
pound  of  yellow  wood.  Boil  them  toge- 
ther for  half  an  hour,  and  then  put  in  the 
silk,  Sec.  stirring  the  dye.  Wring  it  out 
of  the  kettle  with  a little  potash  ley;  and, 
after  it  has  been^o  wrung  out,  put  it  again 
in  the  dye,  and  leave  it  there  to  cool  for 
a whole  night : next  morning,  beat,  rince, 
and  dry  it.  Yellow  wood,  which  comes 
from  the  East  Indies,  is  preferable  to  any 
oilier  yellow  dye. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Silk  Straw  Colour  Dye. 

ALUM  and  rince  the  silk;  and,  for  every 
pound  of  it,  boil  the  same  weight  of  broom 
flowers,  a quarter  of  an  hour.  Then  put 
it  into  a tub;  add  an  equal  quantity  of 
water;  and,  after  stirring  the  silk  in  it, 
fill  the  kettle  again  with  water,  and  boil 
it  half  an  hour.  The  silk  being  wrung 
out  of  the  first  suds,  put  the  flowers  into 
the  second;  and,  should  there  be  occasion, 
make  some  still  stronger,  and  stir  the  silk 
in  till  the  colour  be  sufficiently  heighten- 
ed: then  rince  it,  and  hang  it  up  to  dry. 

Green  Dye  for  Silk. 

For  every  pound  of  silk,  dissolve  a quar- 
ter of  a pound  of  alum,  and  two  ounces  of 
white  wine  tartar,  both  beaten  small,  in 
hot  water.  Soak  the  silk  in  it  all  night; 
and,  next  morning,  take  out  the  silk,  and 
dry  it.  This  done,  boil  a pound  of  broom 
in  a pail  and  a half  of  water,  for  an  hour 
or  longer;  then,  taking  out  the  broom, 
throw  it  away,  and  put  in  half  an  ounce 
of  pounded  verdigrease,  stirring  it  about 
well  with  a stick.  Put  the  silk  in  for  a 
quarter  of  an  hour;  after  which,  take  it 
out,  and  let  it  remain  till  cold.  Then  put 
in  an  ounce  of  potash,  stir  it  about,  and 
put  the  silk  in  again.  Keep  it  in  the  dye  till 
it  seems  sufficiently  yellow;  then  rince  it 
out,  and  let  it  dry  : after  which,  put  it  into 
the  blue  dye  vat,  or  copper,  and  let  it  re- 
main there  till  it  becomes  of  a sufficiently 
dark  green,  when  it  must  be  beaten  and 
dried.  By  letting  it  continue  a longer 
or  shorter  time,  a darker  or  lighter  green 
will  be  obtained;  as,  at  first,  only  a very 
faint  green  is  produced.  Little  progress 
can  be  made  in  dyeing,  without  a minute 
attention  to  such  particulars. 


Grass  Green  Dye  for  Silk. 

After  dyeing  the  silk  a tolerably  deep 
straw  colour,  rince  it  clean,  and  wring  it 
close  together  with  sticks;  them  put  the 
silk  into  the  blue  dye  kettle,  taking  par- 
ticular care  that  the  strength  of  the  dye 
be  proportioned  to  the  quantity  of  silk, 
and  to  avoid  putting  too  much  silk  in  at 
once.  When  it  has  boiled  enough,  take 
the  kettle  off,  and  let  it  stand  for  an  hour; 
after  which  time,  it  may  be  worked  again. 
This  may  be  done  every  hour,  allowing 
the  same  interval,  but  with  great  care  that 
one  handful  of  the  silk  does  not  lay  longer 
in  than  another.  When  the  silk  is  taken 
out  of  the  copper,  let  it  be  very  well  cooled, 
rinced,  strongly  wrung  with  sticks,  and 
carefully  dried. 

Sea  Green  Dye  for  Silk. 

For  every  pound  of  silk,  put  three  ounces 
of  verdigrease,  pounded  small,  into  some 
good  white  wine  or  other  sharp  vinegar ; 
and,  next  morning,  set  it  over  the  fire, 
and  make  it.  hot,  stirring  it  well  about  with 
a stick.  When  it  is  thoroughly  mixed  and 
dissolved,  put  in  the  silk,  but  take  great 
care  not  to  let  the  liquid  boil ; and,  after 
it  has  remained  half  an  hour,  an  hour,  or 
two  hours,  according  as  it  is  wished  to  be 
a light,  middling,  or  deep  sea  green,  put 
some  boiling  hot  water  into  a vat  or  tub, 
with  half  an  ounce  or  an  ounce  of  soap, 
and  make  a lather.  On  it’s  being  a good 
froth,  hand  the  silks  in  it : afterward,  let 
them  drop  or  drain;  then  rince  them  in 
river  water,  beat  them  well,  and  dry  them. 

Light  Purple  Dye  for  Silk. 

PUT  the  silk  into  a slight  red  dye ; but 
increase  the  quantity  of  potash,  to  turn 
6 R 


526 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


it  to  purple;  then  rince  the  silk,  and  dry  | 
it  in  the  customary  manner. 

Black  Dye  for  Silk. 

Pour  into  a copper  three  pails  of  wa- 
ter; and  put  in  two  pounds  each  of  beaten 
galls  and  sumach,  four  ounces  of  antimony 
reduced  to  an  impalpable  powder,  two 
ounces  each  of  madder  and  ox  galls,  and 
one  ounce  of  gum  tragacanth.  Let  them 
dissolve  a sufficient  time,  and  then  put  in  a 
quantity  of  dry  elder  bark  powdered,  two 
pounds  of  vitriol,  and  twelve  ounces  of 
filings  of  iron.  Next  pour  off  the  water, 
and  let  them  boil  together  two  hours; 
after  which,  fill  it  up  with  half  a pailful 
of  barley,  or  rather  the  malt  water  drawn 
off  by  brewers.  Boil  it  again  for  half  an 
hour,  put  in  the  silk,  and  let  it  boil  gently 
another  half  hour;  then  take  it  out,  rince 
it  in  a copper  full  of  water,  and  throw  it 
again  into  the  dye.  Afterward,  on  taking 
it  out,  rince  it  very  clean  in  river  water, 
hang  it  up  in  the  air  to  dry,  put  it  again 
into  the  dye,  and  boil  it  gently  for  half  an 
hour.  Kince  it  in  the  copper,  as  before; 
afterward,  in  river  water ; and,  when  it  is 
dry,  taking  good  ley,  add  to  it  two  ounces 
of  potash,  rince  the  silk  well  in  it,  then 
in  river  water,  and  lastly  dry  it.  Silk  may 
thus  be  dyed  of  a very  good  black  ; which, 
however,  may  be  improved  in  the  follow- 
ing manner — Having  dyed  and  dried  the 
silk  as  already  directed,  put  one  ounce  each 
of  sal  ammoniac  and  powdered  antimony, 
and  two  handfuls  of  iron  filings,  in  a cop- 
per that  has  been  drawn  off  and  used  be- 
fore ; make  it  so  hot  as  scarcely  to  be  borne 
by  the  hand,  that  this  additional  dye  may 
the  better  penetrate;  and,  taking  the  newly 
dyed  but  quite  dry  black  silk,  put  it  into 
the  copper  for  an  hour,  so  that  it  may  j 


get  thoroughly  moistened : then  draw  it 
through  a weak  solution  of  gum  tragacanth, 
taking  care  that  it  be  thus  compleatlv 
wetted,  and  afterward  dry  it  as  usual.  If 
an  ounce  of  isinglass,  for  every  pound  of 
silk,  be  steeped  in  water,  and  the  dry  dyed 
silk  be  passed  through  the  liquor,  it  will 
impart  a most  beautiful  lustre  to  the  silk. 

Green  Dye  for  Linen. 

La.y  the  linen  all  night  in  strong  alum 
water;  then  dry  it  well,  and  boil  broom 
or  dyers  weed  for  an  hour.  Take  out  the 
broom,  and  put  in  half  an  ounce  or  an 
ounce  of  pounded  verdigrease,  according 
to  the  quantity  of  linen  wanted  to  be  dyed. 
Stir  it  about  with  a stick,  and  then  work 
the  linen  in  it,  once,  twice,  or  thrice,  ac- 
cording as  may  be  required;  adding,  the 
second  and  third  times,  a quantity  of  potash 
the  size  of  a hen’s  egg.  Then  work  the 
linen  a third  time,  and  it  will  be  found  of 
a yellow  colour.  Dry  it  in  the  air,  and 
afterward  throw  it  into  the  blue  vat,  which 
will  produce  the  desired  green. 

Blue  Dye  for  Linen  and  Woollen. 

For  the  purpose  of  dyeing  linen  or  wool- 
len blue,  in  proportion  to  every  half  pound 
of  indigo  intended  to  be  used,  take  eight 
pails  of  water;  and  put  in  six  handfuls  of 
coarse  wheaten  bran,  eight  or  nine  ounces 
of  madder,  and  a pound  and  a half  of  pot- 
ash. Simmer  these  ingredients  together; 
and,  when  the  liquor  boils,  so  as  to  swell 
and  bubble  up,  throw  in  two  or  three 
quarts  of  cold  water,  and  rake  out  the  cop- 
per fire.  Pour  the  liquor,  with  all  the  in- 
gredients, into  a dyer’s  vat,  coated  on  the 
inside  with  lime,  as  the  tanners  use  it,  or 
any  fit  substitute  for  such  vat,  and  cover 
it  very  closely  up.  Having,  on  the  pre- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


527 


ceding  day  put  the  half  pound  of  indigo 
to  dissolve,  with  a quart  or  three  pints  of 
water,  in  a clear  brass  or  iron  vessel,  add- 
ing half  a handful  each  of  wheat  bran  and 
madder,  and  half  an  ounce  of  potash,  leav- 
ing it  all  night  in  a heat  not  greater  than  the 
hand  might  bear  ; grind  it  with  a pestle 
or  iron  ball,  till  it  becomes  as  soft  as  pap, 
and  is  quite  cleared  of  all  roughness  or 
harshness:  this  done,  put  it  in  the  vat  to 
the  ether  ingredients.  Stir  the  whole  to- 
gether  three  or  four  times  with  a stick, 
cover  it  up  close,  and  let  it  stand  to  settle 
six  hours;  after  which,  throw  in  a ladleful 
of  powdered  lime,- again  cover  it  close, 
and  let  it  stand  for  three  hours  longer. 
Then  putin  half  a pound  of  potash,  stir 
it  well  about,  cover  it  up,  contrive  just  to 
keep  it  warm,  and  let  it  stand  thus  ano- 
ther three  hours.  Nothing  more  is  to  be 
added;  only,  at  the  end  of  this  time,  stir 
it  as  before,  and  an  hour  or  two  after  be- 
gin to  use  it  as  a dye  in  the  following  man- 
ner— Hang  in  it  five  pieces  of  the  goods 
to  be  dyed,  keeping  from  them  the  bran, 
&c.  with  the  hand,  as  those  ingredients 
which  remain  undissolved  should  not  touch 
the  linen.  Wring  out  the  five  pieces,  one 
against  another;  then  try,  by  feeling  with 
the  finger,  whether  the  dye  be  harsh,  or 
soft  and  smooth:  if  it  feel  too  rough,  throw 
in  half  an  ounce  of  potash;  if  too  smooth, 
add  a ladleful  of  lime.  AVork  the  cloth 
or  linen  in  it  for  two  hours  ; then  put  in 
five  fresh  pieces,  and  work  them  in  like 
manner.  When  they  are  dry,  wring  them 
a second  or  third  time  in  the  dye,  if 
necessary,  till  they  become  the  colour  re- 
quired. idle  dye  may  be  thus  wrought 
till  thirty  pieces  of  cloth  are  dyed;  and, 
afterward,  if  any  woollen  stuffs,  stockings, 
yarn,  &c.  are  wanted  to  be  dyed,  take  two 


pailfuls  of  water,  into  which  put  two  hand- 
fuls of  wheat  bran,  with  an  ounce  of  madder 
and  a quarter  of  a pound  of  potash,  boil 
it  as  before,  put  it  into  the  vat,  stir  it,  let 
it  stand  three  hours  to  settle,  try  whether 
it  be  harsh  or  smooth,  and  regulate  it  ac- 
cordingly with  half  an  ounce  of  potash  or 
half  a ladleful  of  pownlered  lime.  This  is 
a very  proper  dye  for  the  celebrated  nine 
times  dyed  blue  flannel;  which  may  be  thus 
often  dipped  and  dried,  and  is  highly  re- 
commended to  be  worn  by  those  who  are 
subject  to  rheumatism,  &c. 

Black  Dye  for  Blue  Linen  and  Woollen. 

STUFFS  of  little  value  may  be  sufficiently 
well  dyed  black,  by  first  blueing  them 
with  pastel  or  woad,  and  then  blackening 
them  with  galls  and  copperas  ; but  the  best 
white  stuffs  cannot  regularly  be  dyed  black 
without  passing  into  the  intermediate  blue. 
The  following  is  the  common  process  for 
dyeing  a good  permanent  black  on  line 
blue  goods — To  dye  about  three  pounds 
weight  of  blue  wool,  woollen  yarn,  wool- 
len cloth,  or  flannel,  let  them  be  boiled 
for  four  hours  in  nine  or  ten  gallons  of 
water,  with  as  many  ounces  of  pounded 
nut  galls;’  after  which,  take  the  goods  out, 
and  open  them  to  the  air.  Having,  in  the 
mean  time,  also  taken  out  the  remains  of 
the  nut  galls,  put  into  the  liquor  eighteen 
ounces  of  green  copperas ; and,  if  there 
be  not  enough  liquid  left  to  cover  the 
goods,  add  more  water,  and  boil  it  for  two 
hours,  continually  handling  them  during 
that  time.  Then  take  them  out,  air  them, 
and  put  them  in  again,  till  they  are  suf- 
ficiently black;  and,  when  cool,  finish  by 
washing  and  drying  them  in  the  usual  way. 
If  a peculiarly  fine  black  be  wanted,  put 
in  some  sumach  with  the  galls. 


528 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Broun  Dye. 

Wiiat  are  called,  by  dyers,  the  five  pri- 
mary colours,  differ  widely  from  those  so 
named  by  the  philosophers;  being,  in  fact, 
blue,  red,  yellow,  brown,  and  black:  each 
of  these,  furnish  the  dyers  with  a great 
number  of  shades,  from  the  lightest  to  the 
darkest;  and,  from  the  combination  of  two 
or  more  of  these  different  shades,  they  con- 
tend, arise  all  the  colours  in  nature.  It  is 
to  be  observed,  however,  that  colours  are 
often  darkened,  made  light,  and  even  con- 
siderably changed,  in  dyeing,  by  ingre- 
dients which  have  no  colour  in  themselves ; 
such  as  acids,  alkalies,  neutral  sqlts,  lime, 
urine,  arsenic,  alum,  and  some  others. 
Brown,  the  fourth  primary  colour  of  dyers, 
enters  the  composition  of  a great  number 
of  colours.  It  is  worked  differently  from 
others,  no  preparation  being  in  general 
given  to  wool  for  receiving  a brown  dye; 
and,  like  blue,  it  is  only  dipped  in  hot  wa- 
ter. The  rinds  and  roots  of  walnuts,  san- 
tal  wood  or  saunders,  elder  bark,  sumach, 
and  even  soot,  &c.  are  used  in  this  dye. 
The  rind  of  the  walnut  is  the  green  part 
which  covers  the  nut;  which,  being  ga- 
thered when  quite  ripe,  filled  into  great 
casks,  and  moistened  w'ith  water,  will  keep 
a whole  3 ear,  or  longer.  Of  all  the  in- 
gredients for  brown  dye,  this  is  considered 
as  the  best;  and,  next  to  the  walnut  rind, 
ranks  the  walnut  root.  The  superiority 
of  the  walnut  rind  dye,  compared  with  that 
of  other  ingredients,  consists  in  it’s  shades 
being  finer,  the  durability  of  it’s  colour, 
and  it’s  properties  of  softening  the  wool 
and  rendering  it  of  a better  quality,  as  well 
as  easier  worked.  To  make  use  of  this  rind, 
a copper  is  half  filled  with  sofWater;  and, 
when  it  begins  to  grow  lukewarm,  the  rind 


is  added,  in  a quantity  suited  to  that  of  the 
goods,  and  their  intended  depth  of  colour. 
The  stuffs,  in  the  mean  time,  having  been 
dipped  in  warm  water,  are  put  into  the 
copper  as  soon  as  the  ingredients  have 
boiled  about  a quarter  of  an  hour,  where 
they  are  worked  till  they  have  acquired 
the  colour  intended.  Being  aired,  as  usual, 
to  cool  them,  they  are  dried  and  dressed. 
Where  the  shades  are  required  to  be  very 
exactly  matched,  and  the  goods  are  spun 
wool,  a small  quantity  of  rind  should  be 
at  first  put  in,  and  the  lighter  made ; then, 
more  rind  being  added,  the  deepest:  but, 
with  stuffs  in  general,  the  deepest  are  com- 
monl}r  first  made  ; and,  as  the  liquor  di- 
minishes, the  lightest  are  dipped.  For 
dyeing  with  roots,  a copper  is  three  quar- 
ters filled  w ith  river  water,  and  the  requi- 
site quantity  of  root  cut  into  small  pieces 
and  boiled  moderately;  care  being  always 
taken,  to  leave  in  it  some  dyeing  sub- 
stance. Mixed  ingredients  are  often  used, 
as  practice  teaches  the  art  of  obtaining 
particular  shades  by  judicious  combina- 
tions of  the  different  browns.  Soot,  which 
should  only  be  used  for  dyeing  veryr  com- 
mon stuffs,  must  be  that  of  wood;  it  does 
not,  however,  give  a durable  brown,  con- 
taining only  a volatile  and  an  earthy  salt 

easily  dissolved. 

«/ 

Beautiful  Black  Dye. 

Boil,  in  a sufficient  quantity  of  river  wa- 
ter, for  every  quarter  of  a hundred  weight 
of  cloth,  seven  pounds  of  logwood  chips, 
and  a pound  and  a half  each  of  sumach  and 
elder  bark.  When  they  have  boiled  to- 
gether half  an  hour,  cool  the  copper  with 
a little  cold  water,  put  in  the  cloth,  and 
boil  it  an  hour  and  a half;  continually 
turning  it  on  a winch,  to  prevent  any  un- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


529 


evenness  of  the  dye.  After  this  prepara- 
tion or  stuffing  the  blacks,  as  it  is  tech- 
nically termed,  fill  a small  tub  placed  at 
the  side  of  the  copper  with  hot  liquor,  in 
which  dissolve  three  pounds  of  copperas; 
and,  while  the  cloth  is  kept  turning,  lade 
the  solution  of  copperas  into  the  copper. 
When  it  has  thus  turned  for  an  hour,  at 
a boiling  heat,  it  must  be  taken  out,  equal- 
ly well  cooled  in  all  parts,  and  returned 
quite  cold  into  the  copper,  with  half  a 
handful  of  pounded  copperas;  being  gent- 
ly boiled,  as  before,  for  two  hours,  and 
again  in  like  manner  cooled.  In  the  mean 
w hile,  a pound  and  a half  of  logwood,  two 
pounds  and  a half  of  elder  bark,  half  a 
pound  of  argil,  two  pounds  and  a half  of 
soda  or  common  potash,  and  twelve  ounces 
of  copperas,  should  be  added  to  the  liquor, 
and  boiled  together  an  hour.  The  goods 
are  then  to  be  turned  in,  and  worked  with 
the  winch  an  hour;  as  the  small  portion 
of  air  which  they  receive  by  thus  turning 
on  the  winch  assists  to  heighten  the  colour. 
The  goods  must  finally  be  well  washed  in 
the  fulling  mill,  and  carefully  dried.  Cloth, 
immediately  after  the  first  dip,  has  a grey 
blackness,  and  only  acquires  the  beauti- 
ful black  lustre  on  being  exposed  to  the 
air;  and  it  is  on  this  principle,  that  good 
writing  ink  grows  blacker,  after  a certain 
space  of  time,  than  it  appears  when  first 
used.  Goods  previously  dyed  blue  may, 
of  course,  be  dyed  black  by  the  above 
process,  with  a considerably  smaller  pro- 
portion of  the  ingredients.  This  black 
dye  is  chiefly  intended  for  woollen  cloth. 

Beautiful  Claret  Dye  fur  Woollen,  SCc. 

Boil  two  pounds  of  logwood  for  forty 
pounds  of  w'ool,  or  woollen  cloth  or  stuffs, 
previously  scowered,  with  red  wood  or 


saunders  in  proportion  to  the  shade  requir- 
ed, for  about  half  an  hour.  T hen,  pouring  a 
pint  of  oil  of  vitriol  into  a pail  of  cold  wa- 
ter, add  it  to  the  liquor,  put  in  the  goods, 
and  boil  the  whole  gently  together  for  be- 
tween two  and  three  hours.  On  taking  the 
goods  out,  set  them  to  drain  across  the 
copper,  and  pour  over  them  half  a dozen 
pails  of  water.  The  copper  must  then  be 
emptied;  filled  with  river  water ; and  have, 
when  the  water  is  scalding  hot,  ten  pounds 
of  copperas  and  four  ounces  of  pearl  ashes 
put  in,  and  well  stirred.  The  goods  are 
then  to  be  returned  into  the  copper,  and 
well  worked,  to  make  them  even.  Great 
care  must  be  taken,  in  dyeing  with  oil  of 
vitriol,  to  turn  the  goods  continually  over 
the  winch:  and,  particularly,  on  taking 
out,  the  moment  the  last  end  comes  up,  let 
it  into  a large  tub  of  cold  water,  so  as  for 
every  part  to  cool  alike,  or  else  the  colour 
will  be  uneven;  for  vitriol,  when  hot,  will 
not  bear  the  air.  Vitriol,  which  some  think 
prejudicial,  is  divested  of  it’s  acid  by  the 
strong  alkali  contained  in  the  chamber  ley 
with  which  the  goods  are  prepared  in 
scowering.  So  useful,  indeed,  is  oil  of 
vitriol  in  dyeing,  that  any  colour  but 
woaded  blue  or  green,  without  even  ex- 
cepting black,  may  be  brought,  by  the  aid 
of  it’s  acid,  to  a fine  claret. 

Admirable  Inquid  JSIixturc  for  Staining 
Mood  the  Colour  of  Jl lahogamj. 

Put  a quarter  of  a pound  of  logwood, 
and  the  same  quantity  both  of  Brazil  wood 
and  of  yellow  fustic,  into  three  separate 
vessels;  with  three  pints  of  soft  water,  and 
a tea-spoonful  of  salt  of  tartar,  to  each. 
Boil  them  all  very  slowly,  for  four  or  five 
hours,  or  till  the  quantity  of  each  be  re- 
duced to  a pint,  then  strain  them  separate- 
6 s 


530 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


]y  through  cloth ; mix  the  different  co-  J 
lours  as  nearly  as  possible  to  the  shade  j 
required;  and,  after  being  satisfied  with  ! 
the  effect,  by  trying  it  on  a bit  of  wood,  j 
apply  it  to  the  work  with  a brush  or  sponge,  j 

i 

Simple  Substitute  fur  the  best  Indian  Ink. 

The  following  very  simple  process  will  | 
produce  an  ink  equal  to  the  best  Indian 
ink,  in  all  it’s  properties  and  effects — 
Boil  parchment  shavings,  or  cuttings  of 
glove  leather,  in  water,  till  it  becomes  a 
size;  which,  when  cool,  will  form  a jelly. 
Having,  in  the  mean  time,  blackened  an 
earthen  plate  or  dish,  by  holding  it  over  the 
flame  of  a candle,  mix  up,  with  a camel 
hair  pencil,  the  fine  lamp  black  thus  ob- 
tained, and  a little  of  the  size,  while  the 
plate  is  warm.  Lamp  black  may  be  pro- 
cured in  any  quantity  from  the  smoke  of 
oil,  tallow,  &o.  but  what  is  sold  in  the 
shops  must  not  be  depended  on.  The 
Chinese  are  supposed  to  infuse  ox  galls, 
or  some  similar  substance,  in  their  Indian 
ink,  which  gives  it  a yellowish,  metallic 
lustre,  when  dry,  in  no  degree  essential 
to  the  artist.  It  seems,  also,  slightly  scent- 
ed with  musk.  For  common  purposes, 
good  carpenter’s  glue  may  be  substituted 
for  parchment  size;  isinglass,  however,  is 
still  better. 

Substitute  fur  Gum  Arabic. 

TllE  mucilaginous  substance  of  the  bul- 
bous root  of  the  common  blue  bell,  or 
hare  bell,  has  been  successfully  used,  par- 
ticularly by  calico  printers,  instead  of  gum 
Arabic.  For  this  purpose,  the  bulbs  are 
cut;  and,  when  dried,  reduced  to  a pow- 
der, which  they  yield  iu  the  proportion  of 
one  fourth  part^  of  their  original  weight. 
This  powder  is  used  in  th.e  same  quantity  and 


manner  as  gum  Arabic,  for  fixing  the  co- 
lours; that  is,  one  ounce  and  a half  to  four 
ounces  of  mordant.  These  roots  are  found 
more  or  less  abundant,  in  most  parts  of 
the  country;  but  they  might  easily  be 
cultivated,  in  any  requisite  quantities,  at 
an  expence  infinitely  short  of  the  price  of 
} gum. 

Artificial  Alum. 

An  artificial  alum  is  prepared,  in  France, 
by  adding  five  parts  of  muriate  of  soda  to 
a hundred  parts  of  clay,  made  into  balls  by 
means  of  water,  and  calcined  in  a rever- 
beratory furnace.  To  the  powder,  a fourth 
part  of  it’s  weight  of  sulphuric  acid  is  add- 
ed at  intervals,  and  afterward  eight  or  ten 
times  as  much  water.  The  alum  is  sepa- 
rated from  the  liquid  by  a solution  of  pot- 
ash. To  manufacturers  of  Prussian  blue, 
or  distillers  of  aqua  fortis,  this  system  of 
fabricating  alum  is  particularly  advantage- 
ous; and,  in  France,  that  salt  has  been 
thus  artificially  made,  by  several  persons, 
with  a profit  of  twentj'-five  per  cent,  more 
than  common  alum. 

Edinburgh  Strong  Ale  and  Small  Beer. 

The  months  of  October  and  March  are, 
in  Scotland,  as  well  as  in  England,  consi- 
i dered  as  the  best  times  for  brewing.  Twen- 
ty English  bushels  of  malt,  with  ten  pounds 
1 of  hops,  are  employed  to  make  two  hogs- 
heads of  strong  Edinburgh  ale,  and  four 
hogsheads  of  small  beer;  the  process  for 
brewing  which  is  as  follows — Boil  the  wa- 
ter; and,  putting  some  of  the  malt  in  the 
vat,  stir  it  and  the  boiling  water  very  well 
together.  Then  put  in  more  malt,  and 
more  water,  so  as  to  mash  tolerably  thin; 
and,  covering  the  vat,  let  it  stand  three 
hours.  Let  some  of  the  wort  run,  and 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


531 


throw  it  once  or  twice  up  again,  till  it  be 
clear,  some  dry  malt  being  strewed  on  the 
top  o fthe  vat.  Put  the  hops  at  the  bottom 
of  the  tub  into  which  the  wort  runs,  and 
then  boil  them  in  the  brewing  pan,  or 
copper,  with  the  wort.  Let  it  boil  till  it 
curdles,  and  then  clears.  When  it  is  almost 
as  cold  as  water,  barm  it;  that  is,  ferment 
it  with  yeast.  The  hops,  however,  must 
be  first  strained  out  .while  it  is  warm,  to 
boil  in  the  small  beer.  After  the  ale  has 
worked  three  days,  skim  it,  and  barrel  it; 
and,  when  it  ceases  to  work,  till  which 
time  it  must  be  kept  filled  up  as  fast  as  it 
flows  over,  stop  it  up  close.  The  small 
beer  must  be  made,  in  the  mean  time,  by 
putting  boiling  water  on  the  vat,  by  de- 
grees, till  the  required  quantity  of  wort 
is  obtained;  and  then  first  boiling  it  with 
the  hops  already  used,  and  lastly  ferment- 
ing and  barrelling  the  liquor. 

Scotch  Flummery. 

Take  a mutchkin,  or  English  wine  pint, 
of  milk,  and  the  same  quantity  of  cream; 
and,  having  beat  the  yolks  of  nine  eggs 
with  a little  rose  water,  sugar,  and  nut- 
meg, mix  the  whole  in  a dish,  and  put  the 
dish  over  a pan  of  boiling  water  closely 
covered.  On  it’s  beginning  to  grow  thick, 
having  ready  some  currants  plumped  in 
sack  or  other  white  wine,  strew  them  over 
it.  Be  careful  not  to  stir  it  while  over  the 
fire;  and,  when  it  is  pretty  stiff,  send  it 
up  hot. 

Oatmeal  Flummery. 

Put  three  large  handfuls  of  oatmeal, 
ground  small,  in  two  chopins,  or  English 
wine  bottles,  of  water.  Let  it  steep  a day  and 
a night;  and  then,  pouring  off  the  clear  wa- 
ter, put  two  chopins  more  on  it,  and  leave 


l it  to  stand  another  twenty-four  hours. 
Then  stir  it  well,  and  strain  it  through  a 
hair  sieve  till  it  is  like  porridge;  that  is, 
what  is  called  in  England  hasty  pudding. 
Stir  it  all  the  time,  that  it  may  be  extremely 
smooth  before  it  is  set  on  the  fire;  then 
put  into  it  a table-spoonful  of  sugar  and 
| two  table-spoonfuls  of  orange-flower  water. 
When  it  is  boiled  enough,  pour  it  in  a shal- 
low dish;  and,  on  it’s  getting  cold,  eat  it 
with  wine,  ale,  or  milk,  and  sugar. 

West  Country  Flummery. 

STEEP  half  a peck  of  wheat  bran  in  cold 
water,  for  three  or  four  days:  then,  strain- 
ing it,  boil  it  to  a jelly;  put  to  it  some 
orange-flower  or  rose  water,  with  suffici- 
ent sugar  to  sweeten  it;  and,  when  cold, 
eat  it  with  cream,  milk,  wine,  or  beer. 

Fairy  Butter. 

Mix,  or  bray,  in  a mortar  or  clean 
wooden  bowl,  the  hard  yolks  of  four  boiled 
eggs,  half  a pound  of  powdered  and  sifted 
loaf  sugar,  and  halfa  pound  of  fresh  butter, 
with  two  table-spoonfuls  of  orange-flower 
water.  When  it  is  all  well  mixed,  force  it 
through  the  corner  of  a thin  canvas 
strainer,  in  little  heaps,  on  a plate.  It  forms 
a very  pretty  supper  dish. 

WJutstcne  Calces . 

Mix  halfa  pound  each  of  fine  flour  and 
pounded  and  sifted  loaf  sugar,  with  a table- 
spoonful of  carraway  seeds,  the  whites  of 
three  eggs  and  the  volk  of  one,  and  a lit- 
tle rose  or  orange-flqwer  water.  Roll  out 
the  paste  as  thin  as  a wafer,  cut  the  cakes 
with  a wine  glass,  lay  them  on  floured  pa- 
pers, and  bake  them  in  a slow  oven.  These 
cakes  derive  their  name  from  Whetstone, 
near  Barnet,  in  Middlesex. 


532 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Marlborough  Cakes. 

Beat  up  eight  eggs';  and,  putting  to  I 
them  a pound  of  powdered  and  sifted  loaf 
sugar,  beat  the  whole  together  for  three 
quarters  of  an  hour:  then  put  in  three 
quarters  of  a pound  of  fine  dry  flour,  with  ji 
two  ounces  of  earraway  seeds;  beat  it  all  ; 

well  together;  and,  putting  it  in  tin  pans,  j 

' 1 

bake  the  cakes  in  a quick  oven. 

Thin  Dutch  Biscuits. 

WARM  a quart  of  milk,  with  three  quar-  j 
ters  of  a pound  of  butter,  and  three  quar- 
ters of  a pint  of  yeast ; and,  pouring  it  into  : 
the  excavated  centre  of  five  pounds  of  flour, 
mixed  with  two  ounces  of  earraway  seeds 
and  half  a pound  of  sugar,  make  it  into  a j 
paste,  and  let  it  stand  a quarter  of  an  hour 
by  the  fire,  to  rise  : then  mould  or  knead 
it,  roll  it  into  thin  cakes,  prick  them  all 
over  to  prevent  their  blistering,  and  bake  | 
them  a quarter  of  an  hour. 

York  Cakes. 

Take  half  a peck  of  flour,  three  quarters  ! 
of  a pint  of  yeast,  two  pounds  of  currants,  i 
and  a pound  of  butter.  Hub  the  butter 
into  the  flour,  grate  in  it  two  nutmegs, 
and  mix  all  together  with  a little  salt  and 
some  sugar.  Wet  it  so  as  to  form  a good 
paste  with  hot  water,  set  it  before  the  fire 
to  rise,  make  it  into  twelve  cakes,  and 
bake  them  in  a quick  oven. 

Irish  Pancakes. 

Boil  a pint  of  cream  with  the  rind  of  j 
an  orange  and  some  cinnamon,  and  set  it 
to  cool : in  the  mean  time,  beat  up  the 
yolks  of  eight  eggs  but  only  four  whites, 
with  sugar,  nutmeg,  a little  salt,  and  two 
gills  of  flour ; then  beat  three  ounces  of 


fresh  butter,  and  mix  the  cream  and  eggs 
together  with  a glass  of  brandy.  Put  a 
very  small  bit  of  butter  in  the  frying  pan  ; 
and,  when  it  is  hot,  pour  in  two  gills  of  the 
batter.  They  will  not  turn,  but  must  be 
held  before  the  fire  to  brown  the  upper  side. 

Roasted  Tripe. 

Cut  tripe  in  square  pieces;  and,  mak- 
ing a force  meat  with  crumbs  of  bread, 
pepper,  salt,  grated  nutmeg,  and  the  yolk 
of  egg,  spread  it  over  the  pieces  of 
tripe,  roll  them  up  tight,  fasten  them  on 
the  spit,  flour  and  baste  them  well,  and 
serve  them  up  with  melted  butter  and 
slices  of  Seville  oransre. 

O 

Pig’s  Haslet. 

The  name  haslet,  or  harslet,  is  given  to 
the  liver,  heart,  and  lights  of  a hog,  when 
roasted  together  in  a caul,  on  a spit;  being 
derived  from  the  obsolete  French  words, 
hastilles,  or  haste,  a spit.  The  haslet  meat, 
as  these  entrails  are  denominated,  being 
cut  asunder,  and  well  washed,  stuff  the 
heart  with  crumbs  of  bread,  shred  sasre. 
chopped  onion,  parsley,  sweet  marjoram, 
pepper,  salt,  and  a little  allspice,  worked 
up  with  a bit  of  butter.  Spit  them,  rub 
them  with  egg,  and  strew  crumbs  of  bread 
over  them,  as  well  as  some  of  the  seasoning. 
Roll  the  caul,  or  a buttered  paper,  over  the 
whole,  and  tie  it  fast;  but,  when  done, 
which  will  be  in  about  two  hours,  take  off 
the  paper,  dredge  it  a little,  and  serve  it  up 
as  hot  as  possible.  The  best  sauce  is  grav  v 
and  butter,  with  a little  sage  and  a small 
quantity  of  vinegar  or  lemon  juice.  This 
haslet  meat  is,  in  London,  called  pig’s  fry; 
where  it  is  seldom  dressed  otherwise  than 
in  the  frying-pan,  though  far.  more  deli- 
cate when  roasted,  as  is  common  in  most 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


533 


parts  of  the  country  whenever  a hog  is 
killed  for  family  use. 

White  Fricasee  of  Skirrets  or  Parsnips. 

Boil,  blanch,  and  skin,  the  skirrets  or 
parsnips,  and  cut  them  in  pieces  of  an  inch 
long;  then  put  them  in  a stevvpan  with  as 
much  milk  as  will  cover  them,  and  add  a 
good  piece  of  butter,  some  white  pepper, 
a little  pounded  mace,  and  two  whole 
onions.  After  boiling  them  on  a slow  fire, 
thicken  them  with  the  yolks  of  two  or  three 
eggs,  but  by  no  means  suffer  them  again 
to  boil.  Take  out  the  onions,  and  serve 
them  up. 

Skirret  Pie. 

Having  boiled  and  peeled  the  skirrets, 
put  them  in  a dish  with  butter  and  a few 
crumbs  of  bread  at  the  bottom.  Cover 
them  nearly  with  cream,  to  which  add  pow- 
dered sugar,  grated  nutmeg,  and  a little 
pounded  mace.  Cover  it  with  puff  paste; 
and,  on  it’s  coming  out  of  the  oven,  pour  J 
in  a mixture  of  white  w'ine,  sugar,  and  nut- 
meg, thickened  with  the  yolks  of  a couple 
of  eggs. 

Scotch  Mutton  Ham. 

The  finest  mutton  hams  are  generally 
cured  in  Scotland  ; where,  we  are  assured, 
the  following  are  the  genuine  methods  \ 
usually  practised — Cut  the  hind  quarter 
of  very  large  fat  mutton  like  a ham  ; then 
rub  it  all  over  with  bay  salt  and  browm 
sugar.  When  it  is  has  thus  remained  twen- 
ty-four hours,  put  it  in  a pickle  made  with  j 
a gallon  of  pump  water,  turn  pounds  each 
of  bay  and  common  white  salt,  six  ounces 
of  saltpetre,  a pound  of  brown  sugar,  and 
an  ounce  of  salt  prunella,  well  boiled  and 
scummed.  The  hams  being  put  into  this 


j:  liquor  when  it  is  cold,  are  to  continue  there 
a fortnight;  after  which  time,  they  are  to 
!;  be  hung  up,  and  smoked  with  dale  dust 
i,  or  shavings.  They  should  not  be  eaten 
1 1 till  thoroughly  dry.  Bacon  hams,  or 
j tonges  of  any  sort,  may  be  pickled  in  the 
same  way.  Indeed,  on  hanging  up  the 
mutton  hams,  it  is  very  common  to  boil 
the  pickle;  skim  it  well  ; and,  when  cold, 
put  into  it  tongues  which  have  previously 
been  two  or  three  days  salted  for  that  pur- 
pose. Some  cure  a mutton  ham  in  the 
I following  way — Mix  an  ounce  of  saltpe- 
tre, a pound  each  of  common  salt  and 
coarse  sugar,  and  two  penny  worth  of  co- 
chineal ; with  which  well  rub  the  ham,  and 
lay  it  with  the  skin  side  down.  Repeat 
the  rubbing  daily,  for  sixteen  days,  then 
hang  it  up  to  dry.  It  eats  best  in  broiled 
rashers. 

Veal  Ham. 

Cut  a leg  of  veal  like  a ham ; and,  taking 
a pound  each  of  white  salt,  and  bay  salt, 
with  two  ounces  of  saltpetre,  mix  them, 
and  rub  the  veal  with  it.  Lay  it  with  the 
skin  side  down  for  a fortnight,  rubbing  it 
every  day  with  the  pickle:  ihen  hang  it 
up,  and  it  will  be  dry  in  sixteen  days;  after 
which,  it  may  either  be  boiled,  baked,  or 
roasted. 

Scotch  Cake , or  Short  Bread. 

This  most  excellent  cake,  or  bread,  is- 
in  England  generally  called  Scotch  cake; 
but,  in  Scotland,  where  it  is  far  more  com- 
mon, short  bread.  The  following  is  a 
genuine  Edinburgh  receipt  for  making  it — 
“ Take  a peck  of  flour  ; and,  making  a 
hole  in  the  middle,  melt  three  pounds  of 
good  butter  in  a mutchkin  of  barm.  A 
mutchkin  is  less  than  a common  English 
<3  T 


534 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


pint;  being,  in  fact,  half  the  quantity  only 
of  a common  wine  bottle,  which  is  seldom  a 
quart  of  even  English  wine  measure:  yeast, 
in  Scotland,  as  well  as  in  some  parts  of 
England,  is  almost  universally  called  barm. 
“ Put  carraway  or  any  other  dry  sweet- 
meats in  the  flour ; and  then,  pouring  in 
the  butter  and  barm,  work  it  well  with  the 
hands.  If  it  be  too  dry,  put  in  a little 
warm  water;  and,  when  it  is  well  worked, 
roll  it  out  in  cakes  of  any  shape.  Pri  ck 
them  well  with  a fork,  and  bake  them  on 
floured  papers.”  In  England,  they  are 
commonly  made  in  a sort  of  long  trian- 
gular form,  about  the  third  of  an  inch 
thick;  either  with  what  we  call  Scotch 
comfits,  or  small  bits  or  shreds  of  candied 
orange  or  lemon  peel,  and  sometimes  with 
a little  of  each.  When  properly  made, 
they  are  very  generally  considered  as  de- 
licious eating. 

Real  White  Scots  or  Scotch  Collops. 

Under  a ridiculous  and  erroneous  no- 
tion, adopted  by  some  of  our  best  modern 
cooks,  Scots  or  Scotch  collops,  are  now 
often  affectedly  called  scorched  collops; 
though  this  mode  of  cookery  is,  most  un- 
doubtedly, of  true  Scottish  origin.  The 
following  is  the  genuine  method  of  dress- 
ing white  Scots  collops,  as  practised  in 
Edinburgh — Cut  the  veal  into  thin  slices!, 
and  beat  them  with  the  rolling  pin.  They 
may  either  be  larded,  or  not,  at  pleasure. 
Season  them  with  pepper,  salt,  cloves,  mace, 
lemon  peel,  and  grated  bread,  first  dipping 
them  in  beaten  up  eggs.  Stew  the  knuckle 
well,  with  a bunch  of  sweet  herbs,  two  an- 
chovies, cloves,  mace,  pepper,  and  salt; 
strain  it ; and,  when  going  to  be  sent  up, 
thicken  it  with  a bit  of  butter  worked  in 
flour.  Give  it  two  or  three  boils;  then 


put  into  it  the  yolks  of  three  eggs  well 
beaten,  a glass  of  white  wine,' and  the  juice 
of  half  a lemon,  and  give  it  a good  heat  on 
the  fire,  stirring  it  all  the  while,  as  it  must 
not  by  any  means  boil.  The  collops  be- 
ing in  the  mean  time  well  fried,  but  not 
brown,  lay  them  in  the  dish,  and  pour  the 
sauce  over  them.  Garnish  with  mushrooms 
and  oysters. 

Edinburgh  Eye  Water. 

PUT  white  vitriol  the  bigness  of  a nut 
into  two  gills  of  white  rose  water,  with 
as  much  fine  loaf  sugar  as  vitriol.  When 
it  is  dissolved,  shake  the  bottle ; and,  on 
going  to  bed,  wash  the  eyes  with  it,  using 
a soft  clean  cloth.  This  is  said  to  be  as 
good  an  eye  water  as  ever  was  made. 

Pomatum  for  the  Lips. 

Mix  an  ounce  of  spermaceti  with  an 
ounce  of  the  oil  of  bitter  almonds  and  a 
little  powdered  cochineal ; melt  all  toge- 
ther, strain  it  through  a cloth  in  a little 
rose  water,  and  rub  the  lips  at  night. 

Scotch  Daffy’s  Elixir. 

Take  a mutchkin  or  half  a bottle  of 
brandy,  and  the  same  quantity  of  Lisbon 
wine;  infuse  in  the  mixed  liquor  half  an 
ounce  each  of  anise  and  sweet  fennel  seeds, 
an  ounce  each  of  hiera  picra  and  aloes, 
two  drams  of  saffron,  two  ounces  of  bitter 
or  Seville  orange  peel,  and  one  ounce  of 
snake  root.  Let  these  infuse  near  the  fire 
for  a fortnight;  then  put  the  bottle  in  a 
pan  of  cold  water  over  the  fire,  take  it  off 
when  it  simmers,  and  strain  or  fiitre  it  as 
soon  as  cold.  Keep  it  in  closely  stopped 
bottles  ; and  take  of  it  two  table-spoonfuls, 
at  night.  It  is  excellent  for  a colic,  and 
a gentle  physic. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  535 


Edinburgh  Yellow  Balsam. 

GATHER,  Oil  a dry  day,  a pound  of  elder 
flowers,  but  let  none  of  the  stems  or  green 
be  in  them,  and  mix  them  with  four  pounds 
of  May  butter,  in  a close  well  glazed  ves- 
sel. Put  them  in  the  sun  by  day,  and  near 
the  fire  by  night.  Keep  them  that  way 
till  the  green  broom  blossoms ; then  get  a 
pound  of  the  blossoms,  and  mix  them  very 
well  together.  Keep  it  as  before  directed 
for  five  or  six  weeks ; then  warm  it  well, 
but  do  not  boil  it,  and  wring  it  all  out  in 
a cloth  as  much  as  possible.  It  is  good 
for  any  inflammation,  pain,  or  stitch,  rub- 
bing the  part  affected  before  the  fire  with 
a very  little  of  the  balsam  ; and,  if  inwardly, 
swallow  five  or  six  pills  of  it  rolled  in  sugar. 
It  is  as  wholesome  and  safe  a thing  as  ever 
was  taken. 

Fine  Edinburgh  Wash  for  the  Scurvy  or 
any  Redness  in  the  Face. 

Boil  two  ounces  of  fine  barley,  in  a cho- 
pin  or  English  wine  bottle  of  water,  to  four 
sills  or  half  a bottle;  and,  beating  two 
ounces  of  blanched  almonds  to  a paste, 
mix  them  with  a little  of  the  barley  water. 
When  cold,  warm  them,  and  squeeze  them 
through  a cloth  ; then  dissolve  a penny 
worth  of  camphor  in  a table-spoonful  of 
brandy  or  any  strong  spirits.  Mix  them 
together,  and  wash  the  face  with  the  liquid 
every  night  when  going  to  bed.  This,  says 
the  original  receipt,  is  the  best  wash  ever 
made  for  the  face. 

French  Black  Curra?it  Brandy. 

To  each  bottle  of  brandy  add  a pound  of 
black  currants  picked,  with  a little  all- 
spice and  broken  cinnamon  in  a small 
muslin  bag.  Put  the  whole  into  a large 


bottle  or  jar,  and  cork  it  closely  for  six 
months.  Then  pour  off  the  juice;  and, 
for  each  bottle  of  liquor,  add  three  quar- 
ters of  a pound  of  loaf  sugar.  Put  it  again 
into  the  bottle  or  jar,  cork  it  up,  and  shake 
it  frequently  till  the  sugar  be  dissolved; 
then,  filtering  it  through  paper,  it  will  be 
ready  to  bottle  for  use.  ' 

Fine  Cordial  Liqueur  d'Oranges. 

Take  twelve  lemons,  thirty  oranges, 
one  cedrat,  two  sticks  of  vanilla  and  seve- 
ral of  cinnamon,  with  twelve  bottles  of 
brandy.  Let  them  infuse  together,  closely 
stopped,  for  six  weeks.  Then  take  out  all 
the  ingredients,  and  add  nine  pounds  of 
loaf  sugar.  When  the  sugar  is  dissolved, 
to  promote  which  the  containing  vessel 
must  be  well  shaken  every  two  or  three 
days,  filtre  the  liquor  carefully  through 
paper  and  cotton,  and  put  it  up  in  bottles. 
To  make  a second  sort,  squeeze  the  thirty 
oranges,  and  pierce  the  twelve  lemons  and 
the  cedrat  with  one  fresh  stick  of  vanilla; 
then  put  the  whole  to  infuse  with  three 
bottles  of  brandy,  and  let  it  remain  as  be- 
fore. Strain  the  liquor;  add  to  it  three 
pounds  of  sugar;  and,  when  the  sugar  is 
dissolved,  filtre  and  bottle  it. 

French  Curds. 

Warm  a quart  of  new  milk  and  a pint 
of  cream;  put  them  together,  with  as  much 
rennet  as  will  turn  them  to  curds.  Then 
strain  them  through  a cloth;  and,  beating 
two  ounces  «f  blanched  almonds,  with  four 
table-spoonfuls  of  white  wine  and  a little 
orange-flower  water,  sweeten  it  to  palate, 
and  mix  the  whole  well  together  in  the 
marble  mortar.  Put  it,  when  well  mixed, 
into  tin  moulds,  and  afterward  turn  them 
into  a dish,  either  with  or  without  cream. 


< 


536 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


Green  Gooseberry  J Vine. 

Put  to  every  pound  of  picked  and  bruis- 
ed gooseberries,  which  must  have  been 
gathered  when  at  their  full  growth,  but 
while  quite  green,  a quart  of  cold  spring 
water.  Let  it  stand  three  days,  stirring 
it  twice  a day:  then  strain  and  press  it 
through  a sieve;  and,  to  every  gallon  of 
liquor,  put  two  pounds  and  a half  of  loaf 
sugar.  Barrel  it;  and,  to  every  five  gal- 
lons,'add  a bottle  of  good  brandy.  Hang 
a piece  of  isinglass  in  the  vessel,  and 
stop  it  up.  In  six  months,  if  the  sweet- 
ness be  sufficiently  gone  off",  bottle  it. 

Delicate  Chicken  Pudding. 

POUND  all  the  white  meat  of  a chicken 
in  a mortar,  and  pass  it  through  a hair 
sieve:  boil,  in  the  mean  time,  a piece  of 
French  bread  the  size  of  a walnut  in  a 
little  milk;  adding  an  egg,  with  a little 
salt  and  nutmeg.  Then  mix  all  together, 
put  it  in  a tea-cup  or  small  bason,  and  tie 
it  down  with  a cloth  very  closely.  If  in 
a large  tea-cup,  it  will  take  twenty  minutes 
boiling. 

Elegant  and  unexpensive  Pudding. 

PUT  into  a pint  of  milk  a quarter  of  the 
rind  of  a lemon,  with  a bit  of  cinnamon, 
and  boil  them  ten  minutes.  Soak  the 
crumb  of  two  French  rolls  in  the  milk, 
till  soft  enough  to  rub  through  a sieve; 
and,  when  it  has  stood  till  quite  cold,  add- 
ing five  beaten  eggs,  a table-spoonful  of 
brandy,  and  sugar  to  palate,  put  it  into  a 
baking  dish.  Melt  a quarter  of  a pound 
of  butter,  mix  with  it  three  table-spoonfuls 
of  cream,  and  pour  it  over  the  pudding. 
The  oven  must  be  moderately  hot,  and  it 
will  require  half  an  hour’s  baking. 


Pickled  Eggs. 

This,  though  extremely  simple,  is  a very 
scarce  and  curious  receipt.  We  have 
never  been  able  to  find  the  method  of  pick- 
ling eggs,  after  all  our  researches,  in  any 
printed  book  whatever ; and  are  now  in- 
debted for  it  to  the  small  but  valuable 
manuscript  collection  of  a highly  respec- 
table family.  Pickled  eggs,  however,  seem 
to  have  had  much  celebrity;  for  there  is, 
near  Cold  Bath  Fields,  Clerkenwell,  a place 
called  Pickled  Egg  Walk,  and  in  it  a pub- 
lic house  still  bearing  the  sign  of  the  Pick- 
led  Egg,  where  they  are  said  to  have  been 
some  few  years  since  regularly  sold.  The 
following  is  the  process  by  which  eggs  are 
to  be  pickled — Boil  twelve  eggs  hard;  and, 
carefully  taking  off  the  shells,  put  the  eggs 
whole  into  a jar,  with  a dram  each  of 
cloves  and  mace,  a sliced  nutmeg,  a little 
w’hole  pepper,  some  ginger,  and  a bay 
leaf.  Pour  over  them  some  boiling  vine- 
gar, then  cover  them  closely ; and, when  they 
are  cold,  tie  over  them  a piece  of  leather 
or  bladder.  After  they  have  stood  two  or 
three  days,  pour  off  the  pickle,  boil  it 
again,  ami  return  it  boiling  hot  to  the  eggs 
and  spice.  They  will  be  fit  for  use  in  a 
fortnight. 

Mr.  Eton’s  Grand  Discovery  of  the  Ancient 
Art  of  Encaustic  Painting. 

We  have  been  favoured  with  the  follow- 
ing abstract  of  a manuscript  Dissertation, 
by  William  Eton,  Esq.  Author  of  the  Sur- 
vey of  the  Turkish  Empire,  containing  that 
gentleman’s  discovery  of  the  Ancient  En- 
caustic Painting,  as  still  practised  in  some 
parts  of  Greece.  Mr.  Eton  makes  many 
observations  on  the  writings  of  the  an- 
cients, relative  to  this  subject,  as  well  as 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


g.v» 

•X>  {; 


on  those  of  Count  Cal  us,  the  wax  soap  of 
Mr.  Bachelier,  the  Abbate  Requeno’s  me- 
thod, and  other  modern  authors;  all  of 
which,  however,  he  does  not  indiscriminately 
condemn.  He  says,  indeed,  that  many  of 
these  methods  are  practicable,  and  useful ; 
but  that  they  are  not  what  was  practised  by 
the  ancients,  nor  have  they  the  same  ad-, 
vantages.  To  Bachelier’s  method  he  ob- 
jects, that  it  is  difficult  to  keep  a colour 
of  the  same  tone  ; that  the  alkali  will  de- 
compose many  colours,  and  in  time  injure 
others  ; and  that  it  is  not  so  solid,  and  im- 
pervious to  moisture,  as  durable  painting 
ought  to  be:  but,  that  it  is  a very  eligible 
method  for  ornamental  paintings  on  walls; 
as  arabesques,  &.c.  where  no  great  value 
is  attached  to  the  artist’s  labours.  lie  ob- 
jects to  Abbate  Requeno’s  mixture  of  mas- 
tich  with  wax,  as  the  resin  becomes  vellowg 
and  he  affirms  that,  in  Rome,  he  actually 
saw  several  of  Requeno’s  paintings,  in  that 
artist’s  different  manners,  which  had  be- 
come very  yellow.  He  even  doubts  whether 
his  Dissertation  on  the  Natron  of  the  An- 
cients be  conclusive;  but  affirms,  that  it 
is  of  no  consequence  to  the  art  of  encaus- 
tic painting.  Punic  wax,  Mr.  Eton  is  of 
opinion,  is  the  same  wax  as  that  now 
brought  from  the  coast  of  Barbary.  It’s 
excellence  consists  in  it’s  superior  hard- 
ness, and  it’s  being  of  a pale  colour.  He 
advises  not  to  use  bleached  wax;  but  vir- 
gin wax,  which  has  never  been  stained  by 
the  bread  or  food  of  the  bees,  as  that  wax 
never  will  become  yellower:  for  dark  co- 
lours, he  finds  yellow  w?ax  equally  good. 
It  was  mixed  with  a little  oil,  Vitruvius 
says;  probably,  to  make  it  work  easier. 
Ludius  introduced,  among  the  Romans,  a 
new  method  of  painting;  which,  on  ac- 
count of  it’s  facility,  wras  generally  adopted 


on  canvas;  this  consisted  in  mixing  soaked 
glue  with wax,  by  melting,  and  adding  the 
colour.  This  mechanical  mixture,  for  no 
chemical  union  can  take  place  between 
these  substances,  was  reduced,  w hen  cold, 
to  powder,  and  used  as  water  colours;  it 
was  then  covered  with  wax,  to  which  heat 
wras  applied.  There  are  many  objections 
to  this  method.  Tire  imperfection,  or  de- 
fect, of  oil  painting,  chietly  is,  that  in  time 
oil  cracks  and  granulates;  by  which  the 
air  acts  on  the  colours,  and  the  oil  itself 
becomes  as  black  as  a cinder:  the  more 
oil,  therefore,  is  used  in  mixing  the  co- 
lours, the  more  the  painting  is  changed. 
The  advantage  of  wax  is,  that  it  never 
cracks  or  granulates;  that  it  eternally  ex- 
cludes the  air,  which  only  can  act  on  the 
smooth  surface;  and,  if  it  be  not  blacked, 
it  never  changes  colour.  We  are  not  to 
judge  of  wax,  by  the  change  of  colour  we 
see  in  puppets  made  of  wax,  and  old  wax 
candles;  in  these, there  are  many  mixtures 
and  adulterations.  The  objection  to  it 
is,  want  of  hardness;  but  the  Punic  wax 
is  not  affected  by  the  heat  of  Italy,  or  of 
Greece,  so  as  to  make  it  soft  enough  to 
be  liable  to  injury  without  rough  treat- 
ment ; and,  when  mixed  with  colours 
which  are  themselves  of  a hard  body,  the 
painting  becomes  very  hard,  and  as  little 
liable  to  injury  as  oil  paintings.  The  sur- 
face, too,  may  be  cleaned;  and  moist  situ- 
ations do  not  affect  wax  paintings.  The 
Romans  used  many  mineral  colours,  and 
some  of  compound  substances;  as  appears 
from  Vitruvius,  Pliny,  and  others:  with  . 
regard  to  some  of  which,  Mr.  Eton  doubts 
of  their  having  ever  been  cmivloyed  by  the 
Greeks;  though,  he  thinks,  pure  wax  will 
preserve  even  vegetable  colours  a lontr 
time.  He  quotes  a passage  from  Vitruvi- 
C u 


538 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


us;  where  that  famous  architect  says,  that 
a person  had  painted  the  outside  of  a 
building  with  minium — the  ancients  called 
cinnabar  by  this  name — and  that  it  was 
injured  by  the  weather.  It  was  new  paint- 
ed, and  covered  with  wax,  which  was  made 
to  penetrate  by  heat;  which  method,  he 
says,  is  what  the  Greeks  call  encaustic,  or 
burnt.  He  directs  that  the  Punic  wax  be 
mixed  with  a little  oil.  The  method  Mr. 
Eton  saw  practised  on  the  outside  of  a 
house,  at  the  Dardanelles,  by  a Greek,  in 
painting  a landscape  over  a door,  he  as- 
sures us  that  he  never  beheld  or  heard 
of  any  where  else;  the  Greeks  and  Arme- 
nians now  using  oil  paint  or  yolk  of  eggs, 
or  common  fresco.  He  describes  it  thus — 
The  white  was  composed  of  the  whitest 
marble,  ground  to  a very  fine  powder,  the 
veins  being  carefully  separated.  The  other 
colours,  were  common  mineral  colours. 

A ground  was  laid  with  wax  melted,  into 
which  was  stirred  marble  dust;  and,  with 
a warm  trowel,  spread  very  even,  and 
made  perfectly  smooth.  The  colours  were 
mixed  with  wax,  and  nut  oil,  rather  thick. 
He  observed,  that  the  painter  thinned 
some  of  them  with  petrolium  or  naptha, 
quite  colourless,  which  he  doubts  whether 
the  ancients  used;  though,  as  it  quickly 
evaporates,  he  sees  no  harm  in  using  it. 
When  the  painting  was  finished,  the  artist 
held,  at  a little  distance,  a chaffing  dish 
w ith  fire,  which  caused  the  colours  to  incor- 
porate with  the  wax  ground;  and,  as  soon 
as  it  was  cold,  the  whole  was  quite  hard 
and  beautiful.  He  retouched  several  places,  jj 
and  re-applied  the  chaffing  dish  of  fire.  ! 
He  then  gave  it  a gloss,  by  rubbing  it 
with  a cloth.  The  painter  said,  that  he 
sometimes  used,  for  a ground,  equal  quan- 
tities of  quick  lime,  made  from  the  finest 


i white  marble  and  ground  marble  powder, 

1 which  was  laid  on  in  the  manner  of  mor- 
: tar;  that,  after  ft  was  become  perfectly  hard, 
which  required  some  weeks,  virgin  wax  was 
laid  on  it  with  a brush,  and  fire  applied  to 
1 make  it  penetrate,  the  superfluous  wax  be- 
| ing  wiped  off  with  a cloth:  adding,  that  this 
was  the  best  ground.  The  painter,  though 
a very  bad  artist,  said  that  he  painted  por- 
traits on  canvas,  and  that  the  ground  was 
prepared  in  either  of  the  above  ways:  that 
he  often  used  common  oil  colours,  pre- 
pared in  bladders;  but,  that  he  avoided 
white  lead,  though  he  thought  it  could 
never  change  when  afterward  mixed  with 
wax.  As  soon  as  he  had  finished,  with 
common  oil  colours,  what  is  called  the 
first  sitting,  or  impastare,  he  applied  the 
fire;  which  immediately  caused  the  oil  to 
sink  into  the  wax,  and  the  wax  to  incor- 
porate with  the  colours,  without  in  the 
least  deranging  them  or  making  them  run. 
He  could  then  immediately  begin  painting 
over  the  face  again;  which  second  opera- 
tion being  terminated,  and  heat  applied, 
he  could  for  the  last  time  retouch  the  paint- 
ing, and  burn  it  in:  and  thus,  without  quit- 
ting his  work,  he  could  finish  a portrait  at 
one  sitting.  A very  great  advantage,  in- 
deed ; and  worthy  the  attention  of  our  por- 
trait painters,  and  others.  Whether  this 
last  method  of  using  oil  colours  will  stand 
the  test  of  time,  as  well  as  the  ancient  me- 
thod, may  be  doubted;  if  it  would,  we  have 
all  the  advantages  of  wax  and  of  oil  paint- 
ing united.  However,  there  can  be  no 
doubt,  that  the  colours  will  be  preserved 
by  this  mixture  of  them  with  the  wax 
ground,  much  better  than  in  common  oil 
painting.  Air.  Eton  thinks,  this  must  ap- 
pear obvious;  and,  therefore,  that  it  is  an 
important  discovery,  of  which  our  artists 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


539 


will  avail  themselves.  If  wax  paintings 
are  varnished,  to  preserve  them  from  smoke 
and  dust,  the  best  varnish  is  white  of  eggs* 
mixed  with  a little  sugar  and  some  water  in 
which  coloquintida  has  been  boiled,  which 
will  prevent  flies  staining  it.  This  may 
be  removed,  and  renewed,  at  pleasure.  It 

is,  indeed,  for  all  paintings,  much  the  best 
varnish;  all  others  injure  the  paintings,  and 
mastich  discolours  them  in  a very  short 
time.  Pliny  and  Vitruvius  have  given  us 
accounts  of  the  colours  used  in  their  days, 
many  of  which  are  objectionable  ; and  it 
seems,  in  fact,  very  doubtful,  whether  the 
Greeks  used  them;  though  such  colours, 
notwithstanding  their  imperfection,  if  used 
otherwise  than  with  wax,  may  still  have 
been  durable  when  well  incorporated  with 

it.  The  Greeks  may  have  used  some  white 
lead,  with  marble  powder  or  burnt  bones; 
but,  if  they  obtained  a white  sufficient^ 
good  from  marble,  which  never  changes, 
we  may  conclude,  Mr.  Eton  thinks,  safely, 
that  they  would  avoid  ceruse,  or  white 
lead.  At  present,  we  are  acquainted  with 
a white  that  never  changes,  even  by  the 
vapours  of  volatile  liver  of  sulphur;  viz. 
the  flowers  of  zinc;  which  only  it’s  dearness 
can  prevent  being  used  exclusively.  Mr. 
Eton,  we  believe,  means  to  publish  the 
whole  of  his  Dissertation  on  the  Encaustic 
Paintingofthe  Ancients;  which,  no  doubt) 
will  prove  acceptable  to  every  lover  of  the 
arts,  and  particularly  to  professional  artists. 
In  the  mean  time,  all  it’s  substantial  essence 
is  concentrated  in  the  foregoing  epitome, 
liberally  furnished  for  the  purpose  of  en- 
riching the  present  collection;  which  lias 
many  obligations  to  the  researches  of  that 
ingenious  gentleman,  more  particularly  in 
several  of  our  best  original  Russian,  Per- 
sian, an.l  Turkish  receipts. 


Genuine  Vegetable  Syrup. 

Many  different  popular  medicines  ha\e 
been  sold  under  the  denomination  of  ve- 
getable syrups,  with  the  names  of  parti- 
cular proprietors  or  inventors  prefixed, 
of  which  we  know  nothing  more  than  the 
advertised  reports  of  their  efficacy.  This 
receipt,  however,  for  preparing  genuine 
vegetable  syrup,  is  evidently  a most 'dis- 
interested communication.  AVe  give  it  as 
it  appeared  in  the  Cambridge  Chronicle, 
and  many  other  newspapers,  about  twenty 
years  since,  addressed  to  the  respective 
printers,  “ for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are 
afflicted  with  the  scurvy,”  and  signed  “ T. 
Huckings,  Free  School  Lane,  Cambridge;” 
whose  account  we  have  heard  confirmed  by 
very  respectable  authority,  that  of  the  late 
Reverend  Mr.  Alix.  The  inventor  thus 
describes  his  own  case  and  cure — “ Having, 
for  these  last  three  or  four  years,  been 
violently  afflicted  with  the  above  com- 
plaint, which  arose  to  such  a height  as  to 
make  my  life  almost  insupportable,  night 
or  day,  and  which  brought  on  eruptions 
all  over  my  back,  arms,  and  other  parts  of 
my  body,  attended  with  continual  itchings, 
burnings  in  my  feet,  heaviness,  and — 
though,  in  the  day  time,  an  inclination  to 
sleep — restless  nights  to  such  a degree  that 
I could  hardly  keep  my  bed,  induced  me 
to  endeavour  to  find  out  something  for  my 
relief.  At  last,  I prepared  the  following 
vegetable  syrup;  viz. — To  four  beer  quarts 
of  good  rich  sweet  wort,  add  half  a pound 
j of  sassafras;  an  ounce  of  sarsaparilla;  and 
' four  ounces  of  daucus  seed,  commonly 
j called  wild  carrot*  Boil  them  gently  over 
the  fire  for  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  fre- 
quently putting  the  ingredients  down  with 
a ladle;  then  strain  the  same  through  a 


540 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


cloth.  To  each  beer  quart  of  this  liquor, 
put  one  pound  and  a half  of  good  thick 
treacle.  Boil  thesame  gently  for  three  quar- 
tersof  an  hour,  scumming  it  all  thetime;  put 
it  into  a pan,  and  cover  it  till  cold,  then 
bottle  it  for  use.  Be  careful  not  to  cork 
it  too  tight.  The  dose  I took,  was  a mo- 
derate tea-cupful  in  the  morning  before 
I arose,  and  the  same  quantity  on  going 
to  bed  ; which  I continued,  till  I had  taken  ) 
nineteen  or  twenty  wine  bottles.  The  j 
above  did  no  more  than  keep  the  body  re-  i 
gularly  open.  The  effect  was  such,  that  j 
it  took  off  the  itchings,  cleansed  the  skin, 
eased  the  feet,  relieved  me  from  drowzi- 
ness  in  the  day  time,  and  brought  on  com- 
fortable nights.  It  made  me  active;  and 
I feel  myself,  as  it  were,  a new  man,  at 
the  age  of  nearly  sixty  years.  The  time 
of  my  taking  the  above  syrup,  was  in  Sep- 
tember, October,  and  part  of  November 
1787;  during  which  period,  I dkl  not  eat 
animal  food,  fish,  greens,  nor  high  sauces. 
My  drink  at  dinner  was  small  beer,  and 
about  a pint  of  mild  ale  afterwards.  If 
found  necessary,  increase  or  lessen  the 
dose.  Should  any  person  find  the  above 
not  sufficient  to  keep  the  body  regularly 
open,  to  a bottle  of  the  syrup  add  half  an 
ounce  of  senna;  which  boil  up  in  a sauce- 
pan, and  take  a tea-cupful  occasionally.” 
Air.  Huckings  adds — “ As  no  radical  cure 
can  be  expected  in  those  advanced  in  life, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  take  a quantity  every 
spring  and  autumn.  The  wild  carrot  is 
to  be  gathered  in  September  and  October. 
Sassafras  and  sarsaparilla  may  be  had  of 
any  druggist  or  chemist.” 

Curious  Ginger  Drops  or  Catnip. 

Powder  and  sift  half  a pound  of  loaf  ! 
sugar,  a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  ginger,  [ 


and  a dram  each  of  cloves  and  cinnamon  ;, 
then  put  to  the  fine  mixed  powder  two 
table-spoonfuls  of  boiling  water,  stir  thc- 
whole  well  together,  and  boil  it  very  gently 
over  a slow  fire  till  it  becomes  of  a candy 
height.  Pour  it  on  a buttered  tin;  and, 
when  it  begins  to  harden,  cut  it  in  small 
squares.  Let  them  stand  at  a distance  from 
the  fire  till  they  get  hard,  and  keep  them 
in  a box  lined  with  paper. 

Honey  Comb  Cream. 

Squeeze  the  juice  of  three  lemons, 
grating  the  rinds  of  two  or  more  ; and  add 
half  a pound  of  powdered  and  sifted  loaf 
sugar,  with  a pint  of  white  wine.  Mix  all 
well  together;  and,  after  making  a pint  of 
cream  scalding  but  not  boiling  hot,  pour 
it  as  high  as  possible,  out  of  a pitcher,  on 
the  above  ingredients  in  a glass  bowl.  It 
must  be  made  the  night  before  it  will  be 
wanted;  takiugcare  not  to  stir  it  after  the 
cream  is  poured  in,  as  it  rises  in  small  bub- 
bles and  looks  like  honey  comb.  The 
higher  it  is  poured,  the  better  it  looks. 

Lemon  Cream,  -without  Cream  or  Milk. 

Add,  to  a pint  and  a quarter  of  water, 
the  juice  of  nine  lemons;  sw'eeten  it  to 
palate;  put  it  on  the  five  till  new  milk 
warm;  and,  when  almost  cold,  add  the 
whites  of  nine  and  the  yolks  of  six  eggs, 
well  beat  and  strained.  Set  it  on  a slow 
fire;  and  stir  it  all  the  time,  to  prevent 
curdling.  When  it  is  hot,  put  in  the  rind 
of  a lemon;  which,  how'ever,  must  not 
boil.  Take  out  the  rind,  and  pour  the 
lemon  cream  into  cups  or  glasses. 

Moonshine  Eggs. 

Butter  scallop  shells,  and  break  into 
each  two  eggs;  cover  them  over,  as  in 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


541 


scalloped  oysters,  with  a mixture  of  crumbs 
of  bread,  pepper,  salt,  and  a bit  of  butter, 
some  add  a little  nutmeg.  Set  them  on  a 
gridiron  till  they  are  thoroughly  hot,  then 
brown  them  with  a salamander. 

Syracuse  Wine. 

Pur  forty  pounds  of  honey  to  twelve 
gallons  of  water;  boil  it  two  hours,  taking 
oil’ the  scum  as  it  rises.  Tun  it  up  before 
it  is  cold,  with  the  peel  of  twenty-four  ! 
Seville  oranges  not  thinly  pared.  Let  it  i 
stand  three  or  four  days,  then  bung  it  up. 
This  quantity  will  fill  a twelve-gallon  cask. 

It  must  not  be  tapped  till  it  has  stood  a 
year. 

Tunbridge  Wells  Cakes. 

THESE  cakes  are  composed  of  two  quarts 
of  fine  flour,  half  a pound  each  of  fresh 
butter  and  powdered  loaf  sugar,  three 
yolks  of  eggs,  an  ounce  of  carraway  seeds, 
and  sufficient  new  milk  made  warm  to  wet  ; 
the  whole  so  that  it  may  form  a stiff  paste. 

Best  Walnut  Ketchup. 

Stamp  half  a hundred  of  green  walnuts,  i 
and  put  to  them  a pint  of  white  wine  vine-  j 
gar.  After  it  has  stood  eight  days,  strain  1 
it  off;  and  put  to  the  liquor  a handful  of 
salt,  a quarter  of  an  ounce  each  of  mace  , 
and  sliced  nutmeg,  and  five  cloves.  Boil 
it  for  a quarter  of  an  hour,  let  it  stand  till  ! 
cold,  bottle  it,  and  keep  it  close  stopped 
twelve  months  before  it  is  used. 

Scalded  Oranges. 

\ 

Pare  five  China  oranges  very  thin,  and  ; 
put  them  into  cold  water  for  two  or  three 
days,  changing  the  water  once  every  day.  I 
Then  lay  them  single  in  line  cloths,  and 
boil  them  in  spring  water  gently,  as  for 


preserving,  about  three  hours.  On  tak- 
ing them  out  of  the  cloths,  put  them  into 
cold  water;  changing  it  if  it  should  get 
hot.  They  must  remain  till  cold  in  the 
water;  then  cut  them  through  the  middle, 
pick  out  all  the  pips,  and  lay  them  with 
the  cut  side  uppermost  on  a china  dish. 
Having  ready  a pound  of  finely  beaten 
loaf  sugar,  strew  it  plentifully  over  them; 
and,  as  the  sugar  melts,  add  more,  for  two 
or  three  days,  till  they  seem  clear.  Then 
take  away  some  of  the  syrup,  and  boil  it 
up  with  the  juice  of  two  more  oranges, 
three  lemons,  and  half  a pound  more  sugar. 
Scum  it  very  clear,  and  put  in  the  oranges 
one  by  one.  Scald  them  till  the  sugar  con- 
gealed on  them  is  melted,  but  they  must 
.by  no  means  boil;  then,  taking  them 
out,  lay  them  in  a pot,  strain  the  syrup 
through  a fine  sieve,  cover  them  well  with 
it,  and  keep  them  in  the  same  manner  as 
other  wet  preserved  sweetmeats. 

Stewed  Cucumbers. 

Put  a piece  of  butter  about  the  size  of 
a large  walnut  into  a saucepan,  and  melt 
it  over  the*  fire;  then  slice  into  it  a whole 
onion,  with  two  cucumbers  and  their  liquor, 
a little  pepper,  and  some  salt.  Let  them 
stew  gently,  over  a slow  fire,  till  they  are 
brown;  stirring  them  often,  to  prevent 
their  burning  to  the  saucepan.  When 
they  are  enough  done,  put  to  them  a table- 
spoonful of  water,  with  a very  little  flour, 
warm  them  a little  together  over  the  fire, 
and  serve  them  up  in  a sauce  tureen. 

Imperial  German  Puffs. 

Beat  a handful  of  blanched  almonds 
in  a mortar,  with  two  table-spoonfuls  of 
orange-flow'er  w'ater.  Beat  up  five  eggs, 
leaving  out  two  of  the  whites;  and  mix 
6 X 


542 


“FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  whole  with  two  table  spoonfuls  of  flour,  J 
a pint  of  cream,  a quarter  of  a pound  of  j 
melted  butter,  and  sugar  to  palate.  But- 
ter custard  cups,  fill  them  not  more  than 
half,  and  bake  them.  They  are  eaten  hot, 
with  melted  butter,  white  wine,  and  sugar. 

Wood  Strawberry  Brandy,  for  the  Static 
and  Gravel. 

Tor  timid  persons,  afflicted  with  these 
terrible  complaints,  it  may  be  some  satis- 
faction to  learn  that  this  agreeable  cor- 
dial is  considered  as  a very  efficacious  re- 
medy in  many  respectable  families.  It  is 
made  as  follows — Fill  a large  bottle  four  ‘ 
parts  in  five  with  fresh  gathered  wood 
strawberries,  adding  as  much  Lisbon  or  i 
loaf  sugar  as  will  make  it  pleasant : then 
fill  up  with  the  best  brandy ; or,  if  good 
rum  be  easier  obtained,  that  will  do  equal-  j 
ly  well.  When  it  has  stood  six  weeks, 
it  is  ready  for  use.  A glass  of  this  cordial, 
it  is  said,  will  give  immediate  ease  in  the 
severest  fit,  and  a continuance  entirely 
cure  the  patient.  Pour  off  the  first  in- 
fusion at  the  expiration  of  six  weeks,  and 
the  same  strawberries  will  make  a second 
quantity  ; the  bottle  being  filled  up  with 
brandy  or  rum,  suffered  to  stand  two 
months,  and  then  strained  off  by  pressure 
of  the  fruit. 

West- India  Remedy  for  the  Gout. 

Mix  two  ounces  of  very  finely  pounded 
gum  guiaeum,  with  three  quarts  of  the  best 
rum,  in  a glass  vessel,  stirring  and  shaking 
it  from  time  to  time.  When  it  has  re- 
mained seven  or  eight  days  in  a proper 
exposition  to  the  sun — but,  in  England,  at 
least  ten  days — distil  the  liquor  through 
cotton  or  strong  blotting  paper,  and  bottle 
the  whole,  corking  it  up  tight.  The  more 


is  made  of  it  the  better,  as  it  improves  by 
keeping.  The  dose  is  a table-spoonful 
every  morning  fasting.  Be  careful  to  cork 
the  bottles  as  closely  as  possible;  but  not 
to  fill  them  quite  full,  lest  the  fermentation 
of  the  liquor  should  cause  the  vessel  to 
burst.  This  medicine  must  by  no  means 
be  made  with  brandy,  or  any  other  spirit 
than  good  genuine  rum. 

Forced  Eggs. 

Boil  eight  eggs  hard,  and  cut  them  in 
halves  the  long  way;  then  take  out  the 
yolks,  and  bray  or  bruise  them  fine,  with 
a little  parsley,  nutmeg,  pepper,  and  salt, 
and  about  an  ounce  of  butter.  Stir  them, 
over  the  fire  till  the  butter  is  melted,  and 
well  mixed  with  the  eggs;  then  fill  the 
whites,  and  brown  t he  top  with  a sala- 
mander or  other  hot  iron.  The  parsley 
is  not  to  be  boiled,  but  must  be  chopped 
very  fine.  Serve  them  up  with  a fricasee 
sauce;  and,  if  preferred,  onions  or  shallots 
may  be  substituted  for  parsley. 

Excellent  Worm  Powder. 

It  is  generally  thought,  that  few  chil- 
dren are  entirely  free  from  worms;  but, 
as  the  remedies  are  mostly  violent,  and 
some  of  them  even  dangerous,  a cure  is 
seldom  attempted  till  the  disease  lias  made 
considerable  progress.  By  the  use  of  the 
following  powder,  if  timely  taken,  they 
may  possibly  be  entirely  destroyed,  while 
the  ingredients  are  all  of  such  a nature,, 
that  no  possible  evil  can  arise  from  a very 
free  use  of  them,  even  where  there  is  only 
a suspicion  that  there  are  worms — Take  a 
quarter  of  an  ounce  each  of  rhubarb,  u'orm- 
seed,  senna,  and  burnt  hartshorn,  all  finely 
powdered  and  thoroughly  mi-xed  together. 
The  dose,  for  a child  ten  or  twelve  years 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 

of  age,  is  as  much  of  this  powder  as  will 


lay  on  a shilling;  to  be  taken  in  treacle, 
or  any  liquid,  either  the  last  thing  at  night, 
or  the  first  in  the  morning,  for  three  nights 
or  mornings  successively.  Though  this 
will  often  prove  sufficient;  it  may  safely 
be  repeated,  whenever  there  seems  the 
smallest  necessity. 

Infallible  Cure  for  the  Gripes  in  Horses 
and  Horned  Cattle. 

On  perceiving  the  first  symptoms  of  the 
gripes,  in  a horse,  ox,  cow,  &c.  fold  a large 
sack,  tilt  cloth,  or  coarse  sheet,  in  four, 
and  let  it  remain  some  time  in  boiling  wa- 
ter; then,  conveying  the  vessel  to  the  stable, 
&c.  clap  the  hot  cloth  or  sack  on  the  animal’s  j 
loins,  covering  it  over  with  a warm  blanket.  I 
The  animal  must  be  kept  in  a close  place,  j 
free  from  any  admission  of  cold  air.  The  j 
pain  is  usually  removed  in  less  than  eight 
minutes;  and  the  cure  is  certain  of  being 
com  pleated, ‘when"  the  animal  stales  soon 
after  the  application. 

East]  Method  of  presei'ving  Fish  fresh  for  a 
Dai/  or  Two. 

Boil  together  three  quarts  of  water,  and 
a pint  of  vinegar ; in  which  put  the  fish, 
and  just  scald  it,  never  longer  than  for  two 
minutes.  Afterward  hang  it  up  in  a cool 
place,  and  it  will  dress  quite  as  well  as  if 
fresh  caught. 

Art  of  dressing  Tench  without  breaking 
the  Skin. 

Tuts  simple  secret,  to  prevent  breaking 
the  tender  skin  of  the  tench,  is  known  by 
very  few  cooks;  it  is,  however,  merely  as 
fbllows — Put  the  tench  into  boiling  fat, 
and  just  turn  them  in  the  pan:  then,  tak- 
ing them  out,  lay  them  in  a cloth;  and,  af- 


543 

terward,  placing  them  in  boiling  water, 
let  them  remain  till  they  are  enough. 
The  fat  should  always  actually  boil  before 
any  sort  of  fish  is  fried  in  it  : that  it  docs 
so,  is  easily  ascertained,  by  trying  it  with 
a piece  of  white  paper  or  a silver  -spoon  ; 
for,  if  either  the  paper  or  the  spoon  be  dry 
when  it  comes  out,  the  fat  boils. 

Plum  Buns. 

Take  a pound  and  a half  of  flour;  half 
a pound  of  butter,  rubbed  in  very  flue; 
half  a pint  of  milk ; three  eggs,  leaving 
out  the  whites;  two  table-spoonfuls  of 
yeast,  very  well  watered  to  take  off  the 
bitterness;  and,  a little. mace  and  nutmeg. 
Mix  all  these  together,  and  beat  them  up 
well  with  a spoon;  then  let  the  wdiole  stand 
an  hour  and  a half  before  the  fire  to  rise. 
Put  in  as  many  currants  as  may  be  agree- 
able, make  it  up  into  small  buns,  and  put 
them  on  tin  sheets.  Wash  the  buns  over 
the  top  with  turn  whites  of  eggs  beat  up 
with  a piece  of  melted  butter  the  size  of 
a nutmeg,  and  bake  them  about  twenty 
minutes. 

Potatoe  Cakes. 

Rub,  while  warm,  a pound  of  potatoes 
well  boiled  into  two  pounds  of  flour,  add- 
ing a little  butter.  When  the  w hole  is  in- 
corporated, wet  it  with  milk,  in  which  is 
mixed  two  or  three  table  spoonfuls  of  new 
yeast.  Then,  setting  it  before  the  fire  to 
rise  for  about  an  hour,  roll  it  into  thin 
small  cakes,  and  bake  them  in  a slack  oven. 

Sheep’s  Trotter  Jelly,  for  Infants,  8$c. 

Boil  four  sheep’s  feet,  or  trotters,  in  a 
pint  and  a half  of  water,  till  reduced  to 
three  quarters  of  a pint.  One  table-spoon- 
ful of  this  jelly  should  be  given  in  the 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


544 

twenty-four  hours  ; and,  if  it  agree  with 
the  child,  the  quantity  may  be  increased. 

It  may  be  given  mixed  with  milk. 

Composition  for  preserving  Gates,  Sgc. 

Melt  twelve  ounces  of  resin  in  an  iron 
pot ; adding  three  gallons  of  train  oil,  and  : 
three  or  four  rolls  of  brimstone.  When  the 
resin  and  brimstone  are  melted,  and  be- 
come thin,  add  as  much  Spanish  brown, 
yellow  ochre,  or  any  other  colour  wanted, 
ground  fine,  as  usual,  with  oil;  then  lay 
it  on,  with  a brush,  as  hot  and  as  thin  as 
possible.  Some  days  after  the  first  coat 
is  become  dry,  give  it  a second  in  like 
manner.  It  is  well  attested,  that  this  will 
preserve  plank  for  ages,  and  even  prevent 
the  weather  from  driving  through  brick 
work. 

French  Method  of  purifying  Rancid  or 
Tainted  Butter. 

Let  the  butter  be  melted  and  scummed, 
as  for  clarifying;  then  put  into  it  a piece 
of  bread  well  toasted  all  over.  In  a mi- 
nute or  two,  the  butter  will  lose  it’s  offen- 
sive taste  and  smell,  but  the  bread  will  be- 
' come  perfectly  fetid.  This  simple  receipt 
was,  in  France,  thought  of  such  conse- 
quence, as  to  be  advertised,  at  the  public 
expence;  particularly,  in  the  town  and 
neighbourhood  of  Caen,  July  1786. 

Scurvy  Grass  Me. 

Take  four  ounces  of  senna,  an  ounce 
and  a half  of  polipody  of  the  oak,  two 
ounces  and  a half  of  cassia  or  winter  cin- 
namon, three  quarters  of  an  ounce  of  rhu- 
barb, an  ounce  and  a half  each  of  bay  ber- 
ries and  anise  seeds,  an  ounce  each  of  ju- 
niper berries  and  fennel  seeds,  an  ounce 
and  a half  each  of  liquorice  and  horse  ra- 


dish, and  half  a dozen  Seville  oranges, 
j Cut  the  oranges  m pieces;  and,  putting 
all  the  ingredients  into  a bag,  with  a large 
j stone,  sink  it  in  three  gallons  of  new  ale. 

1 hen,  taking  a pint  and  a half  of  the  juice 
ol  garden  scurvy  grass,  set  it  over  the  fire; 
clarify  it,  by  scumming;  and,  when  it  has 
stood  till  cold,  put  it  into  the  ale,  and  let 
it  stand  to  work  all  together  for  a day  and 
night.  Stop  up  the  vessel  close;  and,  af- 
ter six  days,  drink  a pint  of  it  warm  every 
morning  fasting.  When  the  cask  is  out, 
put  in  the  same  quantity  of  scurvy  grass 
J juice,  and  as  many  oranges  as  before,  fill- 
ing it  again  up  with  ale.  This  may  even 
be  done  the  third  time  with  very  good  ef- 
fect. 

English  Tokay. 

Pick  perfectly  ripe  but  unbruised  grapes 
clean  from  the  stalks,  break  them  with  the 
hands,  press  them,  and  pass  them  through 
a hair  sieve  into  a pan  or  tub.  Put  to 
every  gallon  four  pounds  of  B<4  ider 
sins  well  picked  and  chopped  small.  I 1 
the  whole  stand  twelve  days,  stirring  u 
twice  every  day;  after  which,  strain  the 
liquor  from  the  raisins,  put  it  into  the  cask, 
stop  it  close  in  three  days,  let  it  stand  about 
eight  months,  and  then  bottle  it  off'.  It 
must,  however,  not  be  bottled  uidess  it 
appear  perfectly  fine. 

Indian  Fricasce  of  Chickens  with  Curry. 

Cut  two  chickens  in  the  usual  manner 
for  a fricasee;  and,  having  washed  them 
clean,  put  them  into  a stewpan  with  as 
much  water  as  will  cover  them,  and  a table- 
spoonful of  salt.  Keep  them  covered  as 
much  as  possible,  consistently  with  their 
being  well  skimmed;  and,  when  they  are 
enough  boiled,  take  them  up,  and  pour 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  liquid  into  a pan.  Then  brown  a little 
half  a pound  of  fresh  butter;  to  which  add 
two  cloves  of  garlic,  and  an  onion  sliced. 
Let  these  fry  together  till  they  are  brown, 
often  shaking  the  pan  ; and  then,  putting 
in  the  chickens,  sprinkle  over  them  two  or 
three  table-spoonfuls  of  curry  powder. 
Cover  the  pan  close,  and  let  the  chickens 
remain  till  they  also  brown;  then  add  the 
liquor  in  which  they  were  boiled,  with  or 
without  the  juice  of  a Seville  orange  or 
lemon,  and  let  all  stew  till  tender.  Rice, 
dressed  in  the  following  manner,  should 
be  served  up  with  the  curry,  in  a separate 
dish — Wash  half  a pound  of  rice  clean, 
in  salt  and  water  ; then,  putting  it  into 
two  quarts  of  boiling  water,  let  it  boil 
quick  for  twenty  minutes,  strain  it  through 
a colander,  and  serve  it  up  in  a dish,  with- 
out touching  it  with  the  fingers  or  a spoon. 
Beef,  veal,  mutton,  rabbits,  &c.  may  be 
curried  and  sent  to  table,  with  or  without 
the  dish  of  rice;  but,  in  India,  the  rice  is 
scarcely  ever  omitted. 

Veal  and  Vermicelli  Soup. 

Boil  a knuckle  of  veal,  with  mace,  pep- 
per, onion,  and  a little  salt,  to  a strong- 
broth;  and,  skimming  it  very  clean,  let  it 
stand  till  next  day.  Then  put  in  two  ounces 
of  vermicelli ; and,  after  it  has  boiled  for 
about  a quarter  of  an  hour,  add  part  of 
half  a pint  of  cream,  and  immediately  well 
beat  up  two  yolks  of  eggs  with  the  remain- 
der of  the  cream,  and  just  boil  the  wdiole 
together,  keeping  it  well  stirred  till  it  is 
served  up.  Put  in  rasped  French  roll, 
time  enough  to  have  it  mix  with  the 
soup.  A piece  of  butter,  rolled  up  in 
flour,  may  be  substituted  for  the  yolks  of 
eggs,  without  detriment.  Semolina,  or  even 
rice,  may  be  used  instead  of  vermicelli. 


54.) 

Best  Spungc  Cake. 

Boil,  three  quarters  of  a pound  of  loaf 
sugar  in  a quarter  of  a pint  of  water; 
and,  having  ready  the  beaten  yolks  of 
seven  eggs  with  five  whites,  pour  them  in- 
to the  sugar  and  water,  whisking  them 
well  ail  the  time  with  a proper  whisk,  and 
so  continuing  to  do  for  an  hour.  Then 
strew  in  half  a pound  of  flour  that  has  been 
well  dried  at  the  fire;  which  must  be  stir- 
red in,  not  beat  with  the  whisk:  and,  add- 
ing some  finely  shred  lemon  peel,  put  it 
into  the  baking  pan;  which  must  not  be 
buttered,  but  covered  with  writing  paper. 

Morel  Sauce , for  Fish,  &;c. 

Wash  six  morels,  and  boil  them  half 
an  hour,  then  cut  them  in  pieces,  put  to 
them  a table-spoonful  each  of  mushroom 
ketchup  and  white  wine,  and  thicken  it 
up  with  mixed  butter  and  flour. 

Bologna  Soup . 

Bind  close,  wdth  packthread,  fifteen 
pounds  of  brisket  of  beef,  and  put  it  into 
a pot  with  water  sufficient  to  cover  it; 
then  add  three  large  carrots,  four  onions, 
a bunch  of  sweet  herbs,  some  French  tur- 
nips or  best  common  turnips,  and  half  a 
white  cabbage  sliced  and  fried  of  a light 
brown  colour  with  good  butter.  The  pot 
must  be  well  scummed  before  the  herbs 
are  put  in.  It  must  boil  very  slowly  for 
five  or  six  hours;  and,  when  half  boiled, 
have  three  or  four  pounds  of  loin  of  mut- 
ton, with  all  the  fat  taken  off,  put  into  the 
pot.  To  give  a flavour  to  the  soup,  throw 
in  a head  of  celery,  with  some  whole  pep^ 
per;  and,  to  make  it  of  a good  colour, 
draw  the  gravy  from  a pound  of  lean  beef 
over  a slow  fire,  and  put  a ladleful  to  the 
6 Y 


546  FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


soup,  first  carefully  taking  off  all  the  fat. 
Having  cut  and  dried  the  crust  of  a French 
roll,  lay  it  in  a stewpan,  with  a little  soup; 
and,  after  stewing  it  over  a slow  fire,  place 
it  with  a slice  in  the  soup  tureen,  to  pre- 
vent it’s  breaking.  The  beef  must  be  un- 
tied, and  served  up  with  some  chopped 
parsley  strewed  over  it;  and  accompanied 
by  a sauce  made  with  good  gravy,  a few  ca- 
pers, and  some  carrots  chopped  fine,  thick- 
ened with  the  yolk  of  an  egg.  The  soup, 
before  serving  up,  must  of  course  be  sea- 
soned to  palate. 

Primrose  Vinegar. 

Boil  six  pounds  of  moist  sugar  in  fif- 
teen quarts  of  water,  for  ten  minutes,  care- 
fully taking  off  the  scum:  then  pour  it  on 
half  a peck  of  primroses;  and,  before  it  gets 
quite  cold,  add  a little  new  yeast.  When 
it  has  fermented,  in  a warm  place,  all  night, 
put  it  into  a barrel,  and  keep  it  in  the  kit- 
chen till  it  has  done  working;  then  close  the 
barrel,  still  keeping  it  in  a warm  situation. 

Sugar  JVinc. 

This  is  a very  cheap  and  curious  British 
wine,  with  much  of  the  foreign  flavour. 
It  is  called  sugar  wine,  merely  because 
sugar  is  the  chief,  for  it  is  not  by  any 
means  the  sole  ingredient ; this  being  liter- 
ally a made  wine,  prepared  in  the  following 
manner — To  six  gallons  of  water,  put  eigh- 
teen pounds  of  sugar:  boil  it,  and  scum 
it ; and,  w hen  cold,  add  three  quarts  of 
new  ale  wort  hopped  and  fermented  ready 
for  tunning,  one  pound  of  sun  raisins  stoned, 
one  pound  of  sugar  candy,  one  pint  of 
brandy,  and  a little  isinglass.  Put  it  into 
the  cask;  and,  after  a day  or  two,  close  it 
up.  Let  it  stand  ten  or  twelve  months 
before  it  is  bottled. 


Simple  Methods  of  Purifying  Fish  Oil. 

To  a hundred  parts  of  oil,  add  one  part 
of  sulphuric  acid  and  six  parts  of  water. 
Agitate  them  welktogether  for  some  length 
of  time,  let  them  stand  to  separate,  and  de- 
cant the  oil:  addasmall  portion  of  pulveriz- 
ed quick  lime  to  the  decanted  oil,  again 
agitate  the  mixture,  let  it  settle,  and  decant 
the  clear.  Or,  mixing  one  part  wheat  flour, 
with  ten  parts  water,  add  them  to  a hun- 
dred parts  of  oil;  strongly  agitate  the  mix- 
ture; heat  it  slowly  on  the  fire  to  just  the 
boiling  heat  of  wTater,  which  is  about  two 
hundred  and  twelve;  and,  taking  the  mix- 
ture from  the  fire,  let  it  stand  to  settle. 

Dr.  Taylor's  Cheap  and  Efficacious  Method 
of  Destroying  Rats. 

This  ingenious  method  of  destroying 
rats  was  originally  communicated  to  the 
Manchester  Agricultural  Society,  by  Mr. 
Charles  Taylor,  now  Dr.  Taylor,  Secretary 
to  the  Society  for  the  Encouragement  of 
Arts,  Manufactures,  and  Commerce,  in  the 
Adel  phi.  It  is  thus  described' — In  or  near 
the  place  frequented  by  these  vermin, 
place  on  a slate  or  tile  one  or  two  table- 
spoonfuls of  dry  oatmeal.  Lay  it  thin,  and 
press  it  flat,  more  easily  to  ascertain  what 
is  taken  away.  As  the  rats,  if  not  inter- 
rupted, will  come  regularly  there  to  feed, 
continue  to  supply  them  with  fresh  oat- 
meal for  two  or  three  days;  and  then,  well 
mixing,  in  about  six  table-spoonfuls  of 
dry  oatmeal,  three  drops  only  of  oil  of  an- 
niseeds,  feed  them  with  this  for  two  or 
three  days  more.  Afterward,  for  one  day, 
give  them  only  half  the  quantity  of  this 
scented  oatmeal  which  they  have  before 
actually  eaten;  and,  next  day,  place  the 
following  mixture — To  four  ounces  of  dry 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


oatmeal,  scented  with  six  drops  of  oil  of 
anniseeds,  add  half  an  ounce  of  carbonated 
barytes,  previously  pounded  very  fine  in 
a mortar,  and  sifted  through  a little  fine 
muslin  or  cambric.  Mix  this  intimately 
with  the  scented  oatmeal ; and,  laying  it 
on  the  tile  or  slate,  allow  the  rats  to  eat  it, 
without  the  smallest  interruption,  for  twen- 
ty-four hours.  A few  hours  after  eating 
any  of  it,  they  will  frequently  be  seen 
running  about,  as  if  drunk,  or  paralytic; 
but  they  generally,  at  last,  retire  to  their 
haunts,  and  die.  As  rats  are  extremely 
sagacious,  it  may  be  proper,  when  they 
have,  during  the  twenty-four  hours,  eaten 
only  a small  portion,  to  leave  the  remain- 
der of  the  mixture  twenty-four  hours 
longer;  after  which  it  will  be  best  to  burn 
what  is  left,  a fresh  mixture  being  pre- 
pared at  so  trifling  an  expence  when  want- 
ed. The  doors  of  the  place  where  this  mix- 
ture is  exposed  to  the  rats  should  be  kept 
closed ; as  well  to  prevent  their  being 
disturbed,  as  to  obviate  the  possibility  of 
accidents  to  children  or  domestic  animals: 
for,  though  it  be  not  so  extremely  dan- 
gerous as  the  preparations  commonly  em- 
ployed for  killing  rats,  and  is  even  used 
in  medicine,  it  proves  fatal,  if  improperly 
taken,  unless  timely  counteracted  by  eme- 
tics. The  oil  of  anniseeds,  though  it  ren- 
ders the  mixture  disagreeable  to  dogs,  and 
many  other  animals,  is  alluring,  when  used 
in  small  quantities,  to  rats,  i he  carbo- 
nated barytes.  Dr.  Taylor  adds,  may  be 
procured  in  large  quantities  at  the  lead 
mines  belonging  to  Sir  Frank  Standish, 
Bart,  at  Anglezark,  near  Chorley,  in  Lan- 
cashire: the  proper  sort  is  tastleless,  semi- 
transparent, and  effervesces  with  acids ; it 
is  moderately  hard,  and  striated.  It  is  fre- 
quently called  aerated  barytes — terra  pon- 


547 

derosa  aerata — and,  sometimes,  by  the 
miners,  ponderous  spar. 

Dr.  Taylor’s  Easy  Method  of  ascertaining  the 

Qualities  of  Marie,  Lime  Stones,  or  Quick 

Lime,  for  the  Purposes  of  Agriculture. 

This,  like  the  preceding  article,  was  a 
communication  by  Dr.  Taylor  to  the  Man- 
chester Agricultural  Society:  the  general 
use  of  marie  and  lime,  as  manures,  having 
prompted  the  liberal  and  learned  doc- 
tor to  point  out  the  importance  of  an  easy 
and  certain  method  of  determining  the 
qualities  of  different  earths  and  stones, 
and  ascertaining  the  quantity  of  calcareous 
earth  in  their  composition;  their  value,  in 
agriculture,  commonly  increasing  in  pro- 
portion to  the  greater  quantity  of  it  which 
they  contain.  The  process  recommended 
is  thus  described — The  marie  or  stone  be- 
ing dried,  and  reduced  to  powder,  put 
half  an  ounce  of  it  into  a half  pint  glass, 
pouring  in  clear  water  till  the  glass  is  half 
full ; then  gradually  add  a small  quantity 
of  strong  marine  acid,  commonly  called 
spirit  of  salt,  and  stir  the  mixture  well  to- 
gether. As  soon  as  the  effervescence  thus 
excited  subsides,  add  a little  more  marine 
acid:  thus  continuing  the  operation,  while 
any  of  the  earthy  matter  appears  to  dis- 
solve; and  till  the  liquor,  after  being  well 
stirred  and  allowed  to  stand  for  half  an 
hour,  appears  sensibly  acid  to  the  taste. 
When  the  mixture  has  subsided,  if  the  li- 
quor above  it  be  colourless,  that  marie  or 
limestone  is  the  best  which  leaves  the  least 
in  quantity  of  sediment  or  deposit  at  the 
bottom  of  the  glass.  This  experiment  is 
sufficient  to  determine  which  of  the  sam- 
ples tried  is  most  proper  for  the  uses  of 
agriculture;  as  pure  calcareous  earth  or 
lime,  which  is  the  earth  useful  in  agricul- 


MS 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ture,  will  be  entirely  dissolved,  bat  clay 
or  sand  will  not  be  sensibly  acted  on  by 
the  acid.  'Where  great  accuracy  is  re- 
quired in  determining  the  experiment,  lay 
a soft  spongy  paper,  of  which  the  weight 
is  exactly  taken,  in  an  earthen  colander — 
for  no  metallic  vessel,  or  implement  for  1 
stirring,  &c.  must  be  used  in  any  part  of  j 
the  process — and,  pouring  the  saturated 
mixture  of  earth  and  acid  on  it,  let  all  the 
liquor  filtre  through;  then  pour  a little 
clearwater  over  the  earthy  matter  remain- 
ing on  the  filtre ; and,  when  that  water 
has  also  filtered  through,  dry  the  paper 
with  the  earthy  matter  on  it  which  remains 
undissolved,  when  the  deficiency  found,  on 
weighing  them,  from  their  original  weight, 
will  discover  what  portion  of  the  marie  or 
lime  has  been  dissolved  in  the  acid.  What 
quantity  of  earthy  matter  has  been  dis-  i 
solved,  may  be  made  evident  to  the  sight, 
by  gradually  adding,  to  the  liquor  which  I 
has  been  filtered  through  the  paper,  a clear 
solution  of  pearl  ashes,  or  ashes  of  burnt  j 
wood;  this  will  occasion  a precipitation  of  | 
the  contained  lime  or  calcareous  earth  to 
the  bottom  of  the  vessel,  which  precipitate 
must  be  dried  and  weighed. 

Lancashire  Manner  of  making  Salt  with 
Sea  Sand. 

In  summer,  when  the  weather  is  dry, 
they  skim  or  pare  off  the  upper  part  of 
the  sand  in  those  flats  and  washes  which 
are  covered  at  full  sea  but  bare  when  the 
tide  is  out,  and  lay  it  up  in  great  heaps. 
This  sand  they  put  into  troughs  having 
holes  at  their  bottom,  and  pour  on  water, 
in  the  same  manner  as  laundresses  prepare 
their  ley  or  lixivium  with  wood  ashes; 
which  water,  draining  through  the  sand, 
carries  the  salt  therein  contained  down 


with  it,  into  vessels  placed  beneath  for  it’s 
reception.  While  this  liquor  is  strong 
enough  to  bear  an  egg,  they  continue  pour- 
ing on  more  water;  but,  as  soon  as  the 
egg  begins  to  sink,  they  throw  out  the  sand, 
and  put  in  more  from  the  heap.  The  wa- 
ter thus  impregnated  with  the  salt  is  boiled 
in  leaden  pans;  where,  the  water  evaporat- 
ing, leaves  the  salt  in  substance  behind. 
There  are,  also,  at  Newcastle,  Preston 
Pans  in  Scotland,  and  Whitehaven  in  Cum- 
berland, great  quantities  of  salt  made  with 
sea  water,  by  boiling  and  evaporating  in 
like  manner,  which  is  purified  by  means 
of  bullocks  blood,  he. 

Astonishing  Effects  of  Vitriolic  Ether,  in 

curing  Colics  of  Cattle  as  well  as  of  the 

Human  Species. 

The  account  of  this  remedy  is  tran- 
slated from  a French  publication  of  M.  le 
Marquis  de  Saint  Vincent,  by  whom  it 
is  thus  described — “ The  effect  of  ether,  in 
suddenly  curing  colics  arising  from  in- 
digestion, is  almost  miraculous.  I have 
never  known  it  fail,  even  in  cases  of  the 
most  alarming  and  hopeless  appearance. 
The  dose  which  I have  always  found  suc- 
cessful, is  from  twenty-four  to  thirty  drops 
of  good  ether,  taken  in  half  a glass  of  clear 
water.  If  the  first  dose  should  not  prove 
effectual,  a second  may  safely  be  given 
after  the  interval  of  an  hour.  I had  never 
heard  of  this  medicine  being  administered 
to  cattle,  but  necessity  sometimes  urges 
to  successful  experiments.  I lost  a fine 
vigorous  Danish  horse,  in  a fit  of  the  colic, 
through  unskilfulness  of  the  farrier.  Some 
time  afterward,  being  informed  that  ano- 
ther of  mv  horses  was  attacked  in  the  same 

J 

manner,  and  having  sufficiently  experien- 
ced the  ineflicacy  of  the  common  remedies 


FAMILY  llECEI PT-BOOK. 


in  this  dangerous  malady,  I resolved  on  || 
trying  the  effect  of  ether.  Accordingly,  j 

X contrived  to  make  the  horse  swallow  a i 

|| 

proper  dose  of  the  vitriolic  ether;  and,  :| 
though  he  had  rolled  and  kicked  till  lie  1 
was  in  a profuse  sweat,  his  ears  were  cold, 
and  every  fatal  symptom  appeared,  he  be- 
came almost  instantaneously  calm  and  j 
composed,  discharged  an  amazing  quan- 
tity of  excrement,  and  was  perfectly  cured. 
There  seemed  every  reason  to  suppose 
that,  under  the  same  treatment  as  the  horse 
1 had  before  lost  in  the  same  disease,  this 
also  would  have  died.  Some  months 
after,  an  old  working  mare  was  attacked 
with  the  colic,  which,  I judged  to  be  of  a 
different  kind : she,  however,  was  likewise 
speedily  cured  bv  the  same  remedy;  though, 
instead  of  excrement,  she  discharged  only 
wind.  Ilere,  then,  were  two  different 
causes  of  the  disease;  and  ether  proved 
equally  successful  in  a colic  occasioned 
by  wind  or  by  indigestion.  My  mare 
went  to  her  usual  work  the  next  day,  with- 
out any  apparent  inconvenience.  Horned 
cattle  are  still  more  subject  to  colics  than  i 
horses;  because,  changing  from  a dry  and 
unsubstantial  food  to  the  moist  and  luxuri- 
ous produce  of  meadows,  or  feeding  on 
trefoils  or  lucern,  without  discretion,  their 
digestion  becomes  vitiated.  I had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  trying  the  effect  of  ether,  onacow 
that  had  the  colic  complicated  with  another 
ailment;  and,  from  it’s  speedy  success, 
have  great  reason  to  think  that  ether  will 
prove  an  infallible  remedy  for  colics  in 
horned  cattle,  and  may  be  given  with  the 
utmost  safety  in  all  similar  cases.  The 
dose  which  I found  best  for  these  animals, 
was  from  fifty  to  sixty  drops  of  good  ether; 
the  most  convenient  method  of  administer- 
ing which  is  as  follows — After  tying  the 


540 

| horse  or  cow  short  to  the  rack,  fill  a horn 
J with  clear  water,  and  put  some  powdered 
; sugar  in  a wooden  spoon  with  a long  han- 
I die;  then  pour  about  fifty  drops  of  ether 
on  the  powdered  sugar,  and  introduce  it  as 
low  as  possible  into  the  throat  of  the  beast. 
This  must  be  done  with  great  dexterity 
and  expedition,  otherwise  the  ether  will 
evaporate.  As  soon  as  the  medicated  sugar 
is  lodged  in  the  throat,  put  in  the  wai  : 
from  the  horn,  which  will  compel  the  ani- 
mal to  swallow  it;  and,  some  few  minute.-, 
after,  when  the  ether  may  be  supposed  to 
have  reached  the  stomach,  release  the 
horse,  cow,  kc.  and,  if  practicable,  walk 
it  a little  about.  It  will  then  soon  make 
a considerable  discharge  of  wind  or  excre- 
ment, and  return  perfectly  easy  to  the 
stable  or  cowhouse.  Nothing  more  will 
be  necessary,  than  to  keep  the  animal  from 
either  eating  or  drinking,  for  two  or  three 
hours  after  this  medicine  lias  been  ad- 
ministered.” 

Excellent  Bread  made  with  Meal  and 
Potatoes. 

| 

Mix  fifteen  pounds  of  boiled  potatoes, 
mashed  and  pulped  through  a hair  sieve, 
with  half  a bushel  of  Hour,  and  a peek  of 
white  oatmeal;  and,  adding  some  yeast, 
knead  it  and  make  it  up,  as  is  customary 
for  wheaten  dough  only.  This  will  form 
a kind  of  bread  worthy  of  any  nobleman’s 
table.  A good  bread  may  be  made  with 
two  pounds  of  wheat  Hour,  one  pound  of 
barley  flour,  and  two  pounds  of  potatoes; 
the  potatoes  to  be  reduced  to  a pulp  by 
boiling,  an  u passed  through  a hair  sieve* 
and  made  into  a stiffish  dough,  with  the 
mixed  meal,  after  the  usual  manner.  Or, 
still  better,  without  any  barley  meal,  as 
follows — To  any  weight  of  flour,  take  half 
6 Z 


550 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


the  w eight  of  potatoes  ; and,  having  boiled,  j 
skinned,  and  mashed  the  potatoes,  mix  ; 
them  while  warm  with  the  flour,  adding  |j 
the  usual  quantity  of  yeast,  and  be  careful  !■ 
to  make  the  dough  as  dry  as  possible. 

Bread  made  with  mixed  Meal. 

Mix  eightpoundsof  wheat  flour  with  four 
pounds  of  barley  flour,  two  pounds  of  rye 
flour,  and  two  pounds  of  tick  bean  flour;  | 
using  yeast  as  customary  for  wheaten  dough, 
and  kneading  the  dough  in  a temperate  | 
state,  so  as  neither  to  be  too  hard  nor  too  | 
soft.  Or,  with  eight  pounds  of  wheat  flour,  ' 
mix  four  pounds  of  barley  flour,  and  four 
pounds  of  oatmeal,  and  make  it  up  in  like 
manner.  The  mixture  of  the  meal  of  oats 
will  lighten  the  bread  for  broth,  soups,  &c. 
Various  other  mixtures  may  be  made,  at  j 
discretion,  on  these  principles;  the  ad- 
vantages of  which  may  as  well  be  enjoyed 
by  the  consumers  as  by  those  fraudulent 
bakers  who  secretly  adopt  them,  though 
there  can  be  no  necessity  for  disguising  the 
practice  by  the  use  of  bleaching  drugs  to 
conceal  the  fact.  What  those  advantages  ' 
are,  may  be  judged,  in  some  measure,  by  | 
the  following  comparative  weights — A 
bushel  of  wheat  weighs  sixty  pounds;  a 
bushel  of  potatoes  heaped,  eighty-four 
pounds  ; a bushel  of  tick  beans,  sixty-two 
pounds;  a bushel  of  rye,  fifty-eight  pounds;  J 
a bushel  of  barley,  fifty-four  pounds;  and  j 
a bushel  of  oats,  only  thirty-nine  pounds,  j 
Thirty-six  pounds  of  flour  alone  produce  | 
forty-five  pounds  of  bread,  and  thirty-six 
pounds  of  flour,  mixed  with  eighteen 
pounds  of  potatoes,  will  produce  seventy- 
two  pounds  of  bread. 

Lord  Pembroke’s  Artificial  Red  Pori  Wine . 

Mix  well  together  forty-eight  gallons  of 


turnip  juice,  or  strong  rough  cyder;  eight 
gallons  of  malt  spirit,  or  brandy;  and 
eight  gallons  of  real  port  w ine:  adding  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  elder  berry  juice,  to 
colour  it;  and  some  of  the  young  branches 
of  the  elder  tree,  to  give  it  a proper  rough- 
ness. Keep  it,  in  cask  and  bottle,  about 
turn  years  before  drinking  it.  This  is  Lord 
Pembroke’s  receipt : which,  perhaps,  may 
be  improved,  with  regard  to  roughness,  by 
the  juice  or  wine  of  sloes;  and,  in  co- 
lour, made  to  any  required  tint,  by  cochi- 
neal, logwood,  or  Brazil  wood.  French 
brandy  will  certainly  be  better  than  malt 
spirit;  and,  perhaps,  either  a good  bodied 
raisin  wine,  or  even  a raisin  cyder,  may 
sometimes,  according  as  excellence  or 
cheapness  is  the  object,  be  advantageously 
adopted  instead  of  rough  cyder  or  the  juice 
of  turnips. 

Raisin  Cyder. 

Well  wash,  in  three  or  four  waters, 
half  a hundred  weight  of  raisins  with  the 
stalks,  till  the  water  seems  clear  ; then,  put- 
ting them  in  a clean  tub  or  cask,  pour  over 
them  about  twenty-four  gallons  of  fresh 
water,  cover  them  up,  and  let  them  stand 
ten  or  twelve  days.  Pack  the  liquor  off 
into  another  clean  cask,  adding  a little  co- 
lour; and,  when  it  has  stood  a week  to 
settle,  it  may  be  bottled,  and  will  in  a few 
days  prove  a very  agreeable  summer  be- 
verage. This  raisin  cyder  is  sufficiently 
cheap;  more  particularly,  as  the  fruit  will 
afterward  make  excellent  vinegar. 

Raisin  Vinegar. 

If  vinegar  be  mad6  from  raisins  w hich 
have  previously  been  used  for  making 
wine,  boiling  water,'  to  three  times  the 
quantity  of  the  skins  or  residue  of  the  rai- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


sins,  must  be  poured  over  them,  and  the 
whole  well  stirred  together ; after  which, 
the  cask  is  to  be  set  close  covered  in  a warm 
situation.  When  the  liquid  contained  is 
become  a good  vinegar,  which  will  happen 
in  a very  few  weeks,  draw  off  the  clear  into 
another  vessel,  and  keep  it  well  bunged 
for  use.  To  make  the  best  white  wine 
vinegar  from  fresh  raisins,  three  pounds 
of  Malagas  are  commonly  required  for 
every  gallon  of  water;  and,  the  jar  or 
other  vessel  being  placed  in  a situation  to 
receive  the  heat  of  the  sun,  from  about 
the  middle  of  April  to  the  beginning  of 
October,  the  liquor  is  then  pressed  out, 
and  put  into  a strong  iron  hooped  cask, 
where  it  is  to  remain  three  months,  when 
it  becomes  excellent  vinegar,  and  is  to  be 
drawn  off'  for  use.  Though  it  commonly 
appears  very  turbid,  when  put  iuto  this 
last  cask,  it  soon  grows  fine,  on  being  kept 
in  a warm  place  and  quite  undisturbed. 
The  best  method  of  making  vinegar  from 
the  fruit  used  for  raisin  cyder  is  as  follows 
— Let  the  raisins,  after  having  been  drained 
or  drawn  off'  dry  for  the  cyder,  be  left  in  an  j 
open  tub  for  about  a fortnight ; and,  on  their 
having  become  sour,  put  to  them  as  much  ! 
water  as  will  entirely  cover  them,  and 
throw  a coarse  cloth  over  the  top:  when,  j 
after  another  fortnight,  it  will  become  a j 
pleasant  vinegar;  which  may  be  bottled 
off  for  immediate  use,  but  will  improve  by  i 
keeping.  If  made  with  some  of  the  rai- 
sin  cyder,  instead  of  water,  it  will  be  near-  , 
ly  equal  to  the  best  white  wine  vinegar. 

Curious  Method  of  making  Vinegar  with 
any  Malt  Liquor  in  a few  Days. 

If  the  quantity  of  malt  liquor,  whether 
ale,  or  strong  or  small  beer,  which  is  j 
wanted  to  be  immediately  converted  into  i 


.351 

good  vinegar,  be  twenty  gallons,  mix  an 
ounce  each  of  cream  of  tartar,  alum,  and 
bay  salt,  all  well  pulverized,  with  a gallon 
of  the  liquid,  made  boiling  hot,  and  pour 
it,  the  instant  it  is  dissolved,  and  while 
quite  hot,  into  the  cask.  Cover  the  bung 
hole  with  a bit  of  brown  paper,  and  it  will 
in  a few  days  become  a very  fine  vinegar. 

Distilled  Verjuice. 

Pitt  into  a cold  still  a few  quarts  of  the 
sharpest  verjuice;  and,  drawing  it  off'  very 
gently,  put  it  up  in  bottles  for  use.  It  is, 
for  many  culinary  purposes,  such  as  sharp- 
ening the  flatness  of  fruits  which  have  lost 
their  acidity,  pickling  mushrooms,  See. 
preferable  to  the  best  vinegar;  and,  for 
some  sauces,  superior  even  to  lemon  juice. 

Turnip  Wine. 

Pare  a quantity  of  turnips,  slice  them, 
put  them  into  a cyder  press,  and  express 
all  the  juice:  then,  having  a vessel  readv 
just  large  enough,  put  into  it,  for  every 
gallon  of  turnip  juice,  three  pounds  of 
powdered  loaf  sugar,  with  halfapintof 
brandy;  and,  after  the  sugar  is  dissolved, 
pour  in  the  juice,  and  lay  a bit  of  paper 
over  the  bung  hole,  for  a week,  to  see  whe- 
ther it  still  ferments,  in  which  case  it  must 
not  be  bunged  down.  When  it  has  ceased 
working,  stop  it  close  for  three  months, 
then  draw  it  off  into  another  cask;  mid, 
when  it  is  fine,  bottle  it  off'. 

Experimental  Advantage  of  Feeding  Hogs 
with  Roasted  Potatoes. 

That  hogs  have  been,  with  much  suc- 
cess, fed  on  boiled  potatoes,  is  very  gene- 
rally known;  and  Mr.  Charles  Chaloner, 
in  the  Agricultural  Magazine  for  Septem- 
ber 1S03,  thus  expresses  himself  in  favour. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


of  roasting  the  potatoes  for  this  purpose — 
“ From  an  accurate  experiment,  made  last 
year,  I dare  venture  to  recommend  baked 
potatoes  as  an  excellent  food  for  hogs. 
The  pork  produced  by  this  food  was  equal 
to  that  from  barley  and  beans  : and  I am 
of  opinion,  that  roasted  potatoes,  consider- 
ing the  improvement  of  the  hogs,  is  as 
cheap  a food,  if  not  cheaper,  than  can  be 
given  them.  I roast  my  potatoes  on  a 
kiln,  similar  to  what  is  used  by  oatmeal 
shellers  for  drying  their  oats.  The  dif- 
ference in  expence  between  boiling  and 
roasting  the  potatoes  is  prodigious,  both 
with  regard  to  the  labour  and  fuel.  A 
kiln  that  costs  only  three  pounds  will 
roast  potatoes  sufficient  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  more  than  twenty  hogs;  and  one 
man  can  bestow  all  the  necessary  atten- 
dance on  them,  and  do  other  work  besides. 
The  action  of  the  fire,  by  dissipating  the 
crude  juices  that  are  contained  in  raw  po- 
tatoes, reduces  them  into  a state  highly 
wholesome  and  nutritious ; boiling  does 
this  in  part,  but  not  so  effectually.  A 
potatoe  roasted  in  the  manner  above  de- 
scribed, partakes  much  of  the  nature  of  a 
chesnut;  and,  perhaps,  is  not  greatly  in- 
ferior.” It  is  somewhat  extraordinary 
that,  considering  how  very  superior  roast- 
ed potatoes  are,  to  those  boiled  even  in 
the  best  manner,  we  in  England  so  much 
more  commonly  boil  than  roast  them,  for 
the  use  of  our  own  tables.  Roasted,  in- 
deed, as  Mr*  Chaloner  observes,  they  are 
of  a flavour  and  substance  little  inferior  to 
the  finest  chesnuts,  which  they  consider- 
ably resemble  in  taste;  but,  boiled,  they 
afford  no  idea  of  any  affinity.  Potatoes 
were  known,  in  this  country,  a full  cen- 
tury, before  they  came  into  general  use; 
they  have  been  popular  for  about  half  a 


! century,  and  even  yet  we  have  not  wisdom 
| enough  commonly  to  dress  them  in  the 
best  manner,  the  benefit  of  which  would 
be  as  great  to  the  human  species  as  this 
gentleman’s  experience  demonstrates  it’s 
having  proved  to  ids  hogs. 

Dr.  Monro's  Remarkable  Instances  of  the  good 
Iffccts  of  Honey  in  Asthmatic  Cases. 

The  following  is  extracted  from  Dr. 
i Monro’s  Medical  and  Pharmaceutical  Che- 
I mistry — “ I he  late  Dr.  John  Hume,  one 
I of  the  Commissioners  of  the  Sick  and  Hurt 
ol  the  Royal  Navy,  was  for  many  years 
violently  affected  with  the  asthma.  Hav- 
ing taken  many  medicines  without  receiv- 
ing relief,  he  at  last  resolved  to  try  the 
effects  of  honey,  having  long  had  a great 
opinion  of  it’s  virtues  as  a pectoral.  For 
two  or  three  years,  he  eat  some  ounces  of 
it  daily;  and  got  entirely  free  from  his 
asthma,  and  likewise  of  a gravelly  com- 
plaint which  he  had  long  been  afflicted 
with.  About  two  years  after  he  had  re- 
covered his  health,  when  he  was  sitting 
one  day  in  the  office  for  the  sick  and  hurt, 
a person  labouring  under  a great  difficulty 
of  breathing,  who  looked  as  if  he  could  not 
live  many  days,  came  to  him,  and  asked 
him  by  what  means  he  had  been  cured  of 
his  asthma?  Dr.  Hume  told  him  the  par- 
ticulars of  his  own  case,  and  mentioned 
to  him  the  means  by  which  he  had  found 
relief.  For  two  years  after,  he  heard  no- 
thing of  this  person,  who  was  a stranger 
to  him,  and  seemed  so  bad  that  he  had 
imagined  the  poor  man  could  not  have 
lived  many  days,  and  therefore  had  not 
even  asked  him  who  he  was  : but,  at  the 
end  of  that  period,  a man  seemingly  in 
good  health,  and  decently  dressed,  came 
to  the  Sick  and  Hurt  Office,  and  returned 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


553 


liim  thanks  for  his  cure;  which,  he  assured 
him,  had  been  entirely  brought  about  by 
the  free  use  of  honey.” 

Best  Roman  Purl. 

THOUGH  purl,  the  formerly  popular 
winter  morning  warm  drink  of  the  labori- 
ous of  both  sexes  in  the  metropolis,  is  un- 
happily too  powerfully  rivalled  by  the 
immoderate  use  of  spirituous  liquors;  and 
amber,  formerly  called  two-penny,  with 
which  purl  is  usually  made,  has  ceased  to 
be  brewed  in  large  quantities,  on  account 
of  the  diminished  consumption;  we  still 
hope,  that  the  following  method  of  making 
an  excellent  purl,  denominated  the  best 
Roman  purl,  probably  from  the  use  of 
Roman  instead  of  common  wormwood, 
may  contribute  to  the  adoption  of  this 
wholesome  beverage,  by  those  who,  from 
exposure  to  cold  during  their  labourious 
vocations,  require  the  comfort  of  a morn- 
ing draught — Cut  and  bruise  two  dozen  of 
Roman  wormwood,  six  pounds  of  gentian 
root,  two  pounds  of  calamus  aromaticus 
or  sweet  flag  root,  one  pound  of  gal  an  gal, 
a bunch  of  horse  radish,  two  pounds  each 
of  dried  orange  peel  and  juniper  berries, 
and  two  pounds  of  seeds  or  kernels  of  Se- 
ville oranges  cleansed  and  dried:  then 
put  the  whole  into  a clean  butt,  and  start 
on  them  mild  brown  or  pale  beer  or  am- 
ber, or  good  ale,  so  as  to  fill  up  the  butt, 
about  the  beginning  of  November;  and 
let  it  stand  till  about  the  same  time  in  the 
following  year,  which  may  be  considered 
as  the  commencement  of  the  season.  This  i 
is  a most  capital  purl,  or  bitter  ale,  both  . 
for  flavour  and  salubrity. 

White  Ebulum , or  Elder  Berry  Beer. 

In  a hogshead  of  the  first  strong  wort 


of  pale  malt,  boil  a bushel  of  picked  white 
elder  berries,  fresh  gathered  when  quite 
ripe;  and,  having  infused  in  it  a little 
good  hops,  strain  off  the  liquid.  When 
cold,  work  it  in  the  hogshead,  and  not  in 
any  tub  or  other  open  vessel.  After  it 
has  remained  about  a year  in  the  cask,  it 
will  be  a most  rich  beverage;  and,  by 
some,  preferred  to  many  wines.  Red  elder 
berry  beer,  or  ebulum,  made  in  the  same 
manner,  has  been  thought  equal  to  red. 
port;  and,  certainly,  is  not  Jess  whole- 
some A small  bag  of  bruised  spices  is 
sometimes  hung  in  the  vessel,  by  those 
who  are  partial  to  strong  aromatic  flavours. 

Hemet's  Tincture  for  the  Teeth. 

This  celebrated  tincture  is  merely  a 
mixture  of  the  following  ingredients — 
Tincture  of  amber,  two  table-spoonfuls; 
tinctures  of  seed  lac,  and  of  mastich,  each 
one  ounce  and  a half;  tincture  of  myrrh, 
one  table-spoonful;  rose  water,  eight  ta- 
ble-spoonfuls ; and  orange-flower  water, 
four  table-spoonfuls. 

Culture  and  Uses  of  Indian  Corn , in 
America. 

It  is  probable  that,  in  time,  we  shall 
discover  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from 
introducing  the  culture  of  this  most  valu- 
able grain;  which  is  the  chief  corn  of  so 
many  different  countries,  and  has  already 
established  itself  in  France,  as  well  as  seve- 
ral other  parts  of  Europe.  It  is  sufficiently 
known,  in  England,  by  a great  variety  of 
names.  It’s  original  appellation,  among 
us,  seems  to  have  been  maize;  and  it  is, 
in  botanical  systems,  the  zea  mays  of  Lin- 
naeus. Sometimes,  however,  it  is  denomi- 
nated Guinea,  and  sometimes  Turkish, 
wheat  or  corn;  but, at  present,  more  gene- 
7 A 


554 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


roily,  both  in  England  and  America,  In-  ! 
dian  corn.  The  mode  of  culture,  as  now  1 
chiefly  practised  in  America,  w here  it  is  j 
produced  in  most  astonishing  quantities, 
is  as  follows — The  land  is  prepared,  at  the 
fall  of  the  year,  by  what  the  North  Ame- 
ricans call  flushing  it;  that  is,  by  plough- 
ing broad  furrows.  This  raises  the  soil 
in  a rough  manner;  for  it  stands  very  much 
on  the  edge,  being  too  thin  to  turn  over 
with  ploughs  of  such  ill  construction.  At 
different  periods,  according  to  situation  i 
and  other  circumstances,  from  the  begin-  ! 
ning  of  March  to  the  end  of  May,  but  J 
most  commonly  about  the  latter  end  of  ; 
April,  they  list  out  the  land,  as  they  term  j! 
it,  by  crossing  the  field  with  two  furrows,  j 
set  back  to  back,  five  or  six  feet  asunder ; ! 
and  then  doing  the  same  thing  the  other  j 
■way,  so  as  to  form  a sort  of  hill  where  the  j 
furrows  intersect  each  other.  They  then 
break  the  clods,  so  as  to  make  the  mould 
very  fine  with  a large  heavy  hoe,  much  in 
the  same  manner  as  English  gardeners  j 
break  the  earth  fine  with  malls,  for  hot 
beds,  &e.  In  these  little  hills,  one  thou- 
sand of  Which  are  contained  in  an  acre, 
they  open  the  earth  with  a hoe  to  the  depth 
of  three  or  four  inches,  and  deposit  four  or 
five  corns  at  a small  distance  from  each  j 
other.  As  soon  as  the  young  plants  ap- 
pear, they  carefully  hoe  the  weeds,  draw 
a little  mould  round  each,  and  put  other 
grains  of  corn  where  any  are  found  to  fail. 
There  are  several  sorts  of  Indian  corn, 
both  white  and  yellow.  Good  corn  is  j 
sometimes  fourteen  feet  high,  and  the  ! 

w i 

white  grows  loftier  than  the  yellow:  but  j 
the  yellow  is  much  the  sweetest,  though  | 
the  tops  and  blades  are  less  abundant  ; it  is,  | 
also,  a month  earlier  than  the  white.  The  | 
tops,  when  gathered,  are  set  up  in  bunches,  j 


or  small  shocks;  and  the  blades  pulled  off 
arc  tied  up  in  little  bundles  of  about  a 
pound  weight,  and  hung  by  the  band,  on 
one  of  the  corn  stalks.  It  is,  in  two  or 
three  days,  sufficiently  dry  for  carrying. 
The  corn  is  taken  by  hand  from  the  cob  ; 
as  it  cannot  be  thrashed,  like  wheat,  &o. 
For  this  purpose,  they  have  what  is  called, 
in  America,  a husking  feast;  the  neigh- 
bours assembling  to  assist  in  removing  the 
thick  husk  from  the  corn  cobs,  and  after- 
ward supping  jovially  together.  The 
Americans  frequently  eat  Indian  corn 
long  before  it  is  ripe,  on  it’s  getting  into 
what  are  denominated  roasting  ears:  when 
it  is  commonly  boiled  and  eaten  ex- 
actly in  the  same  manner,  and  with  the 
same  meats,  as  we  eat  green  peas.  They 
feed  horses,  horned  cattle,  and  sheep,  with 
the  blades  and  tops,  which  are  often  grown 
as  a preparation  for  wheat;  the  ripe  corn  is 
excellent  food  for  fowls,  hogs,  &c.  as  well 
as  for  the  human  species.  The  Indians 
carefully  parch  it  over  the  fire ; after  which, 
they  pound  it,  sift  the  meal,  and  preserve 
it  as  their  constant  provision.  The  North 
Americans,  in  general,  not  only  eat  it  in 
what  they  call  hominy  and  mush,  but  in 
bread  and  cakes.  The  hominy  is  pre- 
pared like  our  creed  wheat,  with  butter; 
the  husks  being  previously  beaten  off  in 
a large  wooden  mortar.  The  mush  is  made 
of  the  flour,  somewhat  like  our  hasty  pud- 
ding, and  eaten  with  milk  and  molasses. 
The  more  respectable  classes  not  only  pre- 
pare an  excellent  bread  from  Indian  wheat, 
by  kneading  the  flour  into  a stiff  paste, 
either  alone,  or  mixed  with  wheat  and 
rye  ; but  make,  with  this  flour,  eggs,  and 
milk,  a very  nice  cake,  about  the  size  and 
thickness  of  our  crumpets,  but  very  far 
superior.  Those  in  humbler  life  merely 


FAMI  L Y It  EC  FI FL-  BOOK. 


mix  some’ of  the  flour  and  water  so  as  to'  j 
make  a paste,  into  what  they  call  a Johnny  i 
cake,  which  they  bake  on  a board  before  1 
the  fire,  and  commonly  eat  while  hot,  as  it 
proves  bnt  indifferent  food  when  cold.'  i] 
The  Americans  also  malt  their  Indian  corn; 
and  both  brew  from  it  a wholesome  beve- 
rage, and  distill  good  ardent  spirit.  Even 
the  juice  of  the  stalks,  when  full  grown,  ! 
and  fullest  of  juice,  if  managed  in  the  fol- 
low ing  manner,  are  said  to  produce  a spirit  ; 
as  strong  as  French  brandy,  or  the  best  i 
sugar  spirit;  and  not  inferior  to  either,  j 
after  it  has  been  kept  to  a proper  age — ' 
Take  the  juice  of  these  stalks,,  either  alone, 
or  with  the  addition  of  a little  water,  to  ^ 
make  it  the  better  express;  and,  letting  it  j 
ferment  till  it  becomes  somewhat  sharp  or 
acid,  draw  off  the  spirit  with  a gentle  heat,  ! 
rectifying  it  by  another  distillation.  In  j 
short,  as  there  are  some  sorts,  at  least, 
of  this  extensively  useful  grain  which  have 
already  been  cultivated  in  England  with 
success,  particularly  in  Essex,  we  cannot 
greatly  err  by  strongly  recommending  it 
to  general  attention. 

Curious  Marmalade  of  Eggs , as  made  by 
the  Jews. 

BeaT,  for  an  hour,  the  yolks  of  twenty-  j 
four  eggs ; and,  having  clarified  a pound  * 
of  the  best  moist  sugar,  and  put  to  it  four  , 
table-spoonfuls  of  orange-flower  water,  1 
with  an  ounce  of  blanched  and  pounded  j 
almonds,  mix  and  stir  the  whole  well  toge-  j 
ther  over  a very  slow  charcoal  fire,  and  j 
keep  it  continually  stirred,  all  the  time 
one  way,  till  it  comes  to  a proper  consis- 
tence. Put  it  into  coffee  or  custard  cups, 
and  sprinkle  on  the  top  a little  finely  1 
pounded  cinnamon.  This  excellent  mar-  j 
malade,  mixed  with  pounded  almonds,  and  i 


55c? 

candied  orange  peel  and  citron,  is:  made 
into  cakes  of  all  shapes?  such  as  birds,  fish, 
fruit,  ko. 

Tincture  for  the  'Teeth  and  Gums. 

Mix  six  ounces  of  the  tincture  of  Peru- 
vian bark  with  half  an  ounce  of  sal  am- 
moniac. Shake  them  well  a few  minute*? 
every  time,  before  the  tincture  is  used. 
The  method  of  using  it  is,  to  take  a tea- 
spoonful , and  hold  it  near  the  teeth;  then, 
with  a finger  dipped  in,  rubbing  the  gums 
and  teeth,  which  are  afterward  to  be  washed 
with  warm  water.  I bis  tincture  not  only- 
cures  the  tooth  ache,  but  preserves  both 
the  teeth  and  gums,  and  makes  them  ad- 
here to  each  other. 

Delcscot’s  Famous  Opiate  for  the  Teeth. 

Take  powdered  myrrh,  and  dragon’s 
blood,  each  an  ounce  ; with  bole  ammo- 
niac, or  Armenian  bole,  powdered  orrice 
root,  pounded  roche  alum,  and  ground 
ginger,  each  half  an  ounce.  Mix  all  well 
together  in  two  ounces  of  honey,  and  put 
it  in  pots  for  use.  Some  prefer  the  follow- 
ing opiate,  which  seems  to  have  been  found- 
ed on  Delescot’s — Clarify  half  a pound  of 
honey,  and  mix  in  it  two  ounces  of  Arme- 
nian bole,  half  an  ounce  eaoh  of  powdered 
dragon’s  blood  and  oil  of  sweet  almonds, 
a quarter  of  an  ounce  of  oil  of  cloves,  four 
drops  of  essence  of  bergamot,  and  half  a 
gill  of  honey  water. 

Vinegar  of  the  Four  Thieves. 

The  singular  name  of  this  famous  vine- 
! gar  is  derived  from  it’s  having  been  con- 
trived, and  successfully  used,  by  fouy 
thieves;  who,  during  the  time  of  a great 
plague,  committed  innumerable  robberies 
on  the  dying  and  the  dead,  and  were  pr«- 


556 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


served,  by  the  influence  of  this  vinegar, 
from  all  danger  of  being  infected  with 
the  pestilence.  It  is  said  that,  for  reveal- 
ing this  preparation,  they  obtained  a gene- 
ral pardon  of  their  crimes.  It  is  directed 
to  be  made  as  follows — Put  into  a stone  jar 
a handful  each  of  rue,  wormwood,  sage, 
lavender,  mint,  and  rosemary,  and  pour  on 
them  a gallon  of  the  best  vinegar.  Stop  it 
close,  and  let  it  stand  to  infuse  within  the 
warmth  of  a fire,  for  eight  days : then  strain 
it  off;  and,  to  every  quart,  put  three  quar 
ters  of  an  ounce  of  spirit  of  wine  and  cam- 
phor. Rub  the  temples  and  loins  with 
this  preparation  before  going  out  in  the 
morning;  wash  the  mouth  with  it;  snuff 
some  up  the  nostrils;  and  carry  a small 
sponge  dipped  in  it,  to  smell  occasionally, 
on  visiting  where  there  is  any  danger  of  in- 
fection. 

Infallible  Remedy  for  a recent  Cough  and 
, Cold. 

Put  a large  tea-cupful  of  linseed,  with 
two  pennyworth  of  stick  liquorice  and  a 
quarter  of  a pound  of  sun  raisins,  into  two 
quarts  of  soft  water,  and  let  it  simmer  over 
a slow  fire  till  it  is  reduced  to  a single 
quart;  then  add  to  it  a quarter  of  a pound 
of  pounded  sugar  candy,  a table-spoonful 
of  old  rum,  and  a table-spoonful  of  the  best 
white  wine  vinegar  or  lemon  juice.  The 
rum  and  vinegar  are  to  be  added  only  as 
the  decoction  is  taken;  for,  if  they  are  put 
in  at  first,  the  whole  soon  becomes  flat,  and 
less  efficacious.  The  dose  is  half  a pint,  made 
quite  warm,  on  going  to  bed;  and  a little 
may  also  be  drank  whenever  the  cough  is 
troublesome.  The  worst  cold  is  generally 
cured  by  this  remedy  in  two  or  three  days  ; 
and,  if  taken  in  time,  it  may  be  considered 
as  infallible.  It  is  a most  sovereign  and 


balsamic  cordial  for  the  lungs,  without 
possessing  those  opening  • alities  which 
endanger  fresh  colds  on  going  out;  and 
has,  in  several  families,  been  known  to 
cure  colds  which  had  nearly  settled  in 
consumption,  on  being  persisted  in  for  two 
or  three  weeks. 

Durable  approved  Black  Writing  Ink. 

Add  four  ounces  of  bine  Aleppo  galls, 
in  coarse  powder,  to  three  pints  of  rain 
water:  let  these  stand  for  fourteen  days; 
and,  adding  an  ounce  of  green  copperas, 
stir  the  whole  well,  once  or  twice  a day, 
for  three  days.  Then  add  an  ounce  each  of 
gum  Arabic  and  logwood  shavings,  with  a 
quarter  of  an  ounce  each  of  alum  and 
sugar  candy.  Keep  the  jug  which  con- 
tains these  ingredients  near  the  fire,  or  in 
a warm  place,  for  ten  or  twelve  days  ; then 
strain  it,  and  bottle  it,  putting  in  a little 
sugar,  salt,  and  brandy,  to  prevent  it’s 
moulding  or  freezing.  This  is  a very  fine 
as  well  as  a very  lasting  ink,  fit  for  records 
and  other  important  writings  of  every 
description.  A good  ink  for  inferior  pur- 
poses may  be  more  readily  made  with  three 
quarters  of  a pound  of  best  blue  galls,  a 
quarter  of  a pound  each  of  green  cop- 
peras and  gum  Arabic,  and  an  ounce  of 
alum,  all  beaten  in  a mortar  till  the  galls, 
& c.  are  well  broken  ; then  put  into  a stone 
bottle  with  three  quarts  of  rain  water,  shak- 
ing it  every  day  for  a fortnight. 

Cambridge , Pickle  for  Brawn* 

The  celebrity  of  the  Cambridgeshire 
brawn  renders  valuable  the  following  ge- 
nuine though  simple  receipt  for  making 
the  pickle  in  which  it  is  preserved — Boil 
gently,  for  an  hour,  a quart  of  good  wheat 
bran,  and  a quarter  of  a pint  of  oatmeal,  in. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.  557 


two  gallons  of  water.  Strain  it  off,  when 
cold;  and,  seasoning  it  with  a pound  of 
common  salt,  put  in  the  brawn.  Keep  it, 
when  not  in  immediate  use,  constantly 
covered  with  this  pickle,  which  should  be 
made  new  once  a month. 

Method  of  preserving  Oysters  Alive,  and 
Fattening  them. 

SCRUB  or  cleanse  the  shells  well  from 
dirt;  and  place  them,  in  regular  layers,  in 
a tub  of  clear  water,  so  as  just  to  cover 
them.  Strew  some  salt  on  the  top  of  the 
oysters;  and  give  them  a similar  quantity 
of  water,  as  well  as  salt,  in  a fresh  tub, 
every  day.  One  or  two  days  before  they 
are  intended  to  be  eaten,  strew  a small 
quantity  of  oatmeal  on  the  salt  and  water; 
which  will  both  fatten  them,  and  give  them 
a delicious  flavour:  but  they  must  be  eaten 
a day  or  two  after  giving  them  the  oatmeal, 
or  they  will  become  the  worse  for  it’s  use. 

Paste  or  Food  for  Singing  Birds,  superior 
to  the  German  Paste  in  common  Use. 

Well  mix,  or  knead  together,  three 
pounds  of  split  peas,  ground  or  beat  to 
flour,  one  pound  and  a half  each  of  fine 
crumbs  of  bread  and  coarse  sugar,  the  fresh 
yolks  of  six  raw  eggs,  and  six  ounces  of 
unsalted  butter.  Put  about  a third  part 
of  the  mixture,  at  a time,  in  a frying  pan, 
over  a gentle  fire;  and  continually  stir  it 
till  it  be  a little  browned,  but  by  no  means 
burnt.  When  the  other  two  parts  are 
thus  done,  and  all  are  become  cold,  add 
to  the  entire  quantity  six  ounces  of  maw 
seed,  with  six  pounds  of  good  bruised 
hemp  seeds  separated  from  the  husks. 
Mix  the  whole  well  together,  and  it  will 
be  found  an  excellent  food  for  thrushes, 
red  Robins,  larks,  linnets,  Canary  birds. 


finches  of  the  different  sorts,  and  most 
other  singing  birds,  admirably  preserving 
them  in  song  and  feather. 

Excellent  Decoction  for  a Decline. 

Boil  together,  in  two  gallons  of  spring 
water,  till  half  reduced,  half  a pound  each 
ol  figs,  raisins  of  the  sun,  pruens,  wdiite 
sugar  candy,  pearl  barley,  and  hartshorn 
shavings;  with  a stick  of  liquorice,  a large 
quantity  of  horse  radish  and  water  cresses, 
four  lemons  cut  in  slices,  and  a pint  of 
rum.  1 ake  a small  tea-cupful  every  morn- 
ing and  night ; walking  or  riding  out, 
each  morning,  after  taking  it. 

Cure  for  Violent  Colds  and  Fevers. 

The  following  remedy  will  prove  highly 
beneficial  to  every  person  afflicted  with  a 
cold  and  fever,  hou’ever  violent ; and  sel- 
dom fails  of  relief,  either  in  young  or  old — 
Boil  half  an  ounce  of  pearl  barley  in  about 
three  pints  pf  water,  till  half  reduced;  then 
add  half  an  ounce  of  powdered  spermaceti, 
with  half  an  ounce  of  nitre  drops,  and 
swreeten  the  whole  with  genuine  Narbonne 
honey.  The  dose  is  two  table-spoonfuls, 
to  be  taken  thrice  a day;  the  party,  in 
the  mean  time,  being  carefully  kept  from 
exposure  to  fresh  cold. 

Admirable  Syrup  for  the  Scurvy,  King's 
Evil,  Leprosy,  and  all  other  Impurities 
of  the  Blood  and  Juices. 

Boil  together,  in  two  gallons  of  soft 
water,  over  a slow  fire,  till  one  half  the 
liquid  be  consumed,  half  a pound  of  an- 
gelica roots  sliced;  four  ounces  each  ol 
the  leaves  of  male  speedwell  or  fluellen, 
and  the  roots  of  comfrey  and  of  fennel 
both  sliced;  three  ounces  of  Winter’s  bark; 
and  two  ounces  of  bark  of  elder.  Strain 
7 B 


558 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


off  the  decoction  into  n clean  earthen  pan,  j 
and  let  it  stand  all  night  to  settle.  In  the 
morning,  carefully  pour  it  off  from  the  j 
sediment;  and  dissolve,  in  the  clear  liquid, 
three  pounds  of  treble  refined  sugar,  and  j 
two  pounds  of  pure  virgin  honey:  then 
gently  simmer  the  whole  into  a thin  syrup. 
The  dose  is  a large  tea-cupful,  night  and 
morning;  or,  rather,  in  some  cases,  morn-  j 
ing, noon,  and  night:  adding,  to  each  dose, 
at  the  time  of  taking  it,  a small  tea-spoon- 
ful of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Huxham’s  essence 
of  antimony,  which  greatly  heightens  and 
improves  the  virtue  of  the  medicine.  By 
an  extensive  experience,  this  syrup  has 
been  found  a most  valuable  and  sovereign 
remedy,  powerfully  efficacious  in  entirely 
eradicating,  with  perfect  ease  and  safety, 
every  species  of  the  scurvy,  leprosy,  and 
all  disorders  whatever  that  derive  their 
origin  from  any  impurities  in  the  blood 
and  juices.  Those  afflicted  with  the  scro- 
phula,  commonly  called  the  king’s  evil,  by  j 
duly  persevering  in  the  habitual  use  of  it, 
will  find  amazing  benefit.  It’s  effects  are 
also  remarkably  successful  in  the  very 
worst  stages  of  the  true  rheumatism.  Aborft 
the  month  of  July,  is  the  best  time  for  en- 
tering on  a course  of  frhis  syrup.  It  is  re- 
markable that  the  great  Boerhaave  de- 
clares, in  his  History  of  Plants,  that  he 
had,,  with  the  male  speedwell  alone,  cured 
above  a hundred  diseases. 

Russian  Remedy  for  a Vertigo. 

The  following  is  a genuine  prescription 
of  Dr.  Roggers,  Physician  General  to  the 
Russian  Navy — Mix  half  an  ounce  each 
of  Hoffman’s  anodyne  mineral  liquor, 
Sydenham’s  liquid  laudanum,  and  succi- 
nated  spirit  of  hartshorn.  The  dose  is 
fifteen  drops,  to  be  taken  in  the  morning. 


Thirst  Ralls  for  Travellers. 

Mix  depurated  nitre,  with  an  eighth 
part  the  quantity  of  transparent  or  oriental 
sulphur,  and  form  it  into  small  balls;  one 
ol  which,  being  kept  in  the  mouth,  when 
parched  with  thirst,  will  afford  wonderful 
relief.  They  are  excellent  for  soldiers  on 
a long  march,  in  sultry  weather,  wdiere 
there  is  little  or  no  good  water. 

Simple  Remedy  for  the  Singultus,  or  Greed 
Convulsive  Hiccup. 

This  disagreeable  complaint  is  infallibly 
cured  by  a single  drop  of  the  chemical  oil 
of  cinnamon  on  a bit  of  loaf  sugar;  which, 
is  to  be  held  in  the  mouth  till  dissolved, 
and  then  gently  sw'allowed. 

Bishop  Berkeley’s  Tar  Water. 

For  a knowledge  of  the  extensive  vir- 
tues of  tar  water,  mankind  is  greatly  in- 
debted to  the  late  Right  Reverend  Dr. 
George  Berkeley,  Lord  Bishop  of  Cloy  ne 
in  Ireland;  who,  as  he  informs  us,  in  his 
celebrated  work,  called  Sirius,  on  the  Vir- 
tues of  Tar  Water,  having  observed  that 
a cold  infusion  of  tar  had  been  used  in 
some  of  our  American  colonies,  as  a pre- 
servative or  preparative  against  the  small- 
pox, was  induced  to  try  it  in  his  ow  n neigh- 
bourhood, when  that  disease  raged  there 
with  great  violence.  “ The  trial,”  says 
his  lordship,  “ fully  answered  my  expec- 
tation; all  those,  within  my  knowledge, 
who  took  the  tar  water,  having  either  escap- 
ed the  distemper,  or  had  it  very  favourably. 
In  one  family,  there  was  a remarkable  in- 
stance of  seven  children,  who  came  all 
very  well  through  the  small-pox;  except 
one  young  child,  w'hich  could  not  be 
brought  to  drink  tar  water,  as  the  rest 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


559 


had  done.  Several  were  preserved  from 
taking-  the  small-pox  by  the  use  of  this 
liquor;  others  had  it  in  the  mildest  man- 
ner; and  some,  that  they  might  be  able 
to  take  the  infection,  were  obliged  to  in- 
termit drinking  the  tar  water.  It  seemed 
probable,  that  a medicine  of  such  efficacy 
in  a distemper  attended  with  so  many  pu- 
rulent ulcers,  might  be  also  useful  in  other 
foulnesses  of  the  blood:  accordingly,  I 
tried  it  on  several  persons  infected  with 
cutaneous  eruptions  and  ulcers,  who  were 
speedily  relieved,  and  soon  after  cured. 
Encouraged  by  these  successes,  I ventured 
to  advise  it  in  the  foulest  distempers, 
where  it  proved  much  more  successful  than 
salivations  and  wood  drinks  had  done. 
Having  tried  it  in  a great  variety  of  cases, 
I found  it  succeed,  beyond  my  hopes,  in  a 
tedious  and  painful  ulceration  of  the  bowels; 
in  a consumptive  cough  with  ulcerated 
lungs,  as  appeared  by  expectorated  pus; 
in  a pleurisy  and  peripneumony ; and,  when 
a person  for  some  years  subject  to  ery- 
sipelatous fever  perceived  the  usual  fore- 
running symptoms  come  on,  I advised  her 
to  drink  tar  water,  which  prevented  the 
erysipelas.  I never  knew  any  thing  so 
good  for  the  stomach  as  tar  water;  it  cures 
indigestion,  and  gives  a good  appetite.  It 
is  an  excellent  medicine  in  an  asthma:  it 
imparts  a kindly  warmth,  and  quick  circu- 
lation to  the  juices,  without  heating;  and 
is,  therefore,  not  only  useful  as  a pectoral 
and  balsamic,  but  also  as  a powerful  and 
safe  deobstruent  in  cachectic  and  hysteric 
cases.  As  it  is  both  healing  and  diuretic, 
it  is  very  good  for  the  gravel.  I believe 
it  to  be  of  great  use  in  a dropsy;  having- 
known  it  cure  a very  bad  anasarca,  in  a 
person  whose  thirst,  though  very  extraor- 
dinary, was  in  a short  time  removed  by  the 


drinking  of  tar  water.  That  all  turpentines 
and  resins  are  good  for  the  lungs,  against 
gravel  also  and  obstructions,  is  no  secret; 
and,  that  the  medicinal  properties  of  those 
drugs  are  found  in  tar  water,  without  heat- 
ing the  blood  or  disordering  the  stomach, 
is  confirmed  by  experience,  and  particu- 
larly' that  phtisical  and  asthmatic  persons 
receive  speedy  and  great  relief  from  the 
use  of  it.  Turpentine  is,  on  all  hands, 
allowed  to  have  great  medicinal  virtues; 
tar,  audit’s  infusion,  contain  those  virtues, 
lar  water  is  extremely  pectoral  and  re- 
storative; and,  if  I may  judge  from  what 
experience  I have  had,  it  possesses  the 
most  valuable  qualities  ascribed  to  the 
several  balsams  of  Peru,  of  Tolu,  of  eapivi, 
and  even  to  the  balm  of  Gilead;  such  is  it’s 
virtues  in  asthmas  and  pleurisies,  in  obstruc- 
tions and  ulcerous  erosions  of  the  inward 
parts.  Tar,  in  substance,  mixed  with  honey, 
I have  found  an  excellent  medicine  for 
coughs : balsams  are  apt  to  offend  the 

stomach;  but  tar  water  may  betaken  with- 
out offending  the  stomach,  for  the  strength- 
ening of  which  it  is  the  best  medicine  I 
have  ever  tried.  The  folly  of  man  rateth 
things  by  their  scarceness,  but  Providence 
has  made  the  most  useful  things  most  com- 
mon. Warm  water  is  itself  a deobstruent  ; 
therefore,  the  infusion  of  tar  drank  warm 
is  easier  insinuated  into  all  the  nice  ca- 
pillary vessels ; and  acts  not  only-  by  virtue 
of  the  balsam,  but  also  of  the  \ chicle. 
Though  the  balsam  of  Peru,  obtained  by 
boiling  wood  and  scumming  the  decoction, 
be  a very  valuable  medicine,  and  of  great 
account  in  divers  cases — particularly,  asth- 
mas, nephritic  pains,  nervous  colics,  and 
obstructions — yet,  I do  verily  think,  and  I 
do  not  say  this  without  experience,  that 
tar  water  is  a more  efficacious  xemcdy  in 


50‘0 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


all  those  cases  than  even  that  costly  drug. 

I do  not  know  any  purpose  answered  by 
the  wood  drinks,  for  which  tar  water  may 
not  be  used  with  at  least  equal  success. 
It  contains  the  virtues  even  of  guaiacum, 
which  seems  the  most  efficacious  of  all  the 
woods:  warming  and  sweetening  the  hu- 
mours; diaphoretic;  and  useful  in  gouts, 
dropsies,  and  rheums,  as  well  as  in  the 
foul  disease.  Tar  water  layeth  under  no 
restraint,  either  as  to  diet,  hours,  or  em- 
ployment : a man  may  study,  or  exercise, 
or  repose;  keep  his  own  hours,  pass  his  time 
either  within  or  without,  and  take  whole- 
some nourishment  of  any  kind.  Tar  wa- 
ter is  so  far  from  hurting  the  nerves,  as 
common  cordials  do,  that  it  is  highly  use- 
ful in  cramps,  spasms  of  the  viscera,  and 
paralytic  numbness.  The  mildness  of  this 
medicine  is  such,  that  I have  known  chil- 
dren take  it,  for  above  six  months  together, 
with  great  benefit,  and  without  any  in- 
convenience; and,  after  long  and  repeated 
experience,  I do  esteem  it  a most  excel- 
lent diet  drink,  fitted  to  all  seasons  and 
ages.  On  the  whole,  there  will  not,  per- 
haps, be  found  any  medicine  more  general 
in  it’s  use,  or  more  salutary  in  it’s  effects, 
than  tar  water.  To  suppose  that  all  dis- 
tempers, arising  from  very  different  and 
it  may  be  from  contrary  causes,  can  be 
cured  by  one  and  the  same  medicine,  must 
seem  chimerical;  but  it  may  with  truth  be 
affirmed,  that  the  virtue  of  tar  water  ex- 
tends to  a surprising  variety  of  cases  very 
distant  and  unlike.  This  I have  experi- 
enced in  my  neighbours,  my  family,  and 
myself:  and,  as  I live  in  a remote  corner, 
among  poor  neighbours,  who  for  want  of 
a regular  physician  have  often  recourse  to 
me,  I have  had  frequent  opportunities  of 
trial;  whiqh  convince  me,  that  it  is  of  so 


just  a temperament  as  to  be  an  enemv  to 
all  extremes.  I have  known  it  do  great 
good  in  a cold  watery  constitution,  as  a 
cardiac  and  stomachic;  and,  at  the  same 
time,  allay  heat  and  feverish  thirst  in  ano- 
ther. I have  known  it  correct  costive  ha- 
bits in  some,  and  the  contrary  habit  in 
others.  Nor  will  this  seem  incredible,  if 
it  be  considered,  that  middle  qualities  na- 
turally reduce  the  extreme;  warm  water, 
for  instance,  mixed  with  hot  and  cold,  will 
lessen  the  heat  in  that,  and  the  cold  in  this. 
It  is  certain  that  tar  water  warms ; and, 
therefore,  some  may,  perhaps,  still  think, 
that  it  cannot  cool.  Some  gentlemen  of 
the  faculty  have  thought  fit  to  declare, 
that  tar  water  must  inflame ; and,  that  they 
would  never  visit  any  patient  in  a fever 
who  had  been  a drinker  of  it:  but  I will 
venture  to  affirm,  that  it  is  so  far  from  in- 
creasing a feverish  inflammation,  that  it  is, 
on  the  contrary,  a most  ready  means  to 
allay  and  extinguish  it.  It  is  of  admirable 
use  in  fevers  ; being,  at  the  same  time,  the 
surest,  safest,  and  most  effectual,  both  pa- 
regoric and  cordial:  for  the  truth  of  which, 
I appeal  to  any  person’s  experience,  who 
shall  take  a large  draught  of  it,  milk  warm, 
in  the  paroxysm  of  a fever,  even  when  plain 
water,  or  herb  teas,  shall  be  found  to  have 
little  or  no  effect.  To  me,  it  seems,  that 
it’s  singular  and  surprising  use,  in  fevers 
of  all  kinds,  were  there  nothing  else,  would 
be  alone  sufficient  to  recommend  it  to  the 
public.  In  the  sickly  season  of  1741,  I had 
twenty-five  fevers  in  my  own  family  cured 
by  this  medicinal  water  copiously  drank. 
The  same  method  was  practised  on  several 
of  my  poor  neighbours  with  equal  success. 
It  suddenly  calmed  the  feverish  anxieties; 
and  seemed,  every  glass,  to  refresh  and 
infuse  life  and  spirit  into  the  patient.  At 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


56 1 


first,  some  of  those  patients  had  been  vo- 
mited; but,  afterward,  I found  that,  with- 
out vomiting,  bleeding,  blistering,  or  any 
other  evacuation  or  medicine  whatever, 
very  bad  fevers  could  be  cured  by  the  sole 
drinking  of  tar  water,  milk  warm,  and  in 
good  quantity;  perhaps,  a large  glass 
every  hour,  or  oftener,  taken  in  bed:  and 
it  was  remarkable,  that  such  as  were  cured 
by  this  comfortable  cordial  recovered 
health  and  spirits  at  once;  while  those 
who  had  been  cured  by  evacuations  often 
languished  long,  even  after  the  fever  had 
left  them,  before  they  could  recover  of 
their  medicines,  and  regain  their  strength. 
In  peripneumonies  and  pleurisies,  I have 
observed  tar  water  to  be  excellent;  having 
known  some  pleuritic  persons  cured  with- 
out bleeding,  by  a blister  early  applied  to 
the  stitch,  and  the  copious  drinking  of  tar 
water,  four  or  five  quarts,  or  even  more, 
in  four  and  twenty  hours:  and  I do  re- 
commend it  to  farther  trial,  whether  in  all 
cases  of  pleurisy,  one  moderate  bleeding, 
a blister  on  the  spot,  and  plenty  of  tepid 
tar  water,  may  not  suffice,  without  those 
repeated  and  immoderate  bleedings,  the 
bad  effects  of  which  are  perhaps  never  got 
over.  I do  even  suspect,  that  a pleuritic 
patient,  betaking  himself  to  bed  betimes, 
and  drinking  very  copiously  of  tar  water, 
may  be  cured  by  that  alone,  without  bleed- 
ing, blistering,  or  any  other  medicine  what- 
ever; certainly,  I have  found  this  succeed,  ! 
a glass  every  half  hour.  I have  known  a ! 
bloody  flux  of  long  continuance,  after  di- 
vers medicines  had  been  tried  in  vain, 
cured  by  tar  water:  but  that  which  I take 
to  be  the  most  speedy  and  effectual  remedy 
in  a bloody  flux,  is  a clyster  of  an  ounce 
of  common  brown  resin  dissolved  over  a 
fire  in  two  ounces  of  oil,  and  added  to  a 


pint  of  broth;  which  not  long  since  I had 
frequent  occasion  of  trying,  when  that  dis- 
temper was  epidemical,  nor  can  I say  that 
any  to  whom  I advised  it  miscarried. 
This  experiment  I was  led  to  make,  by  the 
opinion  I had  of  tar  as  a balsamic;  and 
resin  is  only  tar  inspissated.  Dr.  Sydenham, 
in  his  treatise  of  the  gout,  declares  that, 
whoever  -finds  a medicine  the  most  effica- 
cious for  strengthening  digestion,  will  do 
more  service  in  the  cure  of  that  and  other 
chronical  distempers  than  he  can  even  form 
a notion  of:  and  I leave  it  to  trial,  whether 
tar  water  be  not  that  medicine;  as  I my- 
self am  persuaded  it  is,  by  all  the  experi- 
ments I could  make.  But,  in  all  trials,  I 
would  recommend  discretion  ; for  instance, 
a man  with  the  gout  in  his  stomach,  ought 
not  to  drink  cold  tar  water.  From  my 
representing  tar  water  as  good  for  so  many 
things,  some  may,  perhaps,  conclude  it  is 
good  for  nothing;  but  charity  obliges  me 
to  say  what  I know,  and  what  I think, 
howsoever  it  may  be  taken.  Men  may 
censure  and  object  as  they  please,  but  I 
appeal  to  time  and  experiment.  It’s  great 
force  to  correct  the  acrimony  of  the  blood, 
appears  in  nothing  more  than  in  the  cure 
of  a gangrene,  from  an  internal  cause ; 
which  was  performed  on  a servant  of  my 
own,  by  prescribing  the  copious  and  con- 
stant use  of  tar  water  for  a few  weeks. 
Some  think,  an  erysipelas,  and  the  plague, 
differ  only  in  degree;  if  so,  tar  water  should 
be  useful  in  the  plague,  for  I have  known 
it  cure  an  erysipelas.  I have  often  known 
it  procure  sleep,  and  compose  the  spirits, 
in  cruel  vigils,  occasioned  either  by  sick- 
ness or  b\?  too  intense  application  of  mind. 
Tar  water,  as  it  includes,  in  an  eminent 
degree,  the  virtues  of  warm  gums  and 
resins,  is  of  great  use  for  comforting  and 
/ c 


562 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


strengthening  the  nerves,  curing  twitches 
in  the  nervous  fibres,  cramps  also  and 
numbness  in  the  limbs,  removing  anxieties, 
and  promoting  sleep;  in  all  which  cases, 

I have  known  it  very  successful.  This  safe 
and  cheap  medicine  suits  all  circumstances, 
and  all  constitutions:  operating  easily; 
curing,  without  disturbing;  and  raising  the 
spirits,  without  depressing  them  ; a cir- 
cumstance that  deserves  repeated  atten- 
tion, especially  in  these  climates,  where 
strong  liquors  so  fatally  and  so  frequently 
produce  those  very  distresses  they  are 
designed  to  remedy.  Tar  water  is  not  a 
violent  and  sudden  medicine,  always  to 
produce  it’s  effect  at  once — such,  by  irri- 
tating, often  do  more  mischief  than  good 
• — but  a safe  and  mild  alterative,  which 
penetrates  the  whole  system ; opens,  heals, 
and  strengthens,  the  remote  vessels;  alters 
and  propels  their  contents  ; and  enters  the 
minutest  capillaries : and  cannot,  therefore, 
otherwise  than  by  degrees,  and  in  time, 
work  a radical  cure  of  chronic  distempers. 
It  gives,  nevertheless,  speedy  relief,  in 
most  cases;  as  I have  found,  by  myself 
and  many  others.  I have  been  surprised 
to  see  persons  fallen  away  and  labouring 
under  a bad  digestion,  after  a few  weeks, 
recover  a good  stomach,  and  with  it  flesh 
and  strength,  so  as  to  seem  renewed,  by 
the  drinking  of  tar  water.  The  strength 
and  quantity  of  this  water  to  be  taken  by 
each  individual  person  is  best  determined 
from  experience:  and,  as  for  the  time  of 
taking,  I never  knew  any  evil  ensue  from 
it’s  being  continued  ever  so  long  ; but,  on 
the  contrary,  many  and  great  advantages, 
which  sometimes  would  not,  perhaps,  be- 
gin to  shew  themselves  till  it  had  been 
taken  two  or  three  months.  Sir  John 
Floyer  remarks,  that  we  w'ant  a method  for 


the  use  of  turpentine;  and,  again,  he  who 
shall  hit,  saith  he,  on  the  pleasantest  me- 
thod of  giving  turpentine,  will  do  great 
cures  in  the  gout,  stone,  catarrhs,  dropsies, 
cold  scurvies,  rheumatisms,  ulcers,  and  ob- 
structions of  the  glands.  Lastly,  he  sub- 
joins that,  for  the  use  of  altering  and  amend- 
ing the  juices  and  fibres,  it  must  be  given 
frequently,  and  in  such  small  quantities  at 
a time,  and  in  so  commodious  a manner, 
as  will  agree  best  with  the  stomach,  stay 
longest  in  the  body,  and  not  purge  itself 
off:  for  large  doses,  saith  he,  go  through 
too  quick;  and,  besides,  offend  the  head. 
Now,  the  infusion  of  tar,  or  turpentine,  in 
cold  water,  seems  to  supply  the  very  me- 
thod that  was  wanted:  as  it  leaves  the  most 
unctuous  and  gross  parts  behind,  which 
might  offend  the  stomach,  intestines,  and 
head;  and,  as  it  may  be  easily  taken,  and 
as  often,  and  in  such  quantity,  and  such 
degree  of  strength,  as  suits  the  case  of 
the  patient.  Nor  should  it  seem,  that  the 
fine  spirit  and  volatile  oil,  obtained  by 
infusion  of  tar,  is  inferior  to  that  of  tur- 
pentine; to  which  it  superadds  the  virtue 
of  wood  soot,  which  is  known  to  be  very 
great  with  respect  to  the  head  and  nerves. 
After  having  said  so  much  of  the  uses  of 
tar,  I must  farther  add  that,  being  rubbed 
on  the  teeth  and  gums,  it  is  an  excellent 
i preservative  of  them  ; that  it  sweetens  the 
breath,  and  that  it  clears  and  strengthens 
the  voice.”  In  this  copious  abstract 
from  Bishop  Berkeley’s  work,  it  seems 
sufficiently  manifest  that  tar  water  is  one 
of  the  very  best  known  medicines  of  a ge- 
neral nature;  yet,  from  the  egregious  folly 
of  mankind,  in  all  that  relates  to  our  truest 
interests,  though  it  was  for  some  time 
very  popular,  it  has  long  given  way  to 
more  fashionable  medicines  of  far  less  ef- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


563 


iicaey,  and  is  at  present  more  used  for 
cattle  than  for  the  human  species:  as  a uni- 
versal remedy,  for  either,  tar  water  has  few 
equals.  The  following  is  an  extract  of 
Bishop  Berkeley’s  fullest  directions  for 
preparing  it — £C  Norwegian  tar,  being  the 
most  liquid,  mixeth  best  with  water.  Put 
a gallon  of  cold  water  to  a quart  of  this 
tar;  stir  and  work  them  very  strongly  to- 
gether, with  a flat  stick,  for  about  four  mi- 
nutes. Let  the  vessel  stand  covered  forty- 
eight  hours,  that  the  tar  may  subside:  then 
pour  off  the  clear  water;  and  keep  it  close 
covered,  or  rather  bottled  and  well  stop- 
ped, for  use.  This  may  do  for  a general 
rule;  but,  as  stomachs  and  constitutions 
are  so  various,  for  particular  persons,  their 
own  experience  is  the  best  rule.  The 
stronger  the  better,  provided  the  stomach 
can  bear  it:  less  water,  or  more  stirring, 
makes  it  stronger ; as  more  water,  and  less 
stirring,  makes  it  weaker.  The  same  tar 
will  not  do  quite  so  well  for  making  tar 
water  a second  time,  but  may  serve  for 
common  uses.  Tar  water,  when  right,  is 
not  higher  than  French  nor  deeper  colour- 
ed than  Spanish  white  wine.  If  there  be 
not  a spirit  very  sensibly  perceived  on 
drinking,  you  may  conclude  the  tar  wa- 
ter is  not  good.  If  you  would  have  it 
good,  see  it  made  yourself.  Those  who 
begin  with  it  little  and  weak,  may  by 
habit  come  to  drink  more  and  stronger. 
According  to  the  season  of  the  year,  or 
the  state  and  humour  of  the  patient,  it  may 
be  taken  cold  or  warm.  As  to  the  quan- 
tity, in  chronical  cases,  one  pint  of  tar 
water  a day  may  suffice,  taken  on  an  empty 
stomach,  at  two,  or  four  times;  to  wit, 
night  and  morning,  and  about  two  hours 
after  dinner  and  breakfast.  Alteratives, 
in  general,  taken  little  and  often,  mix  best 


with  the  blood.  Mow  oft,  or  how  strong, 
each  stomach  can  bear,  experience  will 
shew;  nor  is  there  any  danger  in  making 
the  experiment.  Those  who  labour  under 
old  habitual  illnesses,  must  have  great  pa- 
tience and  perseverance  in  the  use  of  this  as 
well  as  in  all  other  medicines:  which,  if  sure 
and  safe,  must  yet  be  slow,  in  chronical  dis- 
orders; and,  where  grievous  or  inveterate, 
may  require  a full  quart  every  day,  to  be 
taken  at  six  doses,  one  third  of  a pint  in 
each,  with  a regular  diet.  In  acute  cases, 
as  fevers  of  all  kinds,  it  must  be  drank 
warm,  in  bed,  and  in  great  quantity;  per- 
haps, a pint  every  hour  till  the  patient  be 
relieved,  which  I have  known  to  work  sur- 
prising cures.  My  experiments  have,  in- 
deed, been  made  within  a narrow  compass; 
meanwhile,  I must  own  myself  persuaded, 
from  what  1 have  already  seen  and  tried, 
that  tar  water  may  be  drank,  with  great 
safety  and  success,  in  the  cure  or  relief  of 
most,  if  not  all,  diseases  ; in  ulcers,  erup- 
tions, and  all  foul  cases;  scurvies  of  all 
kinds;  disorders  of  the  lungs,  stomach, 
and  bowels;  in  nervous  cases;  in  all  in- 
flammatory distempers;  and  in  decays, 
and  other  maladies.  Nor  is  it  of  use  only 
in  the  case  of  sickness:  it  is  also  used  to 
preserve  health,  and  as  a guard  against  in- 
fection and  old  age,  as  it  gives  lasting 
spirits,  and  invigorates  the  blood.  I am 
even  induced,  by  the  nature  and  analogy 
of  things,  and  it’s  wonderful  success  in  all 
kinds  of  fevers,  to  think  that  tar  water  may 
be  very  useful  in  the  plague,  both  as  a cure 
and  preservative ; but,  I doubt,  no  medi- 
cine can  withstand  that  execrable  plague 
of  distilled  spirits;  which  operate  as  a slow 
poison,  preying  on  the  vitals,  and  wasting 
the  health  and  strength  of  the  body  and 
soul.  No  medicine  less  disturbs  the  ani- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


.561 

null  ccconomy  than  tar  water;  which,  if  I 
may  trust  my  own  experience,  never  pro- 
duces any  disorders  in  a patient  when 
rightly  taken.  I knew,  indeed,  a person 
who  took  a large  glass  of  tar  water  just  be- 
fore breakfast^  which  gave  him  an  invin- 
cible nausea  and  disgust,  although  he  had 
before  received  the  greatest  benefit  from 
it;  but,  if  the  tar  water  be  taken  and  made 
in  the  manner  above  prescribed,  it  will, 
if  I mistake  not,  have  enough  of  the  salt 
to  be  useful,  and  little  enough  of  the  oil 
to  be  inoffensive.  Persons  more  delicate 
than  ordinary  may  render  it  palatable,  by 
mixing  a drop  of  the  chemical  oil  of  nut- 
megs, or  a spoonful  of  mountain  wine,  in 
each  glass.  It  may  not  be  amiss  to  ob- 
serve, that  I have  known  some,  whose 
nice  stomachs  could  not  bear  it  in  the 
morning,  take  it  at  night  going  to  bed 
without  any  inconvenience;  and  that,  with 
some  it  agrees  best  warm,  with  others  cold. 
It  may  be  made  stronger  for  brute  beasts, 
as  horses,  in  whose  disorders  I have  found 
it  very  useful;  I believe,  more  so  than  that 
bituminous  substance  called  Barbadocs  tar. 
A medicine  of  so  great  virtue,  in  so  many 
different  disorders,  and  especially  in  that 
grand  enemy,  the  fever,  must  needs  be  a 
benefit  to  mankind  in  general;  there  are 
nevertheless,  three  sorts  of  people,  to  whom 
I would  peculiarly  recommend  it;  sea- 
faring persons,  ladies,  and  men  of  studious 
and  sedentary  lives.”  AVe  have  extended 
this  article  to  an  unusual  length,  because 
we  feel  fully  satisfied  of  it’s  very  great  im- 
portance; and  are  little  less  sanguine  in 
our  expectations  of  it’s  universal  utility, 
wherever  it  has  a fair  trial,  than  even  the 
good  Bishop  Berkeley  himself.  Certain 
it  is,  that  all  the  facts  which  this  great  and 
worthy  man  has  stated  may  safely  be  re- 


I!  lied  on;  and,  in  these  alone,  whether  we 
;j  receive  or  reject  tlie  whole  of  his  lordship’s 
ingenious  deductions  or  inferences,  we  find 
ij  abundant  reasons  for  contributing  our  best 
aid  to  the  more  general  use  of  tar  water. 

1 1 German  Remedy  for  the  Bite  of  a Mad 
Dog. 

The  following  cure  for  the  bite  of  a mad 
|j  dog,  was  published  at  Hamburgh,  in  1790, 
by  authority,  for  the  public  good — A sharp 
drawing  plaister  is  to  be  immediately  ap- 
plied on  the  wound  : and  six  pills  are  to  be 
taken,  by  grown  persons,  every  two  hours; 
fewer  being  given  to  children,  in  propor- 
tion to  their  age.  The  pills  are  thus  pre- 
pared— Finely  powder  six  grains  of  can- 
tharides,  twelve  grains  of  cinnamon,  and 
forty-two  grains  of  loaf  sugar;  then,  with 
sufficient  conserve  of  roses,  form  the  whole 
i into  thirty  pills. 

0 

Greek  Remedy  for  a Weak  Stomach. 

I I 

INFUSE,  in  a pint  of  wine,  one  dram 
jj.  each  of  powdered  myrrh,  thus  or  frankin- 
! cense,  wormwood,  and  castor,  for  eight  or 
ten  days;  of  which,  take  a glass  after  din- 
ner, and  it  will  excellently  assist  digestion. 

Dr.  Fordyce’s  Decoction  of  Sarsaparilla. 


The  following  instructions  for  prepar- 
ing and  taking  the  decoction  of  sarsaparilla, 
are  copied  from  an  original  manuscript 
signed  by  Dr.  Fordyce — “ To  three  ounces 
of  the  sarsaparilla  root,  as  fresh  as  it  can 
be  procured,  not  spoiled  with  age,  worms, 
sea  water,  or  moisture,  add  three  quarts  of 
river  water,  and  bring  it  to  boil  immedi- 
ately in  an  open  vessel ; I always  ordered 
a copper  one.  Let  it  boil  away  to  two- 
pints  of  the,  strained  liquor;  that  is,  to 
about  two  pounds  avoirdupoise.  I some-  ' 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


times  add  a little  liquorice  root,  to  make 
it  more  palatable.  This  quantity  I give  at 
two  or  three  doses — either  warm  or  cold, 
as  it  is  most  agreeable — every  twenty-four 
hours.  Every  other  day,  it  must  be  made 
fresh;  and,  even  what  is  not  used  the  day 
it  is  boiled,  must  be  kept  in  a cold  cellar. 
I have  always  recommended  abstemious 
living;  particularly,  with  regard  to  wine.” 
The  virtues  of  sarsaparilla,  both  as  a safe 
sudorific,  and  an  admirable  purifier  of  the 
blood,  have  generally  been  acknowledged : 
though,  by  late  medical  writers,  it  seems 
greatly  undervalued ; chiefly,  perhaps,  for 
want  of  fairly  trying  it’s  effects.  Sarsa- 
parilla acts,  in  truth,  not  only  by  the  skin, 
but  by  the  urinary  passages;  and,  in  the 
several  forms  of  extract  and  powder,  as 
W'ell  as  decoction,  is  successfully  used  in 
cases  of  carious  and  ill-disposed  cancers  or 
other  sores.  We  are  sorry  to  perceive,  in 
a work  so  respectable  as  the  Edinburgh 
Dispensatory,  under  the  article  decoction 
of  sarsaparilla,  such  an  assertion  as  that 
“ it’s  diaphoretic  effects  are  probably 
owing  to  it’s  being  drunk  warm.” 

Improved  Lisbon  Diet  Drink,  or  Compound 
Decoction  of  Sarsaparilla. 

The  celebrated  Lisbon  diet  drink,  so 
highly  extolled  as  an  antivenereal  as  well 
as  antiscorbutic  remedy,  is  said,  by  the 
editor  of  the  Edinburgh  Dispensatory,  to 
be  improved  in  it’s  mode  of  preparation, 
under  the  appellation  of  the  compound 
decoction  of  sarsaparilla,  both  of  the  Lon- 
don and  Dublin  dispensatories.  It  is  thus 
described — Take  of  the  sliced  and  bruised 
root  of  sarsaparilla,  six  ounces;  and  bark  of 
the  root  of  sassafras,  shavings  of  guaiacum 
wood,  and  bruised  liquorice  root,  each 
one  ounce.  These  ingredients  are  to  be 


66) 

macerated,  with  a gentle  heat,  in  ten  pint  s 
of  distilled  water,  for  six  hours;  after  which, 
they  must  be  boiled  till  the  liquid  be  half 
reduced,  having  three  drams  of  mezereon 
added  toward  the  conclusion  of  the  boiling. 
The  decoction  is  to  be  then  strained  for 
use;  the  dose  being  three  or  four  ounces, 
which  may  be  taken  four  times  a day* 
The  above  is  the  London  preparation ; 
that  of  the  Dublin  college  only  differs  in 
adding  the  liquorice  root  at  the  same  time 
as  the  mezereon,  and  in  reducing  the  quan- 
tity of  the  ingredients  used  to  one  fourth 
part.  The  virtues  of  this  decoction  or  diet 
drink  are  thus  slightly  noticed — ce  It  ope- 
rates as  a diaphoretic;  and  may  be  given 
with  advantage  in  rheumatic  cases,  and  in 
some  of  the  sequelae  of  syphilis.”  We  may 
add,  that  it  is  an  excellent  cleanser  of  all 
lurking  foulnesses  in  the  blood  and  juices. 

Eau  de  Cologne. 

TlIE  celebrity  of  eau  de  Cologne,  among 
the  fashionable  classes,  in  every  part  of 
Europe,  renders  unnecessary  any  panegy- 
ric on  the  medicinal  virtues  of  this  deli- 
cate composition,  either  externally  ap- 
plied or  internally  taken;  it  has,  in  the 
great  world,  almost  entirely  superseded 
the  famous  Hungary  water,  &c.  We  have, 
with  much  difficulty,  obtained  the  follow- 
ing genuine  receipt,  both  for  the  extem- 
poraneous and  more  refined  preparation  by 
rectification  of  the  finest  eau  de  Cologne 
— Mix  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  thirteen 
pounds;  Hungary  water,  three  pounds 
and  a half;  spirit  of  wine  distilled  from 
balm  leaves,  two  pounds;  essence  of  ber- 
gamot, three  ounces;  orange-flower  water, 
one  pound;  essence  of  lemon,  an  ounce; 
and  essence  of  rosemary,  a dram.  Shake 
this  mixture  well  together,  in  a large  bot- 
7 D 


566 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


tie,  and  the  liquor  is  made.  It  will,  in  this 
ready  way.  be  very  delicate,  and  answer 
every  requisite  purpose:  but,  if  superior 
delicacy  be  desired,  it  may  be  obtained  by 
distilling  the  above  mixture,  or  rather 
double  the  quantity  of  each  ingredient, 
in  a gentle  sand  heat;  so  as  to  draw  off 

the  liquor,  with  the  exception  of  only 
two  quarts  left  behind  in  the  still.  It 
seems  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that  a 
small  quantity  of  eau  de  Cologne  may  be 
extemporaneously  prepared  by  substitut- 
ing ounces  for  pounds,  &c.  so  as  to  pre- 
serve the  exact  proportions  of  the  several 
ingredients. 

Lancashire  Method  of  Boiling  Potatoes. 

The  cookery  of  no  article,  so  much  in 
use,  is  perhaps  so  little  understood,  as  the 
proper  mode  of  boiling  potatoes  for  the 
table ; and  the  same  potatoes  are  rendered 
disgusting,  or  agreeable,  according  to  their 
management  in  boiling.  The  best  Lan- 
cashire mode  of  preparing  them,  is  to  take 
off  the  rinds,  or  peels,  before  boiling,  by 
rather  scraping  than  paring  them  with  a 
knife;  and,  having  ready,  in  a pan,  as 
much  boiling  hot  water  as  will  barely  cover 
the  potatoes,  add  to  the  water  a handful 
of  salt,  more  or  less,  according  to  the 
quantity  of  potatoes;  put  them,  fresh 
scraped,  into  the  boiling  water,  place  a 
cover  over  the  pan,  and  let  them  boil  till 
they  are  done  sufficiently ; then  pour  all 
the  water  from  them,  and  set  the  pan  con- 
taining the  potatoes,  without  the  cover, 
close  to  the  fire,  so  that  there  may  be  heat 
enough  to  throw  off,  in  steam,  the  super- 
fluous moisture.  In  this  state,  they  should 
be  put  on  the  dish,  ready  for  the  table; 
and  will  be  in  a powdery  state  on  the  sur- 
face, extremely  palatable  and  wholesome. 


Cheap  Farmer's  Pudding. 

Take  two  pounds  of  waste  bread,  or 
crusts  of  bread;  steep  them,  for  one  or  two 
hours,  in  as  much  milk  or  water  as  will 
render  them  perfectly  soft;  and,  adding 
two  or  three  eggs,  with  a little  grated  gin- 
ger, some  pounded  Pimento  or  allspice, 
and  sugar  to  sweeten  it,  let  the  whole  be 
perfectly  incorporated  together,  put  into 
a baking  dish,  and  set  in  the  oven. 

Easy  Method  of  preventing  Moths  in  Furs 
and  Woollens. 

Sprinkle  the  furs  or  woollen  stuffs,  as 
well  as  the  drawers  or  boxes  in  which  they 
are  kept,  with  spirit  of  turpentine;  the  un- 
pleasant scent  of  which  will  speedily  eva- 
porate, on  exposure  of  the  stuffs  to  the  air. 
Some  persons  place  sheets  of  paper,  moist- 
ened with  spirit  of  turpentine,  over,  under, 
or  between  pieces  of  cloth,  &c.  and  find 
it  a very  effectual  method. 

Good  Red  Writing  Ink. 

Take  vinegar,  or  old  ale,  half  a pint; 
and  Brazil  wood  shavings,  one  ounce. 
Boil  them  well  over  the  fire;  then  add 
roche  alum,  in  powder,  half  an  ounce,  and 
strain  it  off  for  use. 

Excellent  Composition,  to  take  out  Stains  or 

Grease  Spots  from  Silk,  Cotton , or  Wool- 
len. 

To  two  ounces  of  spirit  of  wine,  add 
one  ounce  of  French  chalk,  and  five  ounces 
of  tobacco  pipe  clay,  both  in  fine  powder. 
Make  this  mixture  into  rolls  about  the 
length  of  a finger,  and  let  them  dry.  This 
composition  is  to  be  applied  by  rubbing 
on  the  spot,  either  dry  or  wet,  and  after- 
ward brushing  the  part  rubbed  therewith. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


567 


Effectual  and  Easy  Manner  of  preserving 

Eggs  perfectly  Fresh  for  Twelve  Months. 

HAVING  provided  small  casks,  like  oys- 
ter barrels,  fill  them  with  fresh  laid  eggs; 
then  pour  into  each  cask,  the  head  of  which 
is  supposed  to  have  been  first  taken  out,  as 
much  cold  thick  lime  water  as  will  fill  up 
all  the  void  spaces  between  the  eggs,  and 
likewise  compleatly  cover  them.  The 
thicker  the  lime  water  is  made,  the  better ; 
provided  it  will  fill  up  all  the  interstices 
and  be  liquid  at  the  top  of  the  cask.  This 
done,  lay  on  the  head  of  the  cask  lightly. 
No  farther  care  is  necessary,  than  merely 
to  prevent  the  lime  from  growing  too  hard ; 
by  adding,  occasionally,  a little  common 
water  on  the  surface,  should  it  seem  so  dis- 
posed, and  keeping  the  casks  from  heat 
and  frost.  The  eggs,  when  taken  out  for 
use,  are  to  be  ivashed  from  the  adhering 
lime  with  a little  cold  water;  when  they 
will  have  both  the  appearance  and  qua- 
lities of  fresh  laid  eggs,  the  lime  preserving 
them  from  shrinking  or  putridity. 

Syrup  of  Angelica  Root,  for  the  Influenza, 
&$c. 

That  peculiar  species  of  cold  which, 
a few  years  since,  from  it’s  very  general 
prevalence,  obtained  the  name  of  the  influ- 
enza, and  all  common  coughs  or  colds,  are 
said  to  be  effectually  cured  by  the  follow- 
ing syrup — Boil  down,  gently,  for  three 
hours,  a handful  of  angelica  root,  in  about 
a quart  of  water:  then,  straining  it  off, 
add  liquid  Narbonne  or  best  virgin  honey 
sufficient  to  make  it  into  a balsam  or  syrup ; 
and  take  two  tea-spoonfuls  every  night 
and  morning,  as  well  as  often  in  the  day. 

If  there  be  any  hoarseness,  or  sore  throat, 
add  a few  nitre  drops. 


Admirable  Beverage  for  Weaknesses  of 
Constitution. 

The  most  distressing  weaknesses,  with 
which  delicate  constitutions^are  so  often 
afflicted,  may  be  better  cured  by  simply 
substituting  the  following  beverage  for  the 
usual  drink  of  beer,  ale,  &c.  at  meal  times, 
during  a few  days  or  weeks,  according  to 
the  degree  of  weakness,  than  the  most  cost- 
ly and  complicated  medicines — Boil  as 
much  pearl  or  Scotch  barley,  in  pure  wa- 
ter, as  will  make  about  three  pints;  then, 
straining  it  off,  and  having  in  the  mean 
time  dissolved  an  ounce  of  gum  Arabic 
in  a little  water,  mix  them,  and  just  boil 
the  whole  up  together.  The  barley  water 
need  not  be  thick,  as  the  gum  will  give 
it  sufficient  consistence.  When  used,  take 
it  milk  warm ; the  good  effect  will  generally 
be  soon  manifest,  and  a compleat  cure  cer- 
tainly follow. 

Secret  Remedy  of  the  Italian  Singers  for  a 
Hoarseness. 

From  an  excellent  little  treatise  on  the 
virtues  of  honey,  we  extract  the  folio  win  ar 
— “ The  Italian  singers,  who  are  the  most 
delicate  in  respect  to  hoarseness,  &e.  find 
that  honey  alone  is  apt  at  first  to  clog  the 
voice,  though  it  does  good  afterward ; 
therefore,  they  sharpen  it  with  a few  drops 
of  spirit  of  vitriol.  1 his  is  very  proper 
for  those  doses  of  honey  which  are  taken 
in  the  day  time,  to  prepare  the  person  for 
speaking  or  singing  immediately  after- 
ward; but  that  which  is  taken  night  and 
morning,  will  answer  better  alone.  The 
sort  of  honey  best  for  a hoarseness,  is  the 
true  Narbonne  kind:  there  is  a natural 
sharpness  in  this,  which  no  other  has,  and 
which  qualifies  it  excellently  for  the  pur- 


568 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


pose.  As  to  the  quantity  of  spirit  of  vi- 
triol, that  is  to  be  determined  by  the  taste. 

It  is  a liquor  not  always  of  the  same  J 
strength,  for  the  chemists  make  it  care-  I 
lesslv;  as  many  drops  are  to  be  used  as  | 
will  give  the  honey  an  agreeable  tartness,  J 
and  no  more.  This  little  secret  is  kept  j 
to  themselves,  by  the  opera  people;  but, 
as  it  may  be  useful  to  others,  it  is  fit  all 
should  know  it.  Persons  hoarse  are  always 
worse  in  a morning;  this  is  for  the  same 
reason  that  those  oppressed  with  a tough 
phlegm  find  most  uneasiness  at  that  time. 
In  the  night,  the  humours  collect  them- 
selves, and  spread  over  the  part  undis- 
turbed, and  we  feel  their  effect  at  rising. 
This  directs  the  time  which  must  be  best 
for  taking  honey  for  the  cure  of  a hoarse- 
ness; which  is,  the  last  thing  at  night: 
but  it  should  also  be  repeated  in  the  morn- 
ing; and  it  may  be  taken,  occasionally, 
at  any  time  of  the  day.  If  any  one,  who 
is  subject  to  a hoarseness,  be  sensible  that 
he  shall  have  occasion  to  speak  a great 
deal,  let  him  prepare  for  it  by  taking  a 
spoonful  of  honey;  this  will  make  him 
speak  with  more  ease  to  himself,  and  more 
intelligibly  to  those  who  are  to  hear  him, 
as  well  as  prevent  that  straining  which  is 
so  apt  to  increase  the  disorder.  At  any 
time,  when  a person  who  is  hoarse  is  going 
into  company,  it  will  be  advisable  to  take 
some  of  this  pleasant  remedy ; and  if,  in 
the  course  of  conversation,  the  voice  is 
found  to  grow  worse,  another  spoonful  of 
it  will  give  that  real  relief  which  the  party 
would  vainly  endeavour  to  obtain  by  vio- 
lent efforts:  to  speak  more  plainly,  this 
would  tend  to  increase  the  disorder;  the 
other,  to  effect  it’s  cure.  Speaking  with 
ease  and  clearness  must  be  agreeable  to 
all  persons,  but  there  are  some  to  whom 


it  is  of  the  greatest  importance;  such  as 
senators,  clergymen,  barristers,  theatrical 
performers,  & c.  who  are  often  distressed 
in  the  highest  degree  by  hoarsenesses, 
which  this  easy  medicine  will  perfectly 
cure.  If  Narbonne  honey  cannot  be  got, 
any  other  of  the  pure  and  fine  kinds  will 
do:  but  the  common  thick  honey  of  the 
grocers  must  be  carefully  avoided,  for  it 
will  do  mischief  in  this  case  as  well  as  in 
that  of  a tough  phlegm;  and  will,  in  the 
end,  increase  the  disorder,  by  the  violent 
efforts  it  will  make  necessary  to  being 
heard  at  all.” 

Fine  Ginger  Wine  with  Jar  Raisins. 

Divide  six  gallons  of  soft  water  int& 
two  parts:  then  boil  one  three  gallons 
with  ten  pounds  of  good  moist  sugar, 
stirred  till  it  dissolves,  and  well  scummed, 
while  boiling,  for  a quarter  of  an  hour;  and. 
in  the  other,  two  pounds  of  the  best  race 
ginger,  with  the  rind  of  a couple  of  lemons. 
The  ginger  and  lemon  peel  having  gently 
boiled  or  simmered  for  about  two  hours, 
till  the  entire  strength  of  the  ginger  is 
extracted,  pour  both  liquids,  with  the  gin- 
ger and  peel  into  a mashing  tub;  and,  after 
it  has  stood  till  only  lukqwarm,  add  the 
juice  of  two  lemons,  and  stir  it  well  toge- 
ther. Then,  putting  in  a toast  covered 
► with  yeast,  wash  it  well  in  the  liquor,  and 
let  the  whole  stand  two  nights,  till  it  has 
a good  head.  In  the  mean  time,  having 
ready  a seasoned  cask,  put  into  it  two 
pounds  of  fine  jar  raisins,  with  a quarter 
of  an  ounce  of  finely  shred  isinglass: 
to  which,  add  the  liquor ; with  a quarter 
of  a pound  of  the  best  race  ginger  bruised, 
for  the  wine  to  feed  on,  and  a pint  of  good 
brandy.  Bung  it  up  close,  and  let  it  stand 
from  seven  to  ten  weeks;  then  bottle  it 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


off  for  use.  The  spring  is  the  best  time 
for  making  it;  but,  with  proper  care,  it 
may  be  made  at  any  time. 

Yellow  Water  for  the  Gout. 

Add,  to  a gallon  of  the  best  brandy,  a 
pint  of  rose  water  and  half  a pint  of  red 
poppy  water:  then  put  in  a pound  and  a 
half  of  stoned  jar  raisins;  an  ounce  each 
of  fresh  stick  liquorice,  cinnamon,  cloves, 
and  carraway  seeds,  all  bruised;  two  large 
nutmegs  sliced;  and  six  drams  of  saffron. 
When  the  whole  has  stood  to  infuse  a fort- 
night, in  a large  bottle,  closely  stopped 
and  daily  shaken,  add  a few  fresh  balm 
leaves,  and  a little  sliced  angelica  root; 
then  let  it  stand  two  days  longer,  and  strain 
it  off  for  use.  Take  two  or  three  table- 
spoonfuls, whenever  there  is  the  slightest 
pain  felt  in  the  stomach. 

Milk  Water. 

Put  a handful  each  of  wormwood,  mint, 
balm,  carduus,  dragon,  rue,  and  angelica, 
into  a gallon  of  milk;  and,  after  it  has 
stood  twelve  hours,  distill  off  the  milk  wa- 
ter, and  keep  it  closely  corked  for  use. 

Freezing  Mixtures. 

Take  a gill  of  water,  eleven  drams  of 
crude  sal  ammoniac,  nine  drams  of  nitre, 
and  two  ounces  of  Glauber’s  salt.  These 
salts  are  all  to  be  powdered  separate- 
ly, and  so  left  till  the  time  of  using;  they 
may  then  be  mixed  promiscuously,  and 
will  produce  forty- five  degrees  of  cold.  A 
mixture  of  fifty  degrees  of  cold  is  thus 
made — Mix,  carefully,  an  ounce  of  strong 
oil  of  vitriol  with  the  same  weight  of  wa- 
ter, which  will  produce  a great  heat ; when 
it  becomes  cold,  add  two  ounces  of  pow- 
dered Glauber’s  salt,  and  an  ounce  of  pow- 


569 

dered  sal  ammoniac.  Sixty  degrees  of 
cold  are  obtained  by  the  following — Mix 
two  ounces  of  strong  spirit  of  nitre  with 
one  ounce  of  water;  then,  cooling  this  mix- 
ture to  the  temperature  of  tho  air,  add  four 
ounces  of  Glauber’s  salt,  and  two  ounces 
of  sal  ammoniac,  both  pounded  fine,  and 
kept  separate  till  used.  The  greatest  cold 
is  produced  when  the  solution  is  quickest; 
the  mixture  should,  therefore,  be  stirred. 
All  the  above  proportions  are  adjusted  by 
troy  weight. 

Analeptic  Pills. 

Mix  twenty  grains  each  of  Dr.  James’s 
powder,  Rufus’s  pill,  and  gum  guaiaoum, 
with  any  syrup  and  liquorice  powder  or  flour 
sufficient  to  make  the  whole  into  twenty  pills. 
Twenty  grains  of  rhubarb  may  be  put  in, 
instead  of  Rufus’s  pill,  if  the  small  quan- 
tity of  aloes  therein  contained  should  prove 
heating. 

Cheap  Common  Green  and  other  Paint t to 

stand  the  Weather , made  without  Oil. 

Dissolve  eight  pounds  of  glue  in  boil- 
ing water,  with  which  slack  a bushel  of 
quick  lime  till  the  whole  is  the  consistence 
of  paint.  Apply  three  coats  of  this  mixture 
on  the  building  with  a painter’s  brush, 
each  coat  being  quite  dry  before  it  is  suc- 
ceeded by  another;  over  the  third  coat, 
apply  grey  stone  dust  with  a dredger. 
By  mixing  ochre  with  the  wash,  any  de- 
sired colour  may  be  obtained.  It  may 
be  rendered  green,  by  mixing  common 
blue  and  yellow  ochre,  and  applying  them 
hot. 

Excellent  Paste  for  Paper  or  Wood. 

Boil  three  quarters  of  an  ounce  of  . the 
purest  gum  Arabic  in  a pint  of  water, 

7 E 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


^70 

with  fine  flour,  to  the  thickness  of  honey. 
An  excellent  paste  may  also  be  made  with 
half  starch  and  half  flour,  finely  sifted,  and 
made  up  with  beer  boiled  quite  smooth  to 
the  consistence  of  starch ; a spoonful  of 
size  being  mixed  in  during  the  boiling. 

Black  Currant  Wine. 

An  admirable  black  currant  wine  may 
be  made,  in  the  usual  way  of  other  cur- 
rant wines,  with  equal  quantities  of  the 
juice  of  black  currants  and  of  water,  add- 
ing half  a pound  of  moist  sugar  for  each 
quart  of  the  currant  juice. 

Curious  Armenian  Remedy  for  a Cancer. 

The  following  account  of  this  remedy 
was  copied  from  an  Edinburgh  newspaper 
in  the  year  1802 — “ While  I was  at  Smyr- 
na,” says  the  communicator,  “ there  was 
a girl  afflicted  with  a cancer  in  her  lips, 
and  the  gum  was  also  affected.  The  Euro- 
pean physicians  consulted  on  the  means 
to  be  taken,  and  agreed  that  they  saw  no 
other  method  than  to  cut  it  out,  and  the 
girl  had  already  submitted  herself  to  that 
decision.  By  an  accident  of  that  nature 
which  men  cannot  always  account  for,  an 
old  Armenian  came  to  them  just  in  time 
to  prevent  the  application  of  the  knife. 
“ Do  nothing,”  said  the  Armenian,  “ I 
will  cure  her.”  And,  when  he  had  pledged 
himself  strongly,  the  physicians  consented. 
Tie  procured  a copper  vessel,  newly  tinned 
in  the  inside — an  essential  circumstance — 
and,  having  poured  into  it  a certain  quan- 
tity of  olive  oil,  he  made  it  boil  over  a 
small  fire,  sufficient  to  keep  it  gently  agi- 
tated; and  so,  for  three  times  in  twenty- 
four  hours.  With  this,  the  oil  resolved 
itself  to  the  consistency  of  an  ointment ; 
and,  by  constantly  rubbing  the  part  affect- 


ed, he  cured  her  in  fourteen  days  : nothing 
else  was  done.  The  physicians  supposed, 
that  the  oil  received  it’s  virtue  from  the 
tin,  and  that  it  was  communicated  by  the 
long  boiling  over  the  fire.” 

Admirable  Ointment  for  Burns,  Scalds, 
Cuts,  Bruises,  Kc. 

Set  over  the  fire,  in  a well  glazed  pip- 
kin, four  ounces  of  the  best  olive  oil;  and, 
when  it  boils,  put  in  a quarter  of  an  ounce 
of  the  best  white  lead,  very  finely  powdered 
and  sifted,  stirring  it  with  a wooden  spoon 
till  it  is  of  a light  brown  colour:  then  add 
four  ounces  of  yellow  bees  wax  cut  in  small 
pieces;  and  keep  it  stirring,  till  it  is  all 
melted  and  well  mixed  together.  Take  it 
off  the  fire,  and  continue  stirring  till  it 
gets  a little  cool;  then  throw  in  a quarter 
of  an  ounce  of  camphor,  cut  or  pounded 
in  small  bits,  and  cover  it  close  over  with 
white  paper  for  a short  time.  Afterward, 
stirring  it  up,  put  it  into  gallipots;  and 
let  it  be  well  secured  with  bladder,  to  keep 
out  the  air.  This  excellent  ointment  is  to 
be  spread  on  linen  cloth,  and  applied  to 
the  part  affected;  the  plaister  should  be 
changed  every  twelve  or  twenty-four  hoars, 
as  occasion  may  require.  Great  care  must 
be  taken  not  to  let  the  air  get  to  the  wound. 
It  is  said  also  to  relieve  pains  in  the  ear. 

Honey  Water. 

Take,  of  coriander  seeds,  a pound; 
cassia,  four  ounces;  cloves,  and  gum  ben- 
zoin, each  two  ounces;  oil  of  rhodium, 
essence  of  lemon,  essence  of  bergamot, 
and  oil  of  lavender,  each  a dram ; rectified 
spirit  of  wine,  twenty  pints:,  rose  water, 
two  quarts;  nutmeg  water,  a quart;  and 
musk,  and  ambergrease,  each  twelve  grains. 
Distill,  in  a water  bath,  to  dryness.  This 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


is  a genuine  receipt  for  preparing  the  best 
honey  water.  A common  sort  of  honey 
water  is  frequently  made,  by  merely  put- 
ting two  drams  each  of  tincture  of  amber- 
grease, and  tincture  of  musk,  in  a quart 
of  rectified  spirit  of  wine  and  half  a pint 
of  water;  filtering  it,  and  putting  it  up  in 
small  bottles,  that  it  may  pass  for  the  best. 

Cherry  Jelly. 

Boil,  in  a pint  of  water,  two  ounces  of 
shred  isinglass,  till  it  be  quite  dissolved; 
then,  straining  it  off,  put  in  two  pounds 
of  morella  cherries,  very  carefully  stoned 
for  fear  of  losing  the  juice.  Boil  it  up,  from 
five  to  ten  minutes;  sugar  it  to  palate ; and, 
repeatedly  stirring  it,  but  very  gently,  so  as 
not  to  break  the  cherries,  let  it  stand  till 
nearly  cold : then  put  it  into  the  mould, 
to  remain  till  wanted  for  the  table. 

Safe  and  Powerful  Styptic , for  all  Inward 
Bleedings , &'c. 

DISSOLVE  four  ounces  of  roche  alum, 
with  a quart  of  pure  water,  in  an  earthen 
pipkin,  over  the  fire;  then  strain  it  hot 
through  a paper  funnel,  and  immediately 
boil  it  again  till  it  has  a kind  of  skin  over 
the  top,  when  it  must  be  poured  into  a ba- 
son, and  set  to  cool  and  crystal ize.  In 
about  four  hours,  it  will  all  settle  on  the 
sides  of  the  bason,  under  the  water  ; which 
having  become  clear,  and  being  poured  off, 
a hard  substance  will  be  found  adhering 
to  the  sides  as  tvell  as  at  the  bottom,  that 
glitters  and  shines  like  small  crystals.  Af- 
ter making  it  perfectly  dry,  force  off  the 
crystals.  To  two  ounces  of  these  crystals, 
in  fine  powder,  put  half  an  ounce  of  the 
best  drops  or  tears  of  sanguis  draconis,  or' 
dragon’s  blood,  also  finely  powdered:  then, 
well  mixing  them  together,  melt  a little  at  a 


.571 

time  in  a silver  spoon  over  a chaffing  dish; 
and  work  it,  while  hot,  into  pills.  They  may 
be  formed  in  a bullet  mould.  The  dose 
is  half  a dram,  to  be  taken  four  times  a 
day;  but,  in  violent  cases,  a whole  dram, 
four  times  a day,  is  better.  Usually,  after 
five  or  six  doses,  there  appears  amend- 
ment, and  the  cure  soon  follows;  but,  for 
security,  the  medicine  must  be  continued 
once  a day  for  a week.  This  medicine, 
which  is  said  to  be  an  absolute  specific,  is 
described  as  hurtful  in  no  case,  simple  or 
complex,  either  of  cough,  menses,  fever, 
&c.  It  cures  all  inward  bleeding  what- 
soever; and,  also,  all  reds  or  whites,  and 
even  both  together.  We  consider  it  as  a 
most  valuable  receipt. 

Mrs.  Stephens’s  Medicines  for  the  Stone  and 
Gravel , the  Discovery  of  which  obtained 
that  Lady  a Parliamentary  Reward  of 
Five  Thousand  Pounds. 

There  is  not  the  smallest  probability, 
that  the  efficacy  of  any  medicines  can 
ever  be  better  established,  than  these  for 
the  stone  and  gravel,  of  which  the  follow- 
ing is  a short  but  most  interesting  history 
— Mrs.  Johanna  Stephens,  a Berkshire 
lady,  had  from  her  youth  always  delighted 
in  preparing  medicines,  and  curing  gra- 
tuitously those  to  whom  she  administered 
them ; and  she  was  particularly  led  to 
employ  her  thoughts  about  this  famous 
preparation,  at'ter  having  seen  one  of  her 
dearest  friends  die  of  the  stone,  in  the 
greatest  tortures  that  can  be  imagined. 

“ It  is,”  says  the  celebrated  Dr.  Hartley, 
in  his  View  of  the  Evidence  for  and  against 
Mrs.  Stephens’s  Medicines,  published  in 
1739,  “ about  twenty  years  ago,  that  she 
met,  by  chance,  with  a receipt  or  prescrip- 
tion for  the  stone,  consisting  of  egg  shells 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


bn 

dried  in  an  oven  and  reduced  to  powder, 
which  she  gave  to  several  persons.  Aker 
having  tried  it  in  some  cases,  she  began 
to  calcine  the  egg  shells,  sometimes,  till 
they  were  black  only;  sometimes,  till  this 
black  colour  was  turned  into  a grey  one, 
drawing  more  or  less  on  a white,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  time  the  shells  had  been 
longer  in  the  fire  or  in  a greater  heat. 
Her  method  then  was,  to  give  the  powder 
of  egg  shells  thus  calcined,  as  much  as 
would  lay  on  a shilling,  three  times  a day; 
and  it  appeared  to  her,  that  they  had  a 
greater  effect  the  more  they  were  calcined: 
but,  finding  that  it  often  caused  a great  cos- 
tiveness, she  added  to  each  dose,  a little 
soap,  to  prevent  this  accident;  and,  at  the 
same  time,  to  hasten  the  dissolution  of 
the  stone.  It  was  thus  she  continued  to 
give  her  medicines  for  several  years;  by 
which  she  attained  to  cure  the  pain  of  the 
gravel,  and  sometimes  to  dissolve  the  stone 
in  the  bladder.”  Emboldened,  it  appears, 
by  this  success  of  practice,  she  at  length 
made  such  improvements  in  her  medicine, 
and  acquired  so  universal  a reputation 
for  her  cures,  that  public  and  even  national 
attention  was  excited.  It  appeared,  in 
short,  from  a list  of  a hundred  and  fifty- 
five  cases  published,  that  a hundred  and 
nineteen  of  the  patients  were  cured,  or 
had  received  benefit,  by  the  medicines; 
most  of  whom  had  tried  every  other  known 
means  before,  but  to  no  purpose : and 
that  several  of  them  were  very  much  worn 
out  by  the  distemper,  so  that  many  lives 
were  saved;  and  these  were  not  only  re- 
stored, from  the  greatest  tortures  to  ease, 
but  even  enjoyed  a better  state  of  health 
in  other  respects,  while  those  who  were 
not  cured  received  no  hurt  by  the  use  of 
Mrs.  Stephens’s  medicines.  These  facts 


coming  before  Parliament,  in  the  year 
1739,  a reward  of  five  thousand  pounds  w7as 
resolved  to  be  given  Mrs.  Stephens  for  the 
discovery  of  her  secret,  which  wras  to  be 
published,  before  her  receiving  the  above 
sum,  that  there  might  be  a sufficient 
time  for  the  w'hole  world  to  examine 
it’s  virtues  and  safety.  Accordingly,  in 
July  1739,  it  was  published,  as  follows, 
in  all  the  newspapers — “ A full  discovery 
“ of  the  medicines  given  by  me  Johanna 
“ Stephens,  for  the  cure  of  the  stone  and 
“ gravel;  and  a particular  account  of  my  me- 
“ thod  of  preparing  and  giving  the  same. 
“ My  medicines  are,  a POWDER,  a DECOC- 
“ TION,  and  pills.  The  powder  consists  of 
“ egg  shells  and  snails,  both  calcined.  The 
“ decoction  is  made  by  boiling  some  herbs 
“ — together  with  a ball,  w'hich  consists  of 
“ soap,  swine’s  cresses  burnt  to  a blackness, 
“ and  honey,  in  water.  The  pills  consist 
“ of  snails  calcined;  wild  carrot  seeds, 
“ burdock  seeds,  ashen  keys,  hips  and 
“ haws,  all  burnt  to  a blackness;  soap;  and 
“ honey.  The  powder  is  thus  prepared 
“ — Take  hens  egg  shells,  well  drained 
“ from  the  whites,  dry  and  clean ; crush 
“ them  small  with  the  hands,  and  fill  a 
“ crucible  of  the  twelfth  size,  which  con- 
“ tains  nearly  three  pints,  with  them  light- 
“ ly.  Place  it  on  the  fire,  and  cover  it 
“ with  a tile  ; then  heap  coals  over  it,  that 
“ it  may  be  in  the  midst  of  a very  strong 
“ clear  fire,  till  the  egg  shells  be  calcined 
<•  to  a greyish  white,  and  acquire  an  acrid 
“ salt  taste.  This  will  take  up  eight  hours 
“ at  least.  After  they  are  thus  calcined, 
“ put  them  into  a dry  clean  earthen  pan, 
“ which  must  not  be  above  three  parts 
“ full,  that  there  may  be  room  for  the 
“ swelling  of  the  egg  shells  in  slacking. 
“ Let  this  pan  stand  uncovered  in  a dry 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


£ room  for  two  months,  and  no  longer; 
c in  this  time,  the  egg  shells  will  become 
£ of  a milder  taste,  and  that  part  which  is 
£ sufficiently  calcined  will  fall  into  a povv- 
£ der  of  such  a fineness  as  to  pass  through 
£ a common  sieve,  which  is  to  be  done 
£ accordingly.  In  like  manner,  take  gar- 
£ den  snails,  with  their  shells  cleaned  from 
£ the  dirt;  and  fill  a crucible,  of  the  same 
£ size,  with  them  whole.  Cover  it,  and 
‘ place  it  in  the  fire,  as  before,  till  the  snails 
£ have  done  smoking,  which  will  be  in 
‘ about  an  hour;  taking  care,  that  they 
£ do  not  continue  in  the  fire  after  that. 
£ They  are  then  to  be  taken  out  of  the 
£ crucible,  and  immediately  rubbed  in  a 
£ mortar  to  a fine  powder,  which  ought 
£ to  be  of  a very  dark  grey  colour.  Note, 
£ If  pit  coal  be  made  use  of,  it  will  be 
£ proper,  in  order  that  the  fire  may  the 
£ sooner  burn  clear  on  the  top,  that  large 
c cinders,  and  not  fresh  coals,  be  placed 
£ on  the  tiles  which  cover  the  cruci- 
c bles.  These  powders  being  thus  pre- 
£ pared,  take  the  egg  shell  powder  of  six 
£ crucibles,  and  the  snail  powder  of  one; 
£ mix  them  together,  rub  them  in  a raor- 
£ tar,  and  pass  them  through  a cypress 
£ sieve.  This  mixture  is  immediately  to 
£ be  put  into  bottles;  w liich  must  be  close 
£ stopped,  and  kept  in  a dry  place  for 
£ use.  I have  generally  added  a small 
£ quantity  of  swine’s  cresses,  burnt  to  a 
£ blackness  and  rubbed  fine,  but  this  was 
£ only  w ith  a view  to  disguise  it.  The 
£ egg  shells  may  be  prepared  at  any  time 
£ of  the  year,  but  it  is  best  to  do  them  in 
£ summer.  The  snails  ought  only  to  be 
£ prepared  in  May,  June,  July,  and  Au- 
c gust;  and  I esteem  those  best,  which 
£ are  done  in  the  first  of  these  months. 

£ The  DECOCTION  is  thus  prepared — Take 


££  four  ounces  and  a half  of  the  best  Ali- 
“ cant  soap,  beat  it  in  a mortar  with  a 
<£  large  spoonful  of  swine’s  cresses  burnt 
“ to  a blackness,  and  as  much  honey  as 
££  will  make  the  whole  of  the  consistence 
££  of  paste.  Let  this  paste  be  formed  into 
££  a ball.  Take  this  ball  and  green  camo- 
££  mile  or  camomile  flowers,  sweet  fennel, 
£t  parsley  and  burdock  leaves,  of  each  one 
££  ounce;  when  they  are  not  green,  take 
££  the  same  quantities  of  roots.  Cut  the 
££  herbs  or  roots,  slice  the  ball,  and  boil 
££  them  in  two  quarts  of  soft  water  half  an 
££  hour;  then  strain  it  off,  and  sweeten  it 
££  with  honey.  The  TILLS  are  thus  prepared 
“ — lake  equal  quantities,  by  measure,  of 
££  snails  calcined  as  before;  and  of  wild  car- 
££  rot  seeds,  burdock  seeds,  ashen  keys,  hips 
££  and  haws,  all  burnt  to  a blackness,  or 
C£  (which  is  the  same  thing)  till  they  have 
££  done  smoking:  mix  them  together,  rub 
££  them  in  a mortar,  and  pass  then]  through 
££  a cypress  sieve.  Then  take  alarge  spoon- 
£C  ful  of  this  mixture,  and  four  ounces  of 
££  the  best  Alicant  soap,  and  beat  them 
<£  in  a mortar  with  as  much  honey  as  will 
££  make  the  whole  of  a proper  consistence 
££  for  pills,  sixty  of  which  are  to  be  made 
££  out  of  every  ounce  of  the  composition. 
“ The  method  of  giving  these  medicines  is  as 
“ follows — When  there  is  a stone  in  the 
“ bladder  or  kidneys,  the  powder  is  to  be 
££  taken  three  times  a day;  viz.  in  the 
££  morning  after  breakfast,  in  the  afternoon 
“ about  five  or  six,  and  at  going  to  bed. 
££  1 he  dose  is  a dram  avoirdupoise,  or 
££  fifty-six  grains,  which  is  to  be  mixed  in 
££  a large  tea-cupful  of  white  wine,  cyder, 
££  or  small  punch;  and  half  a pint  of  the 
“ decoction  is  to  be  drank,  either  cold  or 
“ milk  warm,  after  every  dose.  These 
“ medicines  do  frequently  cause  much' 
7 f 


574 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


“ pain  at  first;  in  which  case  it  is  proper 
“ to  give  an  opiate,  and  repeat  it  as  often 
“ as  there  is  occasion.  If  the  person  be 
“ costive  during  the  use  of  them,  let  him 
££  take  as  much  lenitive  electuary,  or  other  j 
“ laxative  medicine,  as  may  be  sufficient  j 
££  to  remove  that  complaint,  but  not  more;  j 
“ for  it  must  be  a principal  care,  at  all 
“ times,  to  prevent  a looseness,  which 
££  would  carry  off  the  medicines:  and,  if  | 
££  this  does  happen,  it  will  be  proper  to 
‘•£  increase  the  quantity  of  the  powder, 

££  which  is  astringent ; or  lessen  that  of  the  i 
££  decoction,  which  is  laxative;  or  take  i 
t:  some  other  suitable  means,  by  the  ad- 
*£  vice  of  physicians.  During  the  use  of 
“ these  medicines,  the  person  ought  to 
C£  abstain  from  salt  meats,  red  wines,  and 
<£  milk ; drink  few  liquids,  and  use  little 
££  exercise,  that  so  the  urine  may  be  more 
<£  strongly  impregnated  with  the  medicines, 

££  and  the  longer  retained  in  the  bladder. 

“ If  the  stomach  will  not  bear  the  decoc- 
« tion,  a sixth  part  of  the  ball  made  into 
<£  pills  must  be  taken  after  every  dose  of 
££  the  powder.  Where  the  person  is  aged, 

“ of  a weak  constitution,  or  much  re- 
« duced  by  loss  of  appetite  or  by  pain,  the 
“ powder  must  have  a greater  proportion 
“ of  the  calcined  snails  than  according  to 
<£  the  foregoing  direction ; and  this  pro- 
“ portion  may  be  increased  suitably  to 
££  the  nature  of  the  case,  till  there  be  equal 
<£  parts  of  the  two  ingredients.  Thequan- 
“ tity,  also,  of  both  powder  and  decoction, 

££  may  be  lessened  for  the  same  reasons  ; 

" but,  as  soon  as  the  person  can  bear  it, 

“ he  should  take  them  in  the  above  pro- 
“ portions  and  quantity.  Instead  of  the 
££  herbs  and  roots  before  mentioned,  I 
S£  have  sometimes  used  others  ; as  mal- 
*£  lows,  marsh  mallows,  yarrow  both  red 


“ and  white,  dandelion,  water  cresses,  and 
“ horse  radish  root ; but  do  not  know  of 
££  any  material  difference.  This  is  my 
“ manner  of  giving  the  powder  and  de- 
“ coction.  As  to  the  pills,  their  chief  use 
“ is  iu  fits  of  the  gravel,  attended  with  pain 
££  in  the  back  and  vomiting;  and,  in  stip- 
“ pression  of  urine  from  a stoppage  iu 
“ the  ureters.  In  these  cases,  the  person 
££  is  to  take  five  pills  every  hour,  day  and 
££  night,  when  awake,  till  the  complaints  be 
££  removed.  They  will  also  prevent  the  for- 
£C  mationofgravelandgravel  stones,  in  con- 
££  stitutions  subject  to  breed  them,  if  ten 
“ or  fifteen  be  taken  every  day.”  This 
full  discovery,  signed  by  Mrs.  Stephens, 
was  dated  May  1 6,  1739;  and,  in  the  mean 
time,  trustees  were  appointed  by  Parlia- 
ment to  direct  and  order  the  trials  required 
to  be  made  for  having  still  farther  proofs 
concerning  this  remedy.  The  list  of  these 
trustees,  including  all  the  great  officers  of 
state,  presents  some  of  the  most  celebrated 
public  characters  that  ever  graced  their 
respective  situations:  viz.  1.  The  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury ; 2.  Lord  Hard- 
wicke.  Lord  High  Chancellor  of  Great 
Britain  ; 3.  the  Earl  of  Wilmington,  Lord 
President  of  the  Council ; 4.  the  Earl  of 
Godolphin,  Lord  Privy  Seal ; 5.  the  Duke 
of  Dorset,  Steward  of  his  Majesty’s  Hous- 
hold  ; 6.  the  Duke  of  Grafton,  Lord  Cham- 
berlain; 7.  the  Duke  of  Richmond  and 
Lenox ; 8.  the  Duke  of  Montagu ; 9.  the 
Earl  of  Pembroke  and  Montgomery ; 10. 
the  Earl  of  Scarborough ; 11.  Lord  Lons- 
dale; 12.  the  Bishop  of  Glocester  ; 13.  the 
Bishop  of  Oxford;  14.  Arthur  Onslow, 
Esq.  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Commons  ; 
15.  Lord  Cornbury  ; 16.  Lord  Baltimore ; 
17-  Sir  Robert  Walpole  ; 18.  the  Right  Ho- 
nourable Stephen  Poyntz  ; 19.  the  Reve- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


rend  Stephen  Hales,  D.  D.  20.  Dr.  Thomas  | 
Pellet,  President  of  the  Royal  College  of  j 
Physicians;  21,  22,  23,  and  24.  Doctors  j 
John  Gardiner,  Robert  Nesbit,  Simon  Bar- 
ton, and  William  Whitaker,  Censors  of 
the  Royal  College  of  Physicians ; 25.  Dr. 
Peter  Shatv  ; 26.  David  Hartley,  M.  A.  27. 
William  Cheselden,  Esq.  Surgeon  to  Chel- 
sea Hospital ; 28.  Caesar  Hawkins,  Esq.  Sur- 
geon to  his  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  of 
Wales;  and, 29.  Samuel  Sharp, Esq.  Surgeon 
to  Guy’s  Hospital.  After  preparing  the 
medicines  according  to  the  receipts  pub- 
lished, the  above  trustees  selected  four  per- 
sons on  whom  to  make  a trial  of  their  ef- 
ficacy ; and  the  satisfactory  results  are  : 
abundantly  manifest  in  the  following  ac-  ! 
count,  which  was  afterward  printed  in  the 
London  Gazette,  dated  “ Whitehall,  March 
18,  1739-40.  Yesterday,  Mrs.  Stephens 
received  the  five  thousand  pounds  reward 
assigned  to  her  by  an  Act  of  Parliament, 
on  the  discovery  of  her  medicines  for  the  J 
stone,  and  proofs  made  of  their  utility,  ef- 
ficacy, and  dissolving  power;  and  the  fol- 
lowing accounts  relating  thereto  are  pub- 
lished by  order  of  the  trustees  named  in 
the  said  act — “ At  a meeting  of  the  Trus- 
“ tees  appointed  by  Act  of  Parliament 
“ to  examine  Mrs.  Stephens’s  medicines, 

“ on  Wednesday,  March  5,  1739-40,  in 
“ the  Prince’s  Chamber  adjoining  to  the 
“ House  of  Lords,  four  persons  appeared 
“ before  them,  on  whom  these  medicines 
“ had  been  tried  ; viz.  1.  Mr.  Gardiner, 

“ of  Fetter  Lane,  aged  sixty-one;  who 
“ had  the  usual  symptoms  of  a stone  in 
“ the  bladder,  with  violent  pains,  for  se- 
“ veral  years.  He  was  searched  by  Mr. 

“ Nourse,  surgeon,  December  30,  1738  ; 

“ when,  both  he  and  Mr.  Wall,  the  apo- 
“ thecary,  felt  a stone  in  the  bladder.  Mr. 


575 

“ Gardiner  took  the  medicines  about  eight 
<c  months;  voided  many  pieces  of  stone 
“ in  that  time  ; was  freed  from  all  hissymp- 
“ toms;  and,  being  searched  again,  first 
“ by  Mr.  Sharp,  September  14,  1739,  and 
“ then,  on  the  30th  of  November  following 
“ by  Mr.  Nourse,  Mr.  Cheselden,  Mr. 
tf  Sainthill,  and  Mr.  Belcher,  surgeons,  at 
“ Child’s  Coffee  House,  in  St.  Paul’s 
“ Church  Yard,  no  stone  could  be  found. 
“ — 2.  Peter  Appleton,  of  Black  Friars,  aged 
“ sixty-seven,  who  had  the  symptoms  of  a 
ff  stone  in  the  bladder  for  more  than  seven 
“ years,  with  excessive  pain  for  the  five 
“ last  years  of  that  time.  He  was  searched 
“ July  6,  1739,  and  found  to  have  a stone 
“ in  the  bladder ; which  stone  was  also  felt 
“ by  Dr.  Pellet,  Dr.  Nesbit,  Dr.  Whitaker, 
“ and  Dr.  Hartley,  and  judged  by  all  pre- 
“ sent  to  be  a large  one.  He  took  the 
“ medicines  for  about  five  months;  during 
“ which  time,  he  voided  a very  large  quan- 
“ tity  of  stone,  in  flakes  and  small  frag- 
“ ments.  He  grew  quite  free  from  all 
“ his  complaints;  and  was  searched  again, 
“ first  by  Mr.  Sharp,  November  2,  and 
“ afterward  by  thirteen  physicians  and 
“ surgeons,  November  30,  at  Child’s  Cof- 
“ fee  House,  in  St.  Paul’s  Church  Yard, 
“ but  no  stone  could  be  found.-— 3.  Henry 
“ Norris,  of  Leather  Lane,  aged  fifty-five, 
“ who  had  the  symptoms  of  a stone  in  the 
“ bladder  for  about  a .year  and  a half. 
“ August  17,  1739,  he  was  searched  at  St. 
“ George’s  Hospital,  by  several  physicians, 
“ and  surgeons,  who  all  felt  the  stone. 
“ He  took  the  medicines  about  four  months, 
“ and  voided  only  a thick  sediment  in  that 
“ time:  however,  he  was  entirely  freed 
“ from  all  symptoms;  and,  being  searched. 
“ again,  December  14,  at  St.  George’s 
“ Hospital,  by  eight  physicians  and  sur- 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


576 

“ geo  ns,  no  stone  could  be  found. — 4. 

“ Will  iain  Brightly,  of  Colchester,  aged  j 
“ seventy-nine,  who  had  the  symptoms  of 
“ a stone  in  the  bladder  for  more  than 
“ three  years.  He  was  searched,  Septem- 
“ her  8,  1739,  at  Guy’s  Hospital,  by  Dr. 

“ Gardiner,  and  Mr.  Sharp  the  surgeon, 

“ and  found  to  have  a stone.  lie  took  the 
‘f  medicines  for  about  four  months;  voided 
“ many  pieces  of  stone  during  that  time; 

“ became  free  from  all  his  symptoms;  and, 

“ being  searched  again  at  Guy’s  Hospital, 

“ January  19,  1739-40,  by  Dr.  Gardiner, 

<c  Mr.  Sharp,  and  Mr.  Belcher,  no  stone 
“ could  be  found,”  The  Certificate  re- 
quired by  Act  of  Parliament  was  accord- 
ingly signed;  stating  that  the  said  Johanna 
Stephens  did,  with  all  convenient  speed, 
after  the  passing  of  the  said  act,  make  a 
discovery  to  their  satisfaction,  for  the  use 
of  the  public,  of  the  said  medicines,  and 
of  her  method  of  preparing  the  same; 
and  that  they  had  examined  the  same  me- 
dicines, and  were  convinced,  by  experience, 
of  the  utility,  efficacy,  and  dissolving  pow- 
ers thereof.  Dr.  Pellet,  and  Dr.  Nesbit, 
having  some  doubts  with  respect  to  the 
words  “ dissolving  powers,”  chose  to  give 
separate  certificates;  which,  however,  do 
not  at  all  alfect  the  credit  of  the  medicines. 
That  signed  by  Dr.  Pellet  is,  simply — “ I 
“ am  satisfied,  from  experience,  and  do 
“ hereby  certify,  that  the  medicines  pub- 
“ lished  by  Mrs.  Stephens  for  the  cure  of 
“ the  stone  in  the  bladder,  are  often  use- 
“ ful  and  efficacious  in  that  case.  Witness 
“ my  hand,  March  5,  1739.”  Dr.  Nesbit’s 
certificate,  of  the  same  date,  is  as  follows 
— “ The  case  of  Appleton,  I take  to  be 
“ as  strong  a proof  of  the  utility  and  ef- 
“ ficacy  of  Mrs.  Stephens’s  medicines, 
“ within,  the  meaning  and  intent  ot  the 


“ act  for  providing  a reward  to  Johanna 
“ Stephens,  as  can  be  had  from  one  ex- 
“ perience  during  the  life  of  the  patient; 

“ because  I am  thoroughly  satisfied,  that 
“ Appleton  had  a stone  in  his  bladder  be- 
“ fore  he  took  the  medicines,  and  I do  now 
“ believe  he  has  not  one.”  It  is  a melan- 
choly fact,  that  these  medicines  for  the 
stone,  the  receipts  for  preparing  which 
were  purchased,  by  Parliament,  for  the 
general  good,  at  so  high  a price,  and  on 
such  full  proof  of  their  efficacy  and  value, 
to  the  satisfaction  of  so  many  of  the  wisest 
and  most  virtuous  characters  in  the  nation, 
are  at  present  scarcely  ever  made.  They 
' are,  in  fact,  neither  any  longer  prescribed 
I by  physicians  or  surgeons,  nor  even  thought 
worthy  of  being  made  up  for  sale  by  any 
of  the  numerous  venders  of  quack  medi- 

i . 1 

! cines;  While  thousands  of  sufferers  are 
every  day  hopelessly  groaning  with  the 
disease  for  which  Mrs.  Stephens’s  medi- 
cines offer  so  assured  a remedy.  We  may 
! certainly  say,  to  those  who  are  not  satisfied 
1 with  such  testimonies,  in  the  language  of 
Scripture — “ Neither  would  they  believe, 
if  one  rose  from  the  dead.” 

Art  of  Brewing  Genuine  London  Porter 
and  Brown  Stout. 

The  fame  of  London  porter  is  become 
so  widely  extended,  though  formerly  al- 
most confined  to  the  metropolis,  that  it’s 
demand  probably  exceeds,  in  quantity,  all 
the  other  malt  liquors  brewed  in  England, 
both  for  home  and  foreign  consumption. 
By  some  it  is  contended,  that  good  porter 
can  only  be  brewed  in  London  ; while 
others  maintain  that,  with  due  care,  and 
using  the  same  sorts  and  proportions  of 
ingredients,  it  may  be  any  where  else  equal- 
ly well  made.  What  those  ingredients  are, 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


577 


and  how  they  are  proportioned,  however, 
cannot  be  so  easily  ascertained  as  might 
be  imagined,  from  the  number  of  treatises 
on  brewing  which  pretend  to  reveal  the 
entire  art  and  mystery  of  making  good 
porterj  not  one  of  which,  that  we  are  ac- 
quainted with,  from  the  humblest  to  the 
most  expensive,  is  by  any  means  suffici- 
ently explicit  to  afford  a single  satisfactory 
receipt  for  that  purpose.  It  seems,  in- 
deed, abundantly  evident,  that  the  pro- 
portions, as  well  as  the  number  of  ingre- 
dients, vary  at  different  porter  breweries, 
and  even  in  the  same  breweries  at  different 
times,  which  occasions  the  strong  prefe- 
rence given  by  great  drinkers  of  this  liquor 
to  the  porter  of  particular  breweries,  at 
one  period,  and  afterward  finding  their 
palates  better  suited  by  another.  Some,  it 
is  true,  affect  to  brew  porter  from  malt 
and  hops  only ; which  the  law  seems, 
indeed,  rigorously  to  require  from  all  pub- 
lic or  common  brewers  for  sale,  by  forbid- 
ding thecontrary  practice  under  very  heavy 
penalties:  but  we  are  strongly  inclined  to 
believe,  that  the  most  expert  chemist  would 
find  it  far  less  possible  to  imitate  success- 
fully any  of  the  best  London  porter,  if 
restricted  to  the  use  of  malt  and  hops  alone, 
than  he  would  to  deceive  tolerable  good 
judges  by  a combination  of  eertain  ingre- 
dients, without  using  the  smallest  particle 
of  either  malt  or  hops  in  it’s  composition. 
That,  in  brewing  London  porter,  at  dif- 
ferent breweries,  most  of  the  following  in- 
gredients are,  or  have  been,  occasionally 
introduced,  we  have  not  the  smallest  doubt: 
viz.  Allspice,  aloes,  alum,  bay  salt,  bean 
meal,  calamus  aromaticus,  capsicum,  car- 
damoms or  grains  of  paradise,  caraway 
seeds,  cassia,  cinnamon,  coceulus  Indicus 
or  India  berries,  coriander  seeds,  fabia 


amara  or  bitter  bean  flour,  gentian,  ginger, 
green  vitriol,  India  bark, quick  lime, linseed, 
liquorice  root  or  stick  liquorice,  moist  su- 
gar burnt  and  called  essentia  bina,  moist 
sugar  partly  burnt  and  called  colour,  mo- 
lasses or  treacle  burnt  and  unburnt,  oil 
of  vitriol,  orange  pea  meal,  quassia  or  lig- 
num quassia,  salt,  salt  of  steel  or  salt  of 
iron,  salt  of  tartar,  Spanish  liquorice  or 
juice  called  also  Leghorn  juice  and  Italian 
juice,  and  white  copperas.  Out  of  such  a 
collection  of  ingredients,  combined  with 
malt  and  hops,  it  would  be  wonderful  if 
any  two  breweries,  each  confining  their 
own  secret  as  much  as  possible  to  them- 
selves, should  produce  porter  of  precisely 
the  same  flavour.  All  these  articles,  how- 
ever, bothsalutary  and  pernicious, are  men- 
tioned in  the  various  most  popular  trea- 
tises on  brewing  porter}  though  some  of 
the  more  expensive  articles  are  probably 
little  if  at  all  used,  and  have  perhaps  been 
sometimes  meant  to  mislead  those  whom 
they  pretend  to  instruct.  It  seems  to- 
lerably certain,  however,  that  the  alluring 
and  durable  cauliflower  head  which  so 
distinguishes  London  porter,  can  only 
be  obtained  in  perfection  by  the  use  of 
salt  of  steel } or  a composition,  called  head- 
ing, which  consists  of  pounded  alum  and 
white  copperas,  mixed  in  equal  propor- 
tions. This  last  is  thought  to  be  most 
generally  used,  as  being  least  expensive} 
but  we  cannot  strongly  recommend  the 
introduction  of  such  dangerous  drugs  to 
families  in  general,  as  a want  of  due  discre- 
tion might  sometimes  prove  fatal.  The 
following  receipt  for  making  London  por- 
ter, however,  may  be  safely  tried}  and, 
if  carefully  managed,  will  produce  it  good 
with  the  least  possible  sophistication. 
We  state  it  on  the  lowest  scale,  that  of  a 
7 G 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


578 

peck  of  malt  only;  to  leave  room  for  adap- 
tations to  palate,  at  the  pleasure  of  the  ope- 
rators, from  ingredients  not  absolutely  ne- 
cessary, if  they  should  be  dissatisfied  with  ; 
our  simple  selection,  without  any  serious  ( 
risk  of  expence,  though  their  alterations  , 
might  not  turn  out  to  be  any  amendment.  | 
The  quantities  are  easy  to  be  augmented, 
at  any  time,  by  the  customary  rules  for 
adjusting  equal  proportions.  From  the 
smallness  of  the  quantity  described  in 
this  receipt,  only  eight  gallons,  or  a quar- 
ter of  a barrel,  even  the  poorest  families  j 
can  conveniently  enough  try  an  experi-  |j 
ment,  which  may  prove  so  conducive  to  i 
their  interest;  more  especially,  as  it  is 
easily  to  be  put  in  practice,  without  any 
parade  of  cumbrous  or  expensive  brew- 
ing utensils.  The  water  may  be  boiled 
in  a small  copper,  or  even  what  is  called  a 
washing  kettle,  provided  it  holds  at  least 
four  gallons;  a small  upright  tub,  not 
much  bigger  than  a#very  large  pail,  with 
a hole  made  for  the  liquor  to  run  through, 
will  make  a good  mash  tub  ; and  a common 
washing  tub,  well  cleansed,  serve  at  once 
as  a tolerable  cooler,  and  an  excellent  ves- 
sel for  the  liquor  to  work  in.  Indeed,  all 
vessels  for  brewing,  must  constantly  be 
compleatly  scalded,  cleansed,  and  freed 
from  taint  of  every  sort.  These  prelimi- 
naries observed,  put  a peck  of  ground  am- 
ber malt  in  the  mash  tub,  having  first 
placed  a wisp  of  clean  hay  or  straw  before 
the  aperture,  or  hole,  to  prevent  the  malt’s 
running  off  with  the  liquor.  Three  gal- 
lons and  a half  of  water  having,  in  the 
mean  time,  been  boiled  for  the  first  mash, 
reduce  it’s  heat  by  pouring  in  about  half 
a gallon  of  cold  water,  and  immediately 
begin  putting  it  to  the  malt,  which  must 
Te  well  stirred  together,  for  half  an  hour. 


that  there  may  be  no  clotting  or  setting 
of  the  malt.  Then  spread  a sack  or  coarse 
cloth,  &c.  over  the  mash  tub,  to  prevent 
any  evaporation  of  the  steam  ; and,  after 
it  has  thus  remained  for  two  hours,  let 
the  wort  run  into  a vessel  placed  properly 
for  it’s  reception ; pouring  it  back  again 
into  the  mash  tub,  if  at  first  it  should  ap- 
pear thick  or  of  a bad  colour,  till  it  refines 
and  runs  sufficiently  clear.  Having,  in 
the  mean  while,  boiled  and  somewhat  less 
reduced,  the  heat  of  four  gallons  or  more 
of  water  for  the  second  mash,  to  allow  for 
waste  in  boiling,  &c.  proceed  as  before  in 
mashing  and  running  off  the  wort.  If  the 
weather  be  very  hot,  a few  hops  should  be 
put  in  the  vessels  which  are  to  receive  the 
wort,  to  prevent  it’s  turning  sour;  but  this 
is  only  a necessary  precaution  during  the 
summer  heats.  In  the  first  copper  or 
kettle  of  wort  a quarter  of  a pound  of  hops 
! are  to  be  boiled,  with  three  quarters  of 
a pound  of  treacle;  and  six  ounces  each  of 
sliced  liquorice  root,  Spanish  liquorice,  es- 
i sentia  bina,  colour,  and  a small  pod  of  cap- 
sicum, be  added  during  the  boiling,  which 
must  continue  an  hour.  The  hops, &c.  being 
carefully  strained  from  the  first  wort,  must 
be  boiled  in  the  second ; and,  that  being 
also  boiled  an  hour,  strained,  and  set  thinly, 
the  more  expeditiously  to  cool,  must  be 
worked  when  lukewarm  with  about  a gill 
of  good  yeast,  in  the  usual  manner,  till  it 
bears  a deep  head.  This  should  always 
be  the  second  day  after  brewing;  for  which 
reason,  let  more  yeast  be  used,  if  neces- 
sary, to  bring  it  quicker  forward.  Porter, 
indeed,  should  always  be  brought  forward 
more  expeditiously  than  any  other  malt 
liquor,  except  what  is  called  amber  or 
twopenny.  At  cleansing,  which  is  the  next 
operation  in  the  brewing  of  porter,  about 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


two  tea-spoonfuls  of  flour,  and  one  of 
common  salt,  may  be  well  stirred  in  with 
half  an  ounce  of  pounded  ginger.  The 
porter  being  now  ready  for  tunning,  care- 
fully fill  the  cask  prepared  for  that  pur- 
pose; which  is,  of  course,  to  be  left  un- 
bunged, for  the  yeast  to  flow  over,  and 
prevent  bursting  the  cask.  In  the  mean 
time,  keep  filling  up  with  fresh  liquor; 
and,  as  soon  as  it  nearly  ceases  working, 
top  it  up,  as  the  brewers  term  it,  with 
bright  beer,  and  not  what  has  come  over 
with  the  yeast,  or  is  otherwise  in  a strong 
state  of  fermentation.  The  working  hav- 
ing ceased,  and  the  cask  being  thus  filled 
up,  it  may  be  closely  bunged : care,  how- 
ever, must  be  taken,  particulary  in  sudden 
changes  from  cool  to  very  hot  weather, 
that  a new  fermentation  be  not  suddenly 
excited  ; in  which  case  it  is  to  be  instantly 
eased,  by  drawing  the  peg.  As  the  essen- 
tia bina,  from  the  subtlety  of  it’s  particles, 
keeps  continually  floating  in  the  liquid, 
porter  required  a considerable  body  of 
what  is  termed  finings:  the  use  of  which 
might  be  dispensed  with,  by  omitting  the 
essentia  bina  and  increasing  the  quantity 
of  colour  or  even  of  treacle,  in  proportion ; 
when  the  porter  would,  generally,  very 
soon  sufficiently  refine  without  any  assist- 
ance. The  finings  are  generally  intro- 
duced, by  common  porter  brewers  for  sale, 
just  before  sending  out  the  beer;  and  the 
common  proportion  is,  a pint  of  finings 
to  every  barrel  of  thirty-two  gallons : some- 
times, however,  according  to  circumstances, 
more  than  double,  or  even  treble,  that 
quantity,  is  found  requisite.  The  porter 
finings,  which  will  do  equally  well  for  all 
other  malt  liquors  that  require  fining,  are 
made  by  merely  dissolving  after  the  rate 
of  an  ounce  of  picked  isinglass  in  a quart 


579 

j of  very  stale  but  perfectly  clear  beer,  for 
] two  or  three  days,  breaking  it  with  the 
I hand  occasionally,  till  the  solution  is  the 
j consistence  of  cream,  or  rather  of  a thin 
j but  glutinous  size.  On  gently  pouring 
| the  proper  quantity  of  finings  into  the  cask, 
j!  stir  the  whole  well  together  with  a small 
jj  stick;  and,  in  a few  hours,  it  will  fall,  or 
! sink  to  the  bottom,  leaving  the  porter  per- 
fectly clear,  if  it  has  been  previously  fer- 
mented properly.  As,  without  heading, 
j no  malt  liquor  will  ever  bear  that  head 
j which  is  so  much  admired  in  London  por- 

I ter — and  which,  perhaps,  also  contributes 

II  much  to  the  peculiar  coolness,  spirit,  and 
flavour  of  this  popular  beverage — we  must 
add,  notwithstanding  our  averseness  to  the 

; use  of  dangerous  drugs  in  domestic  ope- 
j rations,  that  salt  of  steel,  in  the  proportion 
j of  a tea-spoonful  to  a thirty-two  gallon 
barrel,  or  about  the  same  quantity  of  a 
j mixture  of  equal  parts  of  alum  and  white 
i copperas,  well  mi^sd  or  dissolved  in  a pint 
of  warm  porter,  may  be  put  into  the  wort 
before  it  gets  cool.  By  pursuing  the  above 
directions,  any  person  may  brew  excellent 
porter;  which,  if  properly  managed,  will 
be  fit  for  drinking  in  a week.  On  increas- 
ing the  quantity  of  malt  and  essentia  bina 
one  half,  and  hops  and  other  ingredients 
at  discretion,  a fine  brown  stout  may  be 
easily  in  like  manner  brewed. 

White  Porter , or  Beer  called  Old  Hock. 

The  beer  called  old  hock,  is  nothing 
more  than  white  or  pale  porter;  made,  of 
course,  with  pale  malt,  in  quantity  equal  to 
that  of  amber  or  high  dried  malt  for  brown 
stout,  and  without  any  of  those  ingredients 
which  give  colour:  in  other  respects,  there 
is  little  or  no  difference.  Sometimes,  in- 
deed, brown  stout  is  even  made  by  simply 


580 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


adding  from  two  to  three  pounds  of  essen- 
tia bina  to  a barrel  of  old  hock.  The 
brewers  also  use  it,  chiefly,  to  make  up 
weak  or  otherwise  unsaleable  porter,  first 
making  it  the  proper  colour  for  that  pur- 
pose. 

Bottled  Porter. 

Tflis  excellent  article  is  produced  by 
the  easiest  possible  means.  It  is  only 
necessary  to  put  the  porter  into  sound, 
clean,  and  well  dried  bottles  ; and,  leav- 
ing them  open  till  next  day,  to  give  the 
beer  a proper  flatness,  corking  them  as 
closely  as  possible  with  good  sound  corks. 
With  this  precaution,  the  bottles  will  sel- 
dom burst,  or  the  corks  fly.  Where  bottled 
porter  is  intended  for  exportation,  it  may 
stand  to  flatten  two  days  and  nights;  and 
should  afterward  have  the  corks  fastened 
with  brass  wire  purposely  cut  into  short 
lengths.  Old  hock,  brown  stout,  and  ale 
or  beer  in  general,  do  not  require  any  ad- 
dition to  be  made  on  bottling,  as  is  com- 
monly supposed.  Brown  stout,  of  course, 
makes  the  best  sort  of  bottled  porter. 

Amber , commonly  called  Twopenny. 

The  brewing  of  amber,  which  obtained 
the  name  of  twopenny,  as  being  sold  for 
two  pence  the  pint,  when  porter,  then  also 
called  three  threads,  was  retailed  at  three 
pcncea  pot  or  quart,  has  been  still  more 
confined  to  the  metropolis  than  even  Lon- 
don porter  itself.  Though  little  adapted 
for  family  use,  and  at  present,  much  less 
used  than  formerly  even  in  London,  it  is 
certainly  the  best  basis  for  purl,  which  is 
now  seldom  any  thing  else  than  warm  two- 
penny without  bitters;  and,  perhaps,  little 
inferior  to  the  finest  bitter  ales,  which  are 

9 

so  greatly  more  expensive.  The  following 


will  be  found  an  admirable  receipt  for 
brewing  thirty-two  gallon  of  amber,  or 
two-penny,  by  whoever  shall  incline  to 
make  the  experiment — Pale  or  amber  malt, 
thoroughly  ground,  one  bushel ; hops, 
three-quarters  of  a pound;  trea  le,  seven 
pounds;  liquorice  root,  bruised  and  cut  in 
short  pieces,  a pound  and  a half;  Spanish 
liquorice,  three  ounces;  capsicum,  half 
a dozen  whole  pods;  and  linseed,  two 
ounces.  The  mode  of  brewing  it,  cleans- 
ing, &c.  is  similar  to  that  described  for 
porter;  like  which,  it  works  remarkably 
quick,  and  even  requires  still  more  atten- 
tion, after  being  barrelled.  It  is  a pro- 
fitable article  to  brewers;  particularly,  as 
it  is  frequently  delivered,  and  even  drank, 
within  a week  or  ten  days  from  the  time 
of  making. 


Windsor  Ale. 

It  would  be  ridiculous  to  suppose,  that 
the  celebrated  Windsor  brewers,  though 
one  of  them  has  even  published  a treatise 
on  brewing,  w ill  reveal  the  secret  of  their 
peculiar  mode  of  producing  this  popular 
ale,  by  which  so  large  a fortune  has  pro- 
bably been  already  acquired.  This  re- 
mark may  be  applied  to  most  other  fa- 
mous ales  which  have  obtained  a favourite 
local  appellation:  all  of  which,  however, 
are  supposed  to  be  sometimes  successfully 
imitated  by  scientific  brewers  in  the  me- 
tropolis, and  elsewhere;  with  the  aid  of 
whatmay  be  denominated  the  brewers  che- 
mists, who  prepare  the  various  ingredients 
enumerated  under  our  account  of  London 
porter,  with  several  others,  to  be  applied 
for  such  purposes.  The  following  receipt, 
purposely  reduced  to  a small  scale,  will 
produce  sixteen  gallons,  or  half  a barrel,  of 
a good  imitation  of  Windsor  ale;  which. 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK, 


like  all  these  factitious  malt  liquors,  as  we 
may  denominate  whatever  ales  or  beers 
are  not  made  with  malt  and  hops  only, 
may  be  varied,  at  discretion,  after  a little 
practice, so  as  to  suitthe respective palatesof 
the  consumers,  or  the  brewer’s  idea  of  more 
nearly -approaching  the  original  meant  to 
be  imitated— Best  pale  malt,  well  ground, 
a bushel ; finest  and  s-weetest  hops,  pre- 
viously soaked  all  night  in  cold  water,  a 
pound;  clarified  honey,  and  sugar,  each  a 
pound;  liquorice  root,  well  cut  and  bruised, 
a quarter  of  a pound;  grains  of  paradise 
ground,  half  an  ounce;  orange  pea  meal, 
a quarter  of  an  ounce  ; and  coriander  seed, 
cinnamon,  and  angelica  root,  each  a 
dram.  To  be  brewed  in  the  usual  way, 
at  three  mashes;  using  bean  flour  instead 
of  common  flour,  and  a little  salt,  at  cleans- 
ing. With  proper  management,  an  ex- 
cellent small  or  table  beer  may  also  be 
easily  obtained.  Windsor  ale  is  called,  at 
Windsor,  the  queen’s  ale. 

Method  of  preparing  Essentia  Bina,  and 
Colour , for  Brewing  London  Porter,  fyc. 

THOUGH  the  genuine  colouring  sub- 
stance and  flavouring  ingredient  for  por- 
ter, is  what  has  obtained  the  quaint  ap- 
pellation of  essentia  bina;  there  is  another 
preparation  more  particularly  called  co- 
lour, which  is  also  greatly  used,  and  w ith 
considerable  advantage,  for  both  these 
purposes.  They  vary  chiefly  from  each 
other  in  the  different  degrees  of  heat  to 
which  they  are  respectively  subjected ; 
for  both  are,  frequently,  prepared  from 
moist  sugar  only.  Essentia  bina  is  made 
by  boiling  three  pounds  of  sugar  with  a 
gill  of  water  or  warm  wort,  in  an  iron  pot, 
the  requisite  heat  being  too  great  for  most 
other  vessels,  and  stirring  it  carefully  all 


r 

OOk 

the  time.  When,  on  taking  out  a little, 
by  dipping  in  the  end  of  a bit  of  iron,  it 
begins  expeditiously  to  candy  or  set  hard, 
the  pot  is  removed, 'or  the  fire  extiguished, 
and  the  vapour  arising  from  the  sugar  set 
on  fire,  and  suffered  to  burn  the  boiling 
sugar  for  about  ten  minutes,  in  the  open 
air,  to  prevent  danger.  The  flame  is  then 
put  out,  by  placing  on  a close  cover;  and 
strong  lime  water,  sufficient  to  dilute  it 
to  the  consistence  of  molasses,  is  gradually 
added,  being  all  the  time  well  incorporated 
with  an  iron  stirrer.  This  addition  of  lime 
water  must  not  by  any  means  be  delayed 
till  the  heat  at  all  declines;  for,  should  the 
substance  previously  begin  to  set,  the  pro- 
per dilution  of  it  will  become  impracti- 
cable. The  colour  of  essentia  bina,  when 
properly  prepared,  is  between  black  and 
red.  The  best  colour  for  porter  is  also  pre- 
pared from  moist  sugar,  boiled  and  burnt 
in  like  manner,  but  only  till  of  a middle 
state  between  bitter  and  sweet.  As,  how- 
ever, colour  is  used  freely,  to  give  a good 
face  to  the  beer,  as  well  as  a fine  mellow 
taste,  it  is  generally  made  from  molasses,  or 
treacle,  for  common  use:  which,  being 
boiled  till  of  a considerably  darker  colour, 
as  well  as  of  a thicker  consistence,  and  an 
approved  degree  of  bitterness,  is  suffered 
to  burn  a few  minutes,  extinguished,  and 
diluted  to  about  it’s  original  consistence, 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  essentia  bina, 
from  which  it  may  be  regarded  as  very  lit- 
tle different.  The  setting  it  on  fire  not 
only  communicates  the  greater  part  of 
it’s  agreeable  bitterness;  but,  by  burning 
out  the  unassimilating  oil,  may  be  said  to 
impart  the  larger  portion  of  it’s  admired 
flavour.  These  articles  are  often  purchased 
ready  prepared,  from  those  chemists  and 
druggists  who  deal  in  what  may  be  deno- 
7 H 


582 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


ruinated  brewers  drugs;  they  are,  some- 
times, sold  under  the  name  of  porter  ex-  j 
tract.  Sugar  or  molasses,  thus  prepared, 
may  be  considered  as  the  grand  basis  of 
porter;  distinguishing  it  from  other  malt 
liquors,  and  giving  it  both  strength  and 
spirit,  as  well  as  body.  Their  use,  too,  is 
abundant,  without  being  thus  prepared. 
Six  pounds  of  sugar  are  judged  fully  equal 
to  a bushel  of  malt,  so  that  it’s  superior 
cheapness  is  manifest.  On  this  account, 
no  common  brewer  is  allowed  to  use  sugar, 
which  so  defeats  the  duty  on  malt;  and 
it  is,  by  act  of  parliament,  a penalty  of  a 
hundred  pounds,  for  any  common  brewer 
to  have,  either  in  his  dwelling-house  or 
brewhouse,  more  than  ten  pounds  of  sugar 
or  molasses.  There  seems  no  absolute  ne- 
cessity for  the  essentia  bina,  provided  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  properly  prepared 
colour,  &c.  be  used,  even  for  making  por- 
ter. Colour,  indeed,  is  so  generally  adopt- 
ed, as  to  be  often  employed  even  in  brew- 
ing the  small  beer  of  the  metropolis. 

Cordial  Aniseed  Water. 

The  best  aniseed  comes  from  the  Island 
of  Malta:  it  should  be  large,  fair,  new, 
and  clean;  of  an  olive  or  greenish  grey 
colour,  a good  odour,  and  an  acrid  but 
not  disagreeable  taste.  For  the  distilla- 
tion of  two  gallons  and  a half  of  aniseed 
cordial  water,  take  half  a pound  of  bruised 
aniseed,  three  gallons  and  a pint  of  proof 
spirit,  and  a quart  of  water : draw  off  two 
gallons  and  a half  with  a moderate  fire. 
Aniseed  water  should  never  be  reduced 
below  proof,  because  of  the  large  quan- 
tity of  oil  with  which  the  spirit  is  impreg- 
nated, and  which  would  render  it  milky 
and  foul  when  brought  down  below  proof; 
but,  if  there  be  a necessity  for  doing  this. 


it  must  be  passed  through  the  filtering  bag-, 
which  will  restore  it’s  transparency.  This 
is  a good  carminative,  remarkably  comfort- 
ing the  stomach  and  bowels,  and  not  un- 
useful in  some-  coughs.  A sort  of  com- 
pound aniseed  cordial  is  often  prepared, 
by  adding  an  equal  quantity  of  angelica 
seed. 

Caraway  Cordial-. 

THIS  seed,  which  is  now  cultivated  in  most 
northern  parts  of  Europe,  is  produced  wild 
in  France,  Italy,  &c.  Caraway  cordial  is 
much  less  used  than  that  of  aniseed;  though- 
it  is,  to  many  palates,  of  a pleasanter  fla- 
vour. It  is,  like  aniseed  cordial,  a very 
good  carminative.  Two  gallons  and  a 
half  may  be  thus  distilled — Take  three 
quarters  of  a pound  of  bruised  caraway 
seeds,  three  gallons  of  proof  spirit,  and 
two  quarts  of  water.  Draw  off  two  gal- 
lons and  a half,  or  till  the  faints  begin  to 
rise;  making  up  with  pure  water,  and  dul- 
cifying to  palate  with  common  sugar.  Two 
gallons  and  a half  of  a fine  compound  cara- 
way cordial  is  thus  prepared — Take  tea 
ounces  of  bruised  caraway  seeds,  a quar- 
ter of  a pound  of  dried  orange  or  lemon 
peel,  three  gallons  of  proof  spirit,  and  two- 
quarts  of  water.  Draw  off,  and  dulcify, 
as  before  directed. 

Peppermint  Cordial. 

This  is  one  of  the  best  and  most  favou- 
rite of  all  the  common  cordial  waters.  It 
is  distilled  from  the  herb,  when  in  it’s  most 
perfect  state,  which  has  an  odour  far  more 
penetrating  than  any  of  the  other  mints  : 
deriving  it’s  specific  name  from  it’s  warm, 
pungent,  glowing  taste,  somewhat  like  that 
of  pepper ; but  with  the  peculiarity  of 
sinking,  as  it  were,  into  the  tongue,  and 


FAMILY  -RECEIPT-BOOK. 


583 


instantaneously  diffusing  an  agreeable  cold- 
ness, while  it  immediately  communicates, 
in  a singular  manner,  a warm  glow  through 
out  the  entire  system.  For  these  reasons, 
peppermint  cordial  is  regarded,  by  the  fa- 
culty, as  a noble  stomachic;  good  against 
yomiting  and  nauseas,  as  well  as  colic, 
akd  other  griping  pains  in  the  bowels. 
The  best  mode  of  preparing  it  is  as  follows 
— For  two  gallons  and  a half  of  pepper- 
mint cordial,  take  one  pound  of  dry  pep- 
permint leaves,  two  gallons  and  five  pints 
of  proof  spirit,  and  a quart  of  water.  Draw 
off  two  gallons  and  a haif,  with  a gentle  j 
lire;  dulcifying  it  with  sugar,  or  not,  as 
may  be  most  agreeable  to  the  pal  ie,  or 
considered  best  for  particular  pin  poses. 
It  is,  however,  very  generally  sweetened. 

Cinnamon  Cordial. 

This  excellent  cordial  is  commonly  cal- 
led spirituous  cinnamon  water,  to  distin- 
guish it  from  simple  cinnamon  water. 
Two  great  frauds  are  often  committed  by 
the  dealers  in  cinnamon:  one  is  that  of 
selling  such  as  has  already  had  it’s  essen- 
tial oil  distilled,  and  been  again  dried ; 
the  other,  imposing  cassia  wood  for  cin- 
namon. The  first  of  these  nefarious  prac- 
tices is  discovered,  by  finding  the  want  of 
pungency  in  the  cinnamon : the  second, 
by  holding  a bit  in  the  mouth  for  a short 
time;  when  the  cassia  becomes  mucilagi- 
nous, which  the  true  cinnamon  never  does. 
Cinnamon  is  a noble  drug,  endowed  with 
many  and  great  virtues;  it  corroborates 
the  viscera,  assists  concoction,  dispels  fla- 
tulences, and  is  a pleasant  cordial.  It  is, 
in  short,  cordial  and  stomachic ; and  proves 
of  great  service  in  alvine  fluxes,  and  all  dis- 
charges from  weakness,  &c.  of  the  habit. 
Two  gallons  of  spirituous  cinnamon  water, 


or  cinnamon  cordial,  may  be  thus  prepared 
— Take  a pound  of  the  best  bruised  cinna- 
mon, two  gallons  and  a pint  of  a clean  rec- 
tified spirit,  and  a quart  of  pure  water. 
Put  them  into  the  still,  and  digest  them 
twenty-four  hours  with  a gentle  heat ; after 
which,  draw  off  two  gallons  with  a toler- 
ablefire.  This,  when  thus  made,  is  regarded 
as  one  of  the  noblest  cordial  of  the  shops; 
but,  in  the  common  way,  with  a pound  of 
cinnamon  to  ten  gallons  of  spirit,  it  is  only 
an  imposition  on  the  buyer.  Some,  too, 
use  equal  quantities  of  cinnamon  and  cas- 
sia. Where  cheapness  is  the  chief  object, 
the  quantity  of  cinnamon  may  certainly 
be  lessened,  and  cassia  substituted  for  the 
deficiency.  If  the  cinnamon  cordial  is 
required  to  be  dulcified,  double  refined 
sugar,  in  the  proportion  of  about  two 
pounds  to  a gallon,  is  dissolved  in  the 
spirit  after  it  has  been  made  up  proof  with 
pure  water.  One  general  caution  is  here 
necessary  to  be  added;  namely,  that  the 
spirit  be  carefully  watched  as  it  runs  into 
the  receiver,  in  order  to  prevent  the  faints 
mixing  with  the  goods.  This  is  best  dis- 
covered, by  often  catching  some  of  it  in  a 
glass,  as  it  runs  from  the  worm,  and  ob- 
serving whether  it  be  fine  and  transpa- 
rent; for,  as  soon  as  ever  the  faints  begin 
to  rise,  the  spirit  will  have  an  azure  or 
blueish  cast.  The  moment,  therefore,  this 
alteration  is  perceived,  immediately  change 
the  receiver;  for,  if  the  faints  are  suffered 
to  mix  with  the  other  goods,  the  value  of 
the  whole  will  be  greatly  lessened. 

Simple  Cinnamon  Water. 

By  the  following  process,  a gallon  of 
simple  cinnamon  water  may  be  produced 
— Digest,  for  twenty-four  hours,  in  two 
gallons  of  pure  water,  a pound  of  the 


584 


FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK. 


best  grossly  pounded  cinnamon.  Put  the 
whole  into  an  alembic,  and  draw  over  one 
gallon  with  a pretty  brisk  fire.  f he  oil 
of  cinnamon,  in  which  the  specific  virtue' 
of  the  drug  consists,  is  very  ponderous  ; 
and,  therefore,  it  will  not  come  over  the 
helm,  unless  the  fire  be  pretty  brisk,  es- 
pecially with  a simple  water.  It  will  be 
in  vain  to  attempt  distilling  simple  cinna- 
mon water  by  the  balneum  mariae,  er  wa- 
ter bath. 

Penny-Royal  Water. 

This  plant  is  good  for  flatulences  and 
-suppressions  of  urine ; and,  by  many, 
greatly  recommended  in  dropsies,  jaun- 
dices, and  other  chronic  distempers.  It 
communicates  it’s  virtue  to  water  in  infu- 
sion; and  it’s  simple  water  has,  perhaps, 
more  virtue  than  any  other  kept  in  the 
shops  : but,  as  it  is  found  requisite,  in  order 
to  obtain  a water  fully  impregnated  with  the 
-virtues  of  balm,  &c.  to  cohobate  on  fresh 
parcels  of  such  respective  plants  or  flowers 
of  weak  scent;  so  is  it,  on  the  contrary,  when 
the  water  is  drawn  from  green  penny-royal, 
on  account  of  the  large  portion  of  essen- 
tial oil  generally  contained,  necessary  to 
detach  what  floats  on  the  surface  of  the  wa- 
ter by  means  of  the  separating  glass.  For 
this  reason,  it  is  commonly  distilled,  as  fol- 
lows, from  the  dry  leaves — Take  a pound 
and  a half  of  the  dried  leaves  of  penny- 


royal, and  three  gallons  of  water.  Draw 
off  one  gallon  with  a gentle  fire.  The  wa- 
ter, however,  drawn  from  green  penny- 
royal by  the  cold  still,  is  very  fragrant; 
and,  perhaps,  more  fully  impregnated  with 
the  virtues  of  the  plant.  The  Edinburgh 
Dispensatory  directs  three  pounds  of  penny- 
royal in  flower  to  be  used;  being  dou- 
ble the  quantity  of  this  herb  judged  ne- 
cessary by  those  of  London  and  Dublin. 

Peppermint  Water. 

There 'is  no  simple  water  so  frequently 
used  in  making  up  medical  draughts  as 
that  of  peppermint,  which  is  commonly 
thus  made — Take  a pound  and  a half  of 
the  leaves  of  dried  peppermint,  and  two 
gallons  and  a half  of  water.  Put  them  into 
an  alembic,  and  draw  off  one  gallon  with 
a gentle  fire.  In  this,  too,  the  Edinburgh 
Dispensatory  differs  from  both  the  London 
and  Dublin  Dispensatories,  by  directing 
three  pounds  to  be  used  for  a gallon.  The 
water  obtained  from  peppermint  by  dis- 
tillation in  balneum  mariae,  is  more  fra- 
grant, as  well  as  more  fully  impregnated 
with  the  virtues  of  the  plant,  than  that  drawn 
by  the  alembic.  The  same  may  be  said, 
with  regard  to  that  which  is  extracted  by 
the  cold  still.  When  the  cold  still  is  used, 
the  plant  must  be  green ; and,  if  possible, 
committed  to  the  still  with  the  morning 
dew  on  it. 


FINIS. 


GENERA! 


INDEX 


A 


A.GUE,  Infallible  Remedy  for 9 

Airen,  or  Fermented  Cows  Milk,  Dr.  Pallas's 

Account  of  the  Preparation  of. 451 

Alamode  Beef,  Real 70 

Ale,  Bread,  Ardent  Spirit,  and  Vinegar,  Most 
important  Philosophical  Fact  with  Re- 
gard to  their  Fermentation  without 

Yeast 286 

Posset,  King  William’s 40 

Almond  Biscuits 120 

Cheesecakes <■ 437 

Custard 422 

. Hog  Puddings ; 52 

Paste,  for  forming  Fancy  Articles  in  Se- 
cond Course  Dishes,  Deserts,  & c 359 

Almonds,  Common  Smooth 398 

Covered  with  Iceing ibid. 

Alum  Finings,  Method  of  making,  for  all  sorts 

of  Spirituous  Compounds  and  Cordials  91 

Amber,  commonly  called  Turnpenny 580 

Extract  of,  or  Excellent  Prepared  Am- 
bergrease for  General  Use 53 

American  Potash  Cakes  or  Biscuits 201 

Snow  Balls 112 

*— — Spruce,  Essence  of 1S4 

Analeptic  Pills 569 

Ancient  Aristaean  Confection,  Famous 430 

Aniseed  Cordial  Water 582 

Essential  Oil  of 442 

Aniseeds  of  Verdun 398 

Antidote  to  Opium  or  Laudanum 479 

Apple  and  other  Fruit  Fritters,  Excellent 331 

Jelly i 211 

Jelly  forPreserving  Sweetmeats 254 

P«stilla, 205 


Apple  Trees,  Mr.  Tench’s  Plan  for  Destroying 


the  Insects  which  infest  them 72 

Trees,  &c.  Easy  and  Effectual  Method 

of  Securing  from  Cattle 415 

Apples,  Singular  and  Simple  Manner  of  Preserv- 
ing them  from  the  Effects  of  Frost  in 

North  America 82 

Apricot  Jam,  Delicious 211 

Wine 5]  3 

~~  Wine,  Incomparable 47 

Apricots  a la  Portugaise . 521 

Dried,  of  Damascus  and  Aleppo 405 

Peaches,  Nectarines,  Plums,  &c.  and 

even  Figs,  Curious  and  Simple  Manner 
of  keeping  them  Fresh  all  the  Year  1G1 

Arabian  Method  of  Preserving  Eggs,  &c 427 

Arquebusade  Water,  the  Celebrated,  Genuine 

Receipt  for  making 42 

Artificial  Alum 530 

Musk a 95 

Oranges  and  Lemons 40s 

Asparagus 186 

- Peas ibid. 

Aspect  of  Brawm 284 

of  Fish ibid. 

or  Savoury  Jelly 2S3 

Ass’s  Milk,  Dr.  Gibson’s  celebrated  Substitute 

for 365 

Asses,  Arthur  Young,  Esq.  on  the  Advantage  of 

using  them  for  Drawing 446 

Asthma,  Excellent  Remedy  for 502 

Austrian  Wine?  Art  of  making  it  in  all  Countries  405 

B 

BACON,  Easy  French  Method  of  preventing 

it’s  becoming  Rusty 2S1 

a 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Bacon  Hog,  Buckinghamshire  Method  of  Killing 


antf  Curing.. 214 

Baked  Beef  or  Mutton  PoUioe  Pudding 55 

— Herrings 428 

Pears 411 

Pudding,  Dutch 15 

Rice  Pudding  a la  Turque 396 

- - Rump  of  Beef. 23 

Balm  of  Gilead  Oil,  Famous,  a Speedy  and  most 
Incomparable  Remedy  for  Broken  Shins, 
and  otherGreenWounds,  Burns,  Bruises, 

Scalds,  &c 138 

Barbadoes  Citron  Water 459 

Water,  Famous,  Curious  Origin  of. 192 

Water,  Genuine  Method  of  making ibid. 

Barberry  Wine 407 

Barilla,  King’s  Patent  British S3 

Barley  Sugar,  Art  of  making 12S 

Sugar  Drops,. 129 

Basket  Salt 480 

Bath  Buns,  Excellent 41 

- • Rolls  or  Cakes,  Famous 74 

Batter,  Fowl  Roasted  with 469 

Bechamel,  vulgarly  called  Benshamelle 309 

Beef  and  Veal  Stock,  for  Fricassees,  Soups,  &c.  14 

Bouillie,  or  Fresh  Beef  Boiled 294 

-Bouillie,  Cold,  a la  Maitre  d’Hotel 296 

■ ■■■  ■ Broth,  Excellent  and  Wholesome 48 

Olives 187 

Steaks,  Excellent  Instructions  for  Broil- 
ing  .*. 15 

&c.  Excellent  Tartar  and  Russian  Me- 
thod of  Preparing,  fora  Journey  or  Cold 

Repast 456 

Beet  Root,  vast  Advantages  of  Baking  instead 

ofBoiling HO 

Bellamy’s  Patent  Method  of  making  Leather  of 

all  Sorts  Water  Proof 103 

Bengal  Lights 505 

Bergamot  Water 401 

Birch  Wine 26 

Bird  Lime 234 

Lime,  General  Method  of  using 235 

Birds,  both  Hard-Beaked  and  Soft-Beaked,  Easy 
German  Method  of  preparing  a Uni- 
versal Food  for .". 344 

Birdwan  Stew,  Oriental  Dish  so  called 219 

Biscotins.. 407 

Biscuit  Bread,  Curious.. 507 

Biscuits.  Excellent,  for  Cordials 119 


Bishop  Berkeley’s  Tar  Water 55®. 

»■—  — - of  LandafF's  most  Important  and  Invalu- 
able Liquid  Test  for  Discovering  the 
Poisonous  Adulteration  of  Lead,  in 

Wines,  Cyder,  &c.... 97 

Bite  of  a Mad  Dog,  Polish  Remedy  for 493 

Bitter  Drops 504 

Black  Canker,  Best  Method  of  Destroying 81 

Caps  1 18 

Currant  Brandy,  French 535= 

Currant  Wine 570- 

Bye,  Beautiful 528 

Dye,  Beautiful,  for  Linen 199 

Bye,  for  Silk 526 

Bye,  for  Blue  Linen  and  Woollen 527 

Ink  Powder,  the  Best,  Art  of  making...  109 

Lead,  Best  Preparation  of,  for  Cleaning 

Cast  Iron  Stoves,  &c 431: 

or  Hog’s  Puddings, Best  Method  of  mak- 
ing  109v 

Blackberry  Jam,  Exceller,  for  the  Stone  and 

Gravel  . 413 

Powder 504 

Wine 420 

Biamange,  or  Blanc- Manger,  Best  Method  of 

making 51 

Blood  of  Lambs,  Calves,  Hogs,  &c.  ReadyWay 
of  Dressing,  without  making  it  ir.to- 

Black  Puddings 115 

Blue  Candles 506 

Dve  for  Linen  and  Woollen 526- 

Bye  for  Silk 524- 

Ink,  Curious . 510- 

Stone,  the  once  Famous,  for  Sore  Throats, 

Genuine  Method  of  making 61 

Boils,  Salve  for 504- 

Bologna  Sausages,  as  made  in  France 3 

Soup... 5 45- > 

Boluses  for  Rheumatism  an^  Contractions  of  the 

Joints 72 

Bombarded  Veal.. 493 

Bombay  Method  of  Dressing  a Fowl 462 

Boot  Tops,  &.c.  Genuine  Preparation  of  the  Fa- 
mous Chemical  Liquid  for 483- 

Bottled  Porter  580 

Bowels,  Instant  Relief  for  their  Pain  and  Lax 

State 7 

Bragget,  Ancient  British  Liquor  so  called 291- 

Brains,  Calves  and  Sheep’s,  as  dressed  in  France  176 
Braised  Neck  of  Veal  and  Oyster  Sauce  484 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


B’.wndad'es  de  Merluch'e,  or  Languedoc  Ragout 

of  Salt  Fish,,  Delicious 314- 

Brandy  and  Rum  Shrub,  Excellent 60 

, . Genuine  French,  or  True  Art  of  Distil- 

ling Brandy  from  Wine,  Wine  Lees, . 


Cyder,  and  even  Malted  Corn,  as  ac- 
tually practised  in  France 390 

„ Spirit  from  Cyder,  Curious  Mode  of 

easily  obtaining,  by  Means  of  Frost,  as 

practised  in  North-- America 126 

Bread  Boxes,  Art  of  making,  for  Spinach,  Mush- 
rooms, Oysters,  &c.. 1S7  . 


— — Excellent,  made  with  Meal  and  Potatoes  549 

. ■ made  with  mixed  Meal 550 

Small  Crusts  of,  to  eat  with  Cheese,  &c.  359 

Breakfast  Tourtulongs - '107 

Breast  Salve,  Admirable - 503 

Breath,  Shortness  of.  Excellent  Medicine  tor...  42 
Brewing,  Important  Ne-w  Process  in  the  Art  of, 
by  a continued  Boiling  Heat  during 


the  Mash  518 

- — in  General,  Art  of,  with  a particular 

Description  of  one  of  the  best  common 

Methods... 146 

Bride  Cake  or  Christening  Cake,  Rich..  4G7 

Brighton  Hunting.Beef 12 

Brillau’s  Incomparable  Liquid  for  changing  the 

Colour  of  the  Hair,  See 29 

Bristol  Cakes,  Genuine 224 

Broken  Limbs,  Curious  Tuikisli  Method  of  Set- 
ting ... 148 

Broth,  without  Meat 6 

Brown  Dye 528 

Brunswick  Sausages 11 

Bubble  and  Squeak 394 

Buck  Wheat,  Advantages  to  be  derived  from 

the  Cultivation  of 1 475 

Bugs,  a cleanly  and  easily  made  Mixture  for 

effectually  De  straying , 28 

Burns,  Oil  of  Brown  Paper  for...,. 48 

Butter,  Dr.  Anderson’s  admirable  Improvement 

in  the  common  Mode  of  Salting 37 

Dutch  Method  of  making 208 

— Rancid  or  Tainted,  French  Method  of 

Purifying 544  j 

— Dairy  Secret  for  preventing . the  Tur- 

nipy  Taste  of  ....*. 451 

Buttered  Lobsters. 484 


C 

CABOB,  an  Indian  Dish 21$ 

Cajeput  Oil,  for  the  Eyes,  Rheumatism,  Gout, 

Tooth-Ache,  See.... 478 

Calf’s  Chitterling  Fritters 156 

■ - Chitterlings,  different  Waj^s  of  Dressing 

at  Paris. ............ 155 

- - ■ Head,  Capital  Method  of  Dressing  like 

a Turtle... .... 221' 

- Head  Pie....... 357 

Head,  Roasted,  with  Oysters 4GS 

Head,  Russian  Method  of  Dressing 457' 

■ ■■  — - or  Bullock’s  Heart....... 311 

or  Neat’s  Foot  Jelly 194 

Cambridge  Butter................ 209 

PickJe  for- Brawn 556 

Camp  Vinegar;.......*...., 50!$ 

Cancer,  Curious  Armenian  Remedy  for 570 

Candied  Angelica..... 44 

Erin  go  Roots...... 468- 

Capillaire,  Genuine  Syrup  of,  as  made  in  France  1 3 

Syrup,  Genuine  Italian... 429 

Caraway  Buns 496 

■ Comfit  Cakes,  Excellent..... 294 

— Comfits,- Art  of  making 121 

Cordial 582 

Cardamom  Comfits 122 

Carmine  Powder,  Art  of  Extracting  the  Finest 

from  Clippings  of  Scarlet  Cloth 90 

Carimel,  Preparation  of;  for  Baskets  and  Cover- 
ings of  Sweetmeats,  &.c 3G0 

Carp,  Baked 483 

Delicate  W hite  Sauce  for 19 

finely  Stewed,  with  little- Trouble  or 

Expence.... 19 

■ — German  Method  of  makingThree  Dishes 

with  One 78 

Carrot  Marmalade,  Curious  Preparation  of,  chief- 
ly for  the  Use  of  Seamen  in  long  Voy- 
ages  4oO 

— Pie,  as  made  in  Germany 319 

■  Padding 34 

Pudding,  Fine.... - 63- 

Seed,  Ai  t of  Preparing,  so  as  to  prevent 

the  Crop  from  being  Spoiled  by  the 

quicker  Growth  of  Weeds 92 

Soup,  Excellent 154 

Caveach,  or  Pickled  Mackarel 223 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


C'c-ment,  Common,  for  joining  Marble,  Alabaster, 

Porphyry,  or  other  Stones 521 

Cement,  New  and  Powerful,  for  curing  Damp 
Walls,  uniting  Broken  Stones  or  Mar- 
ble, & c 295 

or  Mortar,  Admirable,  as  made  on  the 

Cotsvvold  Hills 2S0 

Cephalic "Snuff. 26 

Chalks,  White  and  Coloured,  Preparation  of 299 

Chantilly  Basket,  Rich 21S 

Cake ibid. 

Charlotte,  Excellent  Dish  so  called 332 

Cheese,  Double  Berkeley,  commonly  called  Dou- 
ble Glocester 265 

Cheesecakes,  Excellent 283 

Chedder  Cheese 31-9 

Cherry  Beer,  or  Red  Barley  Wine. 237 

•  Brand}-,  French,  called  in~F ranee  Cherry 

Ratafia.,... GS 

- ■ - - Jelly... 571 

Paste 252 

Wine,  Excellent  Red  or  Black,  Easy 

Method  of  making 292 

Wine, GenurneFrenciiMethod  of  making  67 

Cherries,  German  Mode  of  keeping  them  in  a 

sound  State  all  the  Winter 115 

Cheshire  Cheese,  Genuine  Method  of  making...  21-7 

Chesnuts,  French  Ragout  of 439 

C-hevreuil  Sauce 177 

Chicken  Pudding,  Delicate 530 

Chickens,  Method  of  expeditiously  Fattening...  43 

or  Fowls,  Boiled 437 

Chilblains,  Cure  for 89 

Chinese  Mode  of  rendering  all  Sorts  of  Cloth, 

and  even  Muslin,  Water  Proof. 66 

Yellow  Stain,  or  Dye,  for  Silks,  Stuff’s, 

and  Paper 479 

Chocolate  Biscuits.. 120 

Cream  1,5 j 

•  Genuine,  Art  of  Manufacturing 1 0 1 

Cielings,  &c.  Cheap  and  Excellent  Blue  Colour 

for 218 

Cinnamon  Cordial 583 

•  Water,  Simple ibid 

Citric  Acid,  and  Coxwell’s  Concrete  Salt  of  Le- 
mons  308 

Civet  of  Fawn  or  Kid 177 

of  Hare Hid. 

529 
513 


Clarified  Goose  Grease  25t 

Honey 302 

Sugar,  or  Refined  Common  Syrup 39 

Clary  "Wine,  Excellent 169 

Clove,  Nutmeg,  Caraway,  Cinnamon,  or  Gin- 
ger Puffs,  Fine 359 

Coal  Balls,  or  Cakes 488 

Coco,  Common,  or  Cacao  Shell 102 

Codlin  Mangoes 278 

Codlins  and  Green  Gages  finely  Greened  and 

Preserved  for  Tarts,  &c 292 

Coffee  Cream,  and  Coffee  Jelly 151 

Advantages  of  making  by  previous  In- 
fusion..  137 

Best  Turkish  Method  of  making 135 

English  Mode  of  making ibid. 

Management  of  in  F'ratice 150 

Origin  of  making 149 

Colds,  Violent,  and  Fevers,  Cure  for 557 

Colic,  and  even  a Bloody  Flux,  Remedy  for 413 

Collared  Beef,  Excellent 134- 

'Eels 153 

Goose 355 

Mackarel 222 

Swa»s 416 

Coloured  Comfits  and  Sugar  Plums 122 

Colours,  Beautiful,  from  Flowers,  Leaves,  Roots, 

&c.  Dutch  Method  of  Extracting 30 

Preparation  of.  White,  Brown,  Yellow, 

Red,  Grey,  and  Blue  Black,  which 


never  Change,  and  may  be  used  either 


in  Oil  or  Water. „ 293 

Composition  for  Preserving  Wood  against  In- 
jury by  Fire-Works 507 

Confectionary  Mosses  of  various  Colours,  Art  of 

making 471 

Conserve  of  Roses 301 

Consumption,  agreeable  Preventative  of 50 

German  Cure  for 18 


Contractions  of  the  Sinews,  Stiffnesses  of  the 

Joints,  &c.  Excellent  Remedy  for 507 

Copper  Saucepans,  Stewpans,  and  other  Copper 
or  Iron  Culinary  Utensils,  &c.  Easy 


and  Expeditious  Method  of  Tinning...  362 

Cordial  Liqueur  d’Oranges.. 535 

Coik  Waistcoat,  to  prevent  Drowning,  Easy 

Method  of  making 500 

Corn,  Curious  and  Valuable  Experimental  Hints 
for  Saving  at  least  Half  the  Quantity 
now  used  as  Seed 6C 


Claret  Dye,  Beautiful.. 
Wine,  English 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Cora  for  Food,  Curious  Tartarian  Method 
of  preparing,  without  either  Mills  or 

Ovens 

Cottage  Potatoe  Plum  Pudding 

Cotton,  Easy  Method  of  Dyeing  it  with  Madder, 
as  practised  at  Smyrna,  for  which  Se- 
cret Five  Thousand  Pounds  are  said  to 

have  been  given  in  England  

Cough  and  Cold,  Recent  Infallible  Remedy  for 

■ ■ ■ and  Soreness  of  the  Chest,  Mr.  Cruik- 

shank’s  Prescription  for 

* ■ Cold,  or  Hoarseness,  Pleasant  Emulsion 


Coughs  and  Colds,  Dr.  Bracken’s  Lancashire 

Remedy  for 

- - and  Consumptions,  Confirmed,  a fine 

Balsamic  Elixir  for 

Coulis,  or  Cullis,  Genuine  French  Method  of 

making 

Count  Rumford’s  Kindling  Balls,  &c 

Countess  of  Kent’s  Celebrated  Powder 

— ■■■ of  Rutland’s  famous  Banbury  Bride  Cake 

Cowslip  Wine,  Fine 

Crackling  Cream 

Cracks  in  Stoves,  Pipes,  and  Iron  Ovens,  Ready 
Mode  of  Mending,  as  practised  in  Ger- 
many   . 

Cramp,  Infallible  Cures  for..... 

Crayons,  Superior,  of  Permanent  Colours,  to  be 

applied  either  in  Water  or  Oil 

Cream  Cheese,  Delicate.. 

- ■ — — Common,  Method  of  Preserving.... 

• for  a Consumption...,. 

— — — Rich,  for  Fruit  Pies  or  Tarts 

Creme  de  Barbade,  or  Barbadoes  Cream,  Admir- 
ed Liqueurso  called,  as  made  in  France 

■ de  la  Badiane,  or  Aniseed  of  China 

Crimped  Cod 

Crimson  Dye  for  Silk... 

Cucumbers,  or  Green  Girkins,  Preserved  as  fine 

Wet  and  Dry  Sweetmeats.... 

Cullis,  Excellent 

Curd  Puffs 

Curious  and  Fashionable  Dish  at  Paris,  called 
Potage  a la  Jambe  de  Bois,  or  Woo  Jen 

Leg  Soup 

Currant  Jellies,  Red,  White,  and  Black 

Shrub 

Currants  in  Bunches,  Easy  Method  of  Drying 
and  Preserving 


Currants,  Red  or  White,  Preserved  Whole,  mi 


Bunches,  Wet  and  Dry - 23$ 

Custard  Pudding,  Good,  for  Boiling..., 80 

Custards,  Cheap  and  Excellent 106 

r Rich,  either  for  Cups  or  Crust 48 

Curry,  Genuine  India  Method  of  Cooking........  216 

Powder,  Genuine  India 212 

Cutcheree,  to  Eat  with  Cabobs 216 

Cyder,  Best  General  Method  of  making,  as  prac- 
tised in  Herefordshire,  and  other  Cyder 

Counties  of  England  and  Wales 238 

Cyderkin,  Perkin,  Purre,  or  Water  Cyder 242 

Cyprus  Wine,  the  Rich,  Admirable  Imitation  of  96 

D 

DAFFY’S  Elixir,  Old  Receipt  for 500 

> ' Elixir,  the  True 7 

Dairy  Secret  for  Increasing  the  Quantity  of 

Cream 506 

Damson  Cheese,  and  Refined  Damson  Cheeses  or 

Biscuits.,.,. 195 


Damsons,  Plums,  Grapes,  Cherries,  and  other 
Fruits,  Simple  Mode  of  Drying  so  as  to 
resemble  Pruens,  French  Plums,  Rai- 


sins, &c„ 392 

— Sugar  Preserved , 350 

Dartmouth  Pie 198 

Deafness,  Fox-Glove  Juice  for 494 

&c.  Northern  Remedy  for 30.3 

Decline,  Excellent  Decoction  for... 557 

Delescot’s  Famous  Opiate  for  the  Teeth 5.55 

Delicious  Dried  Pears  of  Rheims,  Genuine  Me- 
thod of  Preserving. 157 

Devilled  Almonds ...  154 

■■■  ■ ■ Biscuits ibid. 

Devonshire  Junket ....  280 

Squab  Pie 409 

Syllabub  152 

White  Pot 469 

Diet  Bread,  Excellent 44 

Diet  Drink  for  the  King’s  Evil,  and  for  Sweet- 
ening the  Blood,  to  be  taken  at  Spring 

» and  Fall  503 

Distilled  Liquors,  General  Rules  for  Distilling 

and  making  up ...  389 

Distilling  in  General,  Art  of 370 

Dogs,  Celebrated  French  Worm  Medicine  for  131 
Dr.  Carmichael  Smith’s  Celebrated  Remedy  for 
Preventing  the  Contagion  of  Infectious 
Diseases  in  Hospitals,  Ships,  Prisons,  &c.  424 

b 


203 

303 

128 

556 

489 

21 

366 

17 

30S 

488 

501 

1 15 

160 

420 

362 

138 

298 

160 

428 

491 

190 

193 

160 

357 

523 

197 

308 

393 

86 

212 

61 

31 


GENERAL 


Dr.  Cullen’s  for  an  Eruption  on  the  Hand 508 

Dr.  Fordvce’s  Decoction  of  Sarsaparilla 561- 


Dr.  Macbride’s  Simple  Remedy  for  the  Stone  108 
Dr.  Monro’s  Remavkuble  Instances  of  the  good 

Effects  of  Honey  in  Asthmatic  Cases  552 
Dr.  Palmer’s  Efficacious  Electuary  for  the  Stong  502 
Dr.  Radcliife’s  Famous  Diet  Drink  for  Sharp 


Humours... 7G 

Syrup  for  Shortness  of  Breath 500 


Dr.  Taylor’s  Easy  Method  of  ascertaining  the 
Qualities  of  Marie,  Lime  Stones,  or 
Quick  Lime,  for  the  Purposes  of  Agri- 
culture   51-7 

Drop  Biscuits,  Ratafia,  &c 51 

Drops,  Cinnamon,  Cloves,  Pepper,  or  Ginger...  418 

Dropsy,  Excellent  Remedy  for 30 

Experienced  Excellent  Receipt  for  ....  112 

Drowning,  Chinese  Simple  Apparatus  to  Prevent  500 

Dry  Biscuits,  Fine 507 

Ducks  and  Ducklings,  Roasted 436 

Languedoc,  Cruel  Mode  of  Cramming  92 

Duke  of  Buckingham’s  Pudding 18 

Dutch  Beef 33 

Gingerbread,  Best 22 

■ ■ • Flummery 58 

— Receipt  for  Curing  Herrings 495 

- — Souster,  to  be  eaten  either  as  Pudding  or 

Cake 130 

— — Thin  Biscuits. r 532 

Dutchess  of  Marlborough’s  Admirable  Water 
for  Thickening  the  Hair,  and  to  Pre- 
vent it’s  Falling  off.... 128 

» i ' of  Rutland’s  Stomach  PJaister  for  a Cough  48 

Dye,  Fine  Liquid  Blue 510 

Dyeing,  Chaptal’s  Grand  Principle  in  the  Art  of  229 
Dysentery,  or  Bloody  Flux,  Famous  French  Re- 
medy for,,.., 133 


E 

EARTHEN  Earn  Floors, Curious  Mode  of  mak  i ng  249 


Eau  de  Cologne 544 

de  Luce,  Genuine 256 

des  Cannes,  Genuine  Receipt  for  Pre- 
paring  217 

Ebulum,  Fine,  or  Rich  Elder  Berry  Beer  and  Ale  348 

Edinburgh  Eye  Water 534 

Strong  Ale  and  Small  Beer 530 

Eel  Soup,  Excellent  357 

Eels,  Ready  Method  of  Roasting...,,,, 28 


INDEX. 


Eggs,  Effectual  and^sy  Method  of  Preserving 

perfectly  Fresh,  for  Twelve  Months...  567 
Fried  as  Round  as  Balls,  without  Hard- 
ening the  Yolks 130 

Fried  in  Puff  Paste 482 

Larger  than  those  of  a Swan,  or  even  of 

an  Ostrich,  Easy  Way  to  Make 130 

. . Mr.  Jayne’s  Patent  Method  of  Preserv- 
ing  65 

Small,  for  Turtles,  Pies,  &c 130 

Elastic  Gum,  Britannic 1£4 

Elcholle,  or  the  Flesh  of  Camels,  as  well  as  Mut- 


ton and  Beef,  Curious  Moorish  Method 
of  preparing,  so  as  to  keep  for  Two  or 


Three  Years  in  the  warmest  Climates  99 

Elder  Flower  Wine  501 

Rob,  or  Extract  of  Elder  Berries 424 

■ - — ■ ■ Wine 425 

Encaustic  Painting,  Mr.  Eton’s  Grand  Discovery 

of  the  Ancient  Art  of  53S 

English  Coffee 1 93 

Tokay 544 

Epileptic  Electuary,  for  the  Cure  of  Falling  Fits, 

Hysterics,  and  even  St.  Y’itus’s  Dance  45 

Essence  of  Anchovy,  Admirable 224 

of  Lemons  443 

of  Peppermint ibid. 

Essences,  or  Essential  Oils,  in  General,  Art  of 
Distilling,  from  all  Sorts  of  Flowers, 

Herbs,  Roots,  &c 381 

Essentia  Bina  and  Colour,  for  Brewing  London 

Porter,  &c.  Methods  of  Preparing 581 

Ether,  True  Art  of  preparing 380 

Everlasting  Whipped  Syllabub  31 

Eye,  Bruised,  Speedy  Remedy  for 48 

Eyes,  Curious  Mode  of  Staining,  as  practised  by 
the  Arabian,  Turkish,  and  Circassian 

Women,  &c...... 462 

Inflamed,  or  Sore,  Wonderful  Cure  for  112 

Extract  of  Malt,  with  Barley  Water,  for  a Con- 
sumptive Cough,  &c 358 

F 

FACE,  Pimpled,  Cure  for 31 

Scurvy  or  any  Redness  in.  Fine  Edin- 
burgh Wash  for 535 

Fairy  Butter - 531 

Farmer’s  Pudding,  Cheap  566 

Fawn,  Roasted.. 177 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Feathers,  New  Method  of  Clearing  them  from 

their  Animal  Oil 294 

Fine  Block  Tin  Dish  Covers,  Patent  Pewter,  &c. 

Best  Method  of  Cleaning 413 

Light  Biscuits : 120 

Fish,  Easy  Method  of  preserving  them  Fresh 

for  a Day  or  Two 543 

Oil,  Simple  Method  of  Purifying 546 

- . Oil,  Vanherman’s  Art  of  Preparing  for 
Cheap  and  Durable  Paints,  free  from 
any  unwholesome  Scent,  and  adapted 
to  stand  all  Weathers 305 

•  Sauce,  Capital 52 

Fishermen,  Foreign,  their  Manner  of  Dressing 

Fish,  as  practised  at  Sea 133 

Fits,  Peony  Powder  for 505 

Flax,  Art  of  Dressing,  so  as  to  resemble  Silk  ....  347 

Flemish  Soup 176 

Floor  Cloth,  Method  of  Cleaning  431 

Flower  Buds,  Art  of  Preserving  so  as  to  Bloom 

in  the  Winter 498 

Flowers  of  all  S ris,  French  Method  of  Cold 

Distilling... 3S9 

■ ■ &c.  Sir  John  Hill’s  Curious  Art  of  Pre- 

serving  497 

Fluids,  European  Modes  of  Filtering  for  Chemi- 
cal and  Cu'inary  Purposes 140 

Flummery,  Common 59 

Fly  Water 486 

Foil  for  Diamonds  and  other  Precious  Stones,  as 
used  by  the  Armenian  Jewellers,  Ad- 
mirable Secret  in  preparing 127 

Foot-Rot  in  Sheep,  Mr.  Bakewell’s  Liquid  and 

Mr.  Cully’s  Red  Salve  for 486 

Forced  Eggs  542 

Forcemeat  Balls  16 

Fowl  a la  Blanc-Manger 440 

Fowls,  Chickens,  and  Turkey  Poults,  Roasted...  434 
Fox  Glove,  Dr.  Darwin’s  Decoction  of,  for  the 

Dropsy,  Scurvy,  &c 491 

Fragrant  Essences,  Capital  Method  of  obtaining 
ancT preserving  from  the  fresh  Rinds  of 

Citrons,  Oranges,  Lemons,  &c 19 

Freezing  Mixtures 5 69 

French  Bread,.... 8 

■ 1 ■ ■■  Bread  Plum  and  Apple  Pudding,  Excel- 

lent   356 

•  Curds 535 

Flummery  59 

»- - Garlic  Vinegar,  Fine 521 


I French  Method  of  Dressing  a very  Old  Turkey  440 

Method  of  converting  Iron  into  Cast 

Steel 505 

Mutton  and  Veal  Pies  a la  Perigord 332 

- . . - Peasant’s  Pot ]57 

Puffs  58 

Fresh  Butter,  German  Method  of  Clarifying 

and  Preserving 3 

- ■■  ■ Water,  at  Sea,  Easy  Manner  of  always 

obtaining  sufficient  Supplies  of. 167 

Friar* *s  Balsam,  Genuine 4 

Omlet 60 

Fricasee  of  Chickens  or  Rabbits,  Brown 311 

■ ■ - ■ of  Chickens,  White  309 

• of  Lamb,  Veal,  &c 311 

of  Rabbit,  with  Mushrooms 310 

- — — of  Rabbits,  with  Onions,  White ibid. 

Fried  Apple  Pasties 54 

■  French  Roses 412 

Frogs 69 

Fiegs,  French  Fricassee  of ibid. 

Fronti.iiac,  Excellent  English 33 

Frosted  Codlins  and  Cream 292 

Currants 496 

Frozen  Limbs,  Successful  Treatment  of,  by  the 

Russians 149 

Fruit  and  Forest  Trees,  Mr,  Forsyth's  Method 
of  Curing  Injuries  and  Defectsin,  pub- 
lished by  Command  of  bis  Majesty 70 

for  Children,  Frugal  and  Wholesome 

Way  of  preparing 254 

! Mr.  Forsyth’s  Method  of  sending  to 

Windsor  and  Weymouth,  for  the  Use 
of  his  Majesty  and  the  Royal  Family  84 


■ Trees,  Curious  French  Method  of  pro- 

tecting from  Injury  by  Spring  Frosts, 
on  a Principle  similar  to  that  of  Con- 
ductors for  Lightning  ... 82 

Fruits  and  Flowers,  Curious  Mode  of  Growing 

during  Winter 238 

Fuel,  Mr.  Davey’s  Improved  Patent., 489 

Furniture  Gloss,  German,  or  Polishing  Wax  for 

Mahogany,  &c 331 

G 

G ARGIL,  a Distemper  in  Geese,  Cure  for 30 

Garlic  Cough  Syrup,  Excellent 493 

Oxymel  of,  for  Asthmatic  Complaints, 

Rheumatism,  &c 200 

Vinegar,  French  Method  of  making. ...  213 


general 


Gas,  or  Fixed  Air,  Description  of  Dr.  Nooth’s 
Celebrated  Machine  for  impregnating 

Liquids. with 287 

Gates,  &,c.  Composition  for  preserving... 514 

Geese,  the  Famous  Languedoc,  Curious  French 

Modes  of  Fattening 92 

German  Birdlime,  and  Method  of  using  it 321 

■ Egg  Soup 426 

Paste,  for  Larks,  &c 343 

Puffs,  Famous.. 124 

Remedy  for  the  Bite  of  a Mad  Dog 564 

■»  Sour  Crout,  Real............ 335 

. ■ — — Tinder,  the  Celebrated,  Superior  Use 
of,  and  great  Importance  of  it’s  being 
universally  adopted  in  England.........  132 

Gilding  and  Lettering  Books 352 

Iron  or  Steel,  Art  of. 457 

on  Paper,  with  the  Art  of  preparing 


Gold  Powder,  Shell  Gold,  &c.  proper  to 
be  used  in  Painting  and  Water  Colours  350 
proper  for  forming  Letters  of  Gold  and 
embellishing  Manuscripts,  either  on 


Vellum,  Parchment,  or  Paper. 351 

Gilliflower  Wine 496 

Ginger  Cakes,  Fine,  for  Cold  Weather 27 

- — — - . Drops 129 

- ■ Drops,  or  Candy,  Curious 540 

Wine,  Valuable  Receipt  for  making....  85 

Wine  with  Jar  Raisins,  Fine 568 

Gingerbread  Nuts,  Rich  Sweetmeat 32 

Gins,  Celebrated  best  Rotterdam  and  Hollands, 

Genuine  Dutch  Method  of  Preparing 

and  Rectifying 441 

Girkins 279 


Glass  and  China,  German  Cement  for  Mending  204 
■ ■ -■  Art  of  Painting,  Spangling,  Gilding, 

and  Silvering,  to  ornament  Carriages, 


Apartments,  Furniture,  & c. 167 

Mirrors  and  Globes,  Art  of  Silvering.,.  346 

Glocester  Cheese 260 

■ Jelly,  Sir  Richard  Jebb’s  Receipt  for...  508 

Glocestershire  Butter  258 

•—  Green  Cheese 268 

Glue,  Curious  and  Useful 10 


Goats,  Curious  Instance  of  the  probable  good 

Effects  of  keeping  them  among  Horses  276 
Gold  and  Silver  Fish,  Beautiful,  Curious  Method 

of  Breedingan  innumerableQuantity  of  68 
. ' . — and  Silver  Lace,  Curious  Method  of  Se- 

parating the  Metal  without  Burning.,, 


INDEX. 

Gold  and  Silver  Lace,  &c.  Prepared  Alabaster 

for  Cleaning 4.92 

— — and  Silver  Muslins,  &c.  Method  of 

Washing 4 91 

Golden  Yellow  Dye,  Beautiful  newly  discovered, 

for  Silks,  Cotton,  & c 67 

Goose,  Roasted,  and  Apple  Sauce 436 

Gooseberries,  and  other  Fruits,  Best  Method  of 

Bottling  for  Keeping 252 

— Green  and  Red,  Preserved  Wet 253 


Dr.  Hunter’s  Account  of  the  Advant- 
ages to  be  derived  from  the  Culture 


ot 444 

Gooseberry  Brandy.  .' 512 

— — — Bushes,  Manner  of  Destroying  Cater- 

. pillars  on,  in  Scotland 20 

Custard 282 

Fool,  Excellent 178 

■ Jelly,  Green  or  Red 21 1 

Pie  or  Tart,  Rich 199 

Pudding,  Baked ibid. 

Sauce  223 

Tansy 199 

Vinegar 183 

Wine,Rich 182 

Gout,  Famous  Yellow  Water  for 569 

in  the  Stomach,  Dr.  Hartley’s  Celebrat- 
ed Mixture  for 494 

Grand  Christmas  Pie., 338 


Grape  Wine,  the  Honourable  Mr.  Charles  Ha- 
milton’s Method  of  making,  fully  equal 
to  Champaign  and  Old  Hock,  from  the 
Fruit  of  his  beautiful  Vineyard  at 


Pain’s  Hill,  in  Surry 201 

Grass  Green  Dye  for  Silk..... 525 

Gravy  of  all  Sorts,  Simple  Mode  of  Drawing  in 

France 308 

Greek  Remedy  for  a weak  Stomach 564 

Green  Dye  for  Linen 526 

Dye  for  Silk 525 

Ginger  125 

Ginger,  English ibid. 

Goose,  and  Peas  or  Gooseberry  Sauce...  436 

Gooseberries,  Curious  Substitution  of 

Sour  Grapes  for 193 

Gooseberry  Wine 536 

Ink 510 

Peas,  Russian  Method  of  preserving  for 

Winter 52 

Peas  Soup.,. 224 


35 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Green  Peas  Tart 251 

— Tea,  Excellent,  CuriousGerman  Method 

of  making  with  Strawberry  Leaves..,.  339 
Gripes  in  Horses  and  Horned  Cattle,  Infallible 

Cure  for 513 

Grounds  for  Painting  on  Pannels,  Copper,  or 
Canvas,  &c.  Mr.  Sebastian  Grandi’s 
Restoration  or  Discovery  of  the  old 


Venetian  Art  of  preparing 297 

Grouse,  Heathcocks,  or  Moor  Game 433 

Gum  Arabic,  Substitute  for 530 

Blaikie’s  Patent  Substitute  for,  in  Thick- 
ening Colours  for  Calico  Printers,  &c.  210 

. Paste,  for  Ornaments  on  Cakes,  & c 360 

■ Water,  and  Isinglass  Size,  Preparation 

of,  for  Painting  and  Gilding  in  Water 
Colours 350 

H 

HAIR,  Art  of  making  it  neatly  Curl 77 

Ham  Cake.. 4.85 

• Stock,  Cheap,  for  Gravy  and  Sauces.,..  1 1 1 

Hands, Numbed  or  Trembling, ExcellentWashfor  77 

Hanover  Pudding 357 

Hare  Cake,  &c 485 

. . — even  the  Oldest,  Art  of  immediately 

Roasting  and  making  it  quite  tender. 


recommended  to  Sportsmen  by  an  in- 


genious French  Author 133 

. Soup,  Best  Method  of  making 296 

Haricot  Mutton 15 

Hartshorn  Jelly,  Best  Method  of  making 161 

Hasty  Pudding 213 

Haunch  of  Venison 57 


Health  and  Longevity,  Grand  Ptisan  or  Diet 
Drink  of,  by  a celebrated  French  Phy- 


sician. who  lived  nearly  a Hundred 

and  Twenty  Years 159 

Heart  Cakes 2S3 

Hedge  Mustard,  Conserve  of,  for  the  Cure  of  a 

true  Asthma 429 

Hemet’s  Tincture  for  the  Teeth  553 

Hen’s  Nest,  Elegant,  Art  of  making 221 

Herbal,  Herbarium,  or  Hortus  Siccus,  Methods 

of  forming 498 

Hoarseness,  Secret  Remedy  of  the  Italian  Singers 

for... 567 

Hodge-Podged  Hare 80 

Hogs,  Experimental  Advantages  of  Feeding 

them  with  Roasted  Potatoes 551 


Hog’s  Head,  Excellent  Method  of  Dressing 250 

Puddings,  French 110 

Hollands,  Fine  English,  and  other  Cordial  Gins  91 

Honey  Comb  Cream 540 

of  Mulberries..... 252 

of  Mulberries  and  Blackberries 504 

| of  Roses.... 301 

Water 570 

Honourable  Mr,  Boyle’s  Genuine  Syrup  for 

Coughs,  Spitting  of  Blood,  &c 113 

Hops,  Fine  Wet  and  Dry  Sweetmeats  in  the 

Form  of. 253 

Horse  Chesnuts,  French  Method  of  making  Flour 

for  Bread  with 174 

Horse-Radish  Sauce,  German 202 

Horses,  Eye  Water  for 497 

Horsham  Capons 84. 

House  Painting,  without  Oil,  Excellent  Cheap 
and  Wholesome  Method,  as  practised 

in  Germany,  Russia,  &c 204 

Hung  Beef 79 

Beef,  French 179 

Hungary  Water,  French  Method  of  making  and 

improving 16 

Hunting  Bread 77 

Hydromel,  Mead,  and  Metheglin 339 

Hypocras,  Admirable  English  116 

as  made  in  France ibid. 

Exquisite  French  Essence  of ibid. 


I 


ICE  Cream,  and  Water  Ice,  Pine  Apple 40* 

Delicate,  for  Tarts,  &e.,. 45 

Iced  Cream  Cheese 521 

Iceing,  Fine  for  Twelfth  Cake 

Imperial  German  Puffs ; 541 

Incense,  Curious  Small  Cakes  of,  for  Perfuming 

Apartments 492 

India  Blue  Lights 506 

Pickle,  Best 17 

Indian  Corn,  Culture  and  Uses  of,  in  America  553 

Fricassee  of  Chickens  with  Curry 544 

Ink,  Art  of  preparing 516 

Ink,  Simple  Substitute  for  the  Best 580 

Influenza,  &c.  Syrup  of  Angelica  Root  for 567 

Ink  Spots,  Method  of  taking  out,  from  Woollen, 

Linen,  and  Silk 6 4 

Irish  Ale 20? 

Beef 355 

\ 

e 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Irish  Method  of  raising  Potatoes,,.... 

• Pancakes 

Iron-Moulds 

Isle  of  Wight  Cracknels 

Italian  Peas  Soup,  Excellent 

Ravioli 

Itch,  Celebrated  Edinburgh  Remedy  for  Expe- 
ditiously Curing  that  loathsome  Disease 
Ivory  Black,  Genuine,  Art  of  preparing. 

J 

JUGGED  Hare 

Juniper  Ratafia,  an  incomparable  Cordial  Gin, 
as  made  at  Paris 

K 

KEBOBBED  Mutton 

Keeping  Gravy,  Excellent 

- ■ ■ - Mustard,  Incomparable 

Kentish  Method  of  making  Red  Cherry  Wine... 
Ketchup,  Excellent,  which  will  keep  Good  more 

than  Twenty  Years.... 

Kid,  Roasted 

King  Charles  the  Second’s  Surfeit  Water 

Knuckle  of  Veal,  Boiled 

Koumiss,  Medical  Virtues  of. 

the  Famous  Lacteous  Wine  of  the  Tar- 
tars so  called,  Dr.  Grieve’s  Genuine 
Account  of 

L 

LAMP  Black 

Lancashire  Method  of  Boiling  Potatoes 

Larks,  Wheat  Ears,  and  other  Small  Birds, 

Roasted 

Lavender  Water,  Excellent 

Leason  for  Soups,  Fricassees,  & c 

Leather,  German  Method  of  Blacking 

•  ■■  Gloves,  Art  of  Dyeing  or  Staining,  to 

resemble  the  beautiful  York  Tan,  Lime- 
rick Dye,  &c 

Leaven,  Debretgin’s  Art  of  making  Bread  with, 

instead  of  Yeast 

Leaves  of  Books,  Edges  of,  and  of  Paper  in  Ge- 
neral, Art  of  Gilding 

Leeks,  Decoction  of  their  Beards  for  the  Stone 

and  Gravel 

Lemon  Cream 

•  Cream,  without  Cream  or  Milk 

. Pickle 


Lemonade,  Fine 400 


Leveret,  Roasted 17  8 

Lightning,  Wonderful  Case  of  immediate  Re- 
lief afforded  to  Persons  injured  by 495 

Lime  Water,  Common 49 

Linen,  Permanent  Red  Ink  for  Marking 35 

Linseed  Cough  Syrup 393 

■  Jelly  for  Fattening  Cattle 481 

Oil,  Blanched 30? 

Liquid  Blacking,  Bayley’s  Patent  Cakes  for 10 

Blacking,  Good,  for  Shoes  and  Boots....  358 

Liquorice  Cough  Lozenges,  as  made  in  France  73 

Cultivation  of. 514 

Lisbon  Diet  Drink,  Improved,  or  Compound  De- 
coction of  Sarsaparilla 565 

Little  Caraway  Puddings,  Delicate 47 

Plum  Cakes 505 

Liver  Puddings  in  Skins,  Delicious 460 

; Lobster  Cake 484 

j Locks,  Turkish,  which  can  never  be  Picked, 

Curious  Mechanism  of 128 

Loin  of  Pork,  Sicilian  Method  of  Dressing,  so  as 

to  resemble  Wild  Boar 421 

London  Porter,  and  Genuine  Brown  Stout,  Art 

of  Brewing 576 

Looking  Glasses,  Art  of  Silvering 345 

Lord  Holles’s  Hydromel 342 

Orford’s  Curious  Method  of  Feeding 

Carp  in  Ponds 43 

■ ■ - Pembroke’s  Artificial  Red  Port  Wine...  550 

Love  in  Disguise 411 

Lozenges  for  the  Heartburn,  Excellent 5 

Lumbago,  Mr.  Cruikshank’s  Liniment  for.......  424 


M 

MACARONI  and  Vermicelli,  Easy  Method  of 


making  in  every  Family 102 

— ■ ■ Cordial  

Rice 423 

Stewed  213 

Macaroon  Custard  Pudding,  Delicious 80 

Macaroons,  Common 5 1 

Fine  French... ibid. 

Mace  Cakes 505 

Mackarel,  Baked 223 

Boiled 222 

Broiled ibid. 

Madame  NouIFer’s  Famous  French  Specific  for 

Destroying  the  Tape  Worm 206 

Magnesia,  Method  of  making 245 


129 

532 

64 

184 

233 

278 

75 

517 

80 

131 

59 

3 

54 

25 

8 

177 

459 

56 

448 

446 

517 

566 

432 

505 

153 

10 

169 

509 

352 

7 

220 

540 

508 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Mahogany,  German  Method  of  making  Elm  and 


Maple  Wood  resemble 26 

••  - Furniture,  Red  Mixture  for  giving  a 

Fine  Colour  to 64 

Ink  Stains  taken  out  of. ibid. 

Malabar  Pickle,  or  Best  Indian  Pickle,  as  made 

on  the  Malabar  Coast 403 

Malt  and  Hops,  Essence  of,  or  Portable  Ale  and 

Beer 182 

- ■ ■ Spirit,  Raw,  Art  of  Rectifying  by  Agi- 
tation, for  making  it  up  into  Gin, 
Brandy,  or  Rum,  without  the  Use  of 

a Still 236 

- Wash,  for  Distillation  to  obtain  Spirit, 

Method  of  preparing 372 

Malting  Barley,  & c.  for  Brewing,  Genuine  Pro- 
cess of 145 

Manure,  Chemical  Compound  for 511 

Marble  Hearths,  Chimney  Pieces,  Alabaster, 

&c.  Composition  for  Cleaning. 21S 

Marlborough  Cakes 532 

Marmalade  of  Barberries 522 

•  of  Eggs,  Curious,  as  made  by  the  Jews  555 

• ■ ■■  of  Pears 468 

Marrow  Pudding,  Fine 356 

Mathieu’s  Celebrated  Prussian  Specific  for  the 

Tape  Worm,  &c 207 

Mead  or  Metheglin,  Red  and  White,  with  Rasp- 
berries and  Currants,  admirable  Re- 
ceipt for  making  432 

— — — or  Metheglin,  Rich,  equal  to  Foreign 

Wine 343 


Meal  Worms,  German  Method  of  Breeding,  for 

Nightingales  and  other  Singing  Birds,  &c.  421 

Meat,  Incomparable  Method  of  Salting,  as  adopt- 


ed by  the  late  Empress  of  Russia 107 

Medicinal  Virtues  cf  Strong  Coffee 136 

Melon  Citron  ., 276 

Melons  and  Cucumbers,  Art  of  Pickling,  to  re- 
semble Indian  Mangoes... 99 

Milk  Coffee,  French  Modes  of  preparing 151 

Punch,  Norfolk 11 

■  Sago..... 412 

■ Soups,  as  made  at  Paris 158 

■  — Water., 569 

Millet  Pudding 180 

Mince  Pies., 4S1 

— ■ • Pies,  Rich,  without  Meat 55 

Mock  Brawn. i 58 

Hare,  made  with  a Bullock’s  Heart 16 


Mock  Pheasant,  Admirable 434 

Venison  Pasty 3 

Molasses,  Admirable  New  Mode  of  Fermenting, 
for  all  Sorts  of  Made  Wines,  Vinegars, 

Brandy,  & c 379 

Purified  Syrup  of 232 

Spirit,  British 378 

Moonshine  Eggs 540 

Morel  Sauce,  for  Fish,  &c 545 

Morelia  Cherry  Wine,  Rich  408 

Morocco  Leather,  Fine  Red  and  Yellow,  Art  of 
Manufacturing  as  practised  in  Crim 

Tartar^. 225 

Mortar  of  the  Ancients,  Mr.  Eton’s  Experimen- 
tal Remarks  on 464 

Moths  in  Furs  and  Woollens,  Easy  Method  of 

preventing 566 

Muffin  Pudding,  Delicate 253 

Muffins  and  Crumpets 50 

Mulberries,  Whole  Preserved 403 

Mulberry  Trees,  Old,  Mr.  Speechly’s  Ingenious 

Method  of  Renovating 91 

Mum,  the  Celebrated  Brunswick,  Genuine  Re- 
ceipt for  making 118 

Mushroom  Fritters  433 

■ Ketchup,  Genuine 290 

Powder 56 

Mushrooms,  Pickled ibid. 

Mustard , Common,  for  immediate  Use 54 

Effect  of,  in  a Fit  of  Apoplexy 429 

Whey,  for  a Palsy  and  NervousDisorders  77 

Mutton  Chops  dressed  in  the  Portuguese  Fashion  1 17 

Ham,  Excellent.., 403 

N 

NAPLES  Biscuits,  Best 33 


Negro  Caesar’s  Famous  Cure  for  Poison,  and  for 
the  Bite  of  a Rattle  Snake,  by  the  Dis- 
covery of  which  he  obtained  his  Free- 
dom and  a Hundred  Pounds  a Year  for 


Life 365 

Net  Cheeses 273 

Nettle  Rash,  Cure  for 51 1 

New  College  Puddings 33 

Nightingales,  Delicate  Paste  for 343 

Noddy  Puddings,  Curious. ]]8 

Norfolk  Bacon... 357 

--  - ■■  — Dumplings 19 

-■  ■■■  Pudding  Puffs 393 

North  Wiltshire  Cheese 268 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Northamptonshire  Gooseberry  Fool,  Genuine...  426 


Noyeau,  Genuine  French,  as  made  at  Paris 53 

O 

OAT  Cakes 7 4 

Oatmeal  Flummery 531 

Oil  Colour  Cakes  for  Artists,  Blackman’s  Cele- 
brated  135 

Compost,  Advantage  of.  Exemplified  in 

the  Culture  of  Onions 452 

Compost,  Art  of  making 455 

for  mixing  up  Colours,  Method  of  Puri- 
fying  298 

of  Flints,  Patent 237 

. of  Jessamine,  and  of  other  Flowers 421 

of  Lavender 443 

of  Venus,  a Celebrated  French  Liqueur  220 

or  Cream  ofCytkerea,  a Delicious  French 

Cordial  Liqueur  131 

. or  Essence  of  Juniper 442 

Oils,  Fi  ne  Drying,  for  Artists,  & c.  Curious  but 
Simple  Mode  of  Bleaching  and  Pre- 
paring  220 

» ' " ..  of  Caraway  and  Fennel  Seeds,  &c 472 

Ointment,  Incomparable,  for  the  Back  of  a Ricke- 
ty Child 20 

Admirable,  for  Burns,  Scalds,  Cuts, 

Bruises,  See 570 

Old  Fowls,  Excellent  Uses  of 440 

Olives,  Artificial,  Secret  of  making 78 

Omlet,  Common  60 

Onion  Soup,  White 221 

Onions,  Curious  German  Method  of  making 

them  Grow  to  a very  large  Size 316 

Opodeldoc,  Genuine 414 

Orange  and  Lemon  Chips 32 

and  Lemon  Wines,  Exquisite,  made 

with  Honey  and  Raisins 349 

and  Lemon  Prawlongs 191 

. Fritters,  French.. 5 22 

Jelly 355 

Marmalade ’. 485 

. Posset,  Delicate 52 

Pudding,  Delicious 5 

Sponge 304 

- Wine,  Superlative i2 

. — Wine,  with  Raisins  348 

Orangeade,  Rich 401 

Orchard,  Plan  for  a Farmer’s 318 

Orgeat 74 


Orgeat  Paste  105 

Syrup,  English 74 

Syrup,  Genuine 73 

Oriental  Ottar  of  Roses 232 

Pilau,  Excellent,  as  made  in  the  East 

Indies 355 

Vases  for  Cooling  Wine 427 

Ortolans 96 

Ottar  of  Roses,  the  Celebrated,  Genuine  East 

India  Receipt  for  Preparing 302 

Ovens,  Wonderful  Effects  of  the  Art  of  Hatching 

Chickens  in  them 87 

Oyster  At  lets 404 

Ketchup 409 

Ketchup,  Capital 508 

Patties  and  Volevents 399 

Pie ibid. 

Powder,  German 406 

Sausages..... 497 

Shell  Lime  Water 49 

Oysters  Fried  in  Batter 436 

Method  of  preserving  Alive,  and  Fat- 
tening   557 

■ Stewed  in  French  Rolls 36 

Ox  Cheek  Pie 63 

Oxford  Cake 420 

■ ■ Puddings 7 

Sausages,  Real 58 


P 

PAINT,  Cheap  Common  Green  and  other  Co- 
lours, to  stand  theWeather,  made  with  Oil  569 

Palsy,  Astonishing  Cures  of 495 

Panada 426 

Pancake  Pudding 26 

Paper,  Art  of  making  it  nearly  as  Transparent 

as  Glass 508 

Hangings,  Easy  Method  of  Cleaning...  24 

. — — or  Parchment,  Art  of  Staining  them  va- 
rious CoIouts 358 

Parchment  Deeds,  &c.  Damaged,  Easy  Method 

of  Restoring  and  rendering  Legible....  1 14 
Parfait  Amour,  or  Perfect  Love,  a Fine  French 


Liqueur 415 

Parmasan  Cheese,  the  Celebrated,  Genuine  Me- 
thod of  making 122 

Toast 493 

Parsnip  Fritters HO 

Paste  for  Custards  and  Standing  Ornaments  in 

Pastry.. 45 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Paste  for  Paper  or  Wood,  Excellent 569 

— — — for  Pasties,  Seasoned  Florendines  and 

Made  Dishes,  &c 44 

. Royal,  Fine,  for  Sweet  Florendines  and 

Made  Dishes,  Rich  Tarts,  &c ibid. 

■■  Standing,  or  Raised  Crust,  for  Pies  bak- 
ed without  Dishes  or  Patty  Pans 45 

Patent  Coal  Cakes,  Mr.  Frederic’s 487 

Patirosa  Lozenges,  Genuine 418 

Patties  and  Yolevents  of  Veal,  Mutton,  Fowl, 

Turkey,  &c 399 

Peach  and  Apricot  Waters 401 

Peaches,  Apricots,  Nectarines,  Plums,  Morelia 

Cherries,  &c.  Preserved  in  Brandy....  39 

— ■ ■■  a la  Portugaise 521 

Peacocks  and  Guinea  Hens,  or  Pea  and  Guinea 

Fowls  434 

Pear  Paste 468 

Pies,  Excellent ibid. 

Pearl  Barley,  Compound  Decoction  of. 299 

Barley,  Simple  Decoction  of,  commonly 

called  Barley  Water ibid. 

Peas  Pudding 470 

Pennyroyal  Water  584 

Peppermint  Cordial 582 

Drops 129 

■ ■ ■ Water 584 

Perch  dressed  in  Water  Souchy 62 

Perfetto  Amore,  or  Perfect  Love,  Fine  Italian 

Liqueur  so  called  414 

Perry,  Best  General  Method  of  making 242 

Persian  Art  of  making  Yeast  with  Peas 139 

■ Cold  Pilau  420 

Cold  Soup,  Curious ibid. 

-  Fruit  Balls 419 

■ ■■  — Manner  of  Cooling  Apartments  during 

excessive  Heats 428 

■ ■ ■ ■■  Meat  Cakes 5 

Peruvian  Bark,  Decoction  of,  as  prescribed  by 

Mr.  Cruikshank 490 

Petit  Patties,  or  Little  Pies 398 

Pheasants  and  Partridges,  Roasted 432 

Phosphoric  Bottles,  Easy  Method  of  preparing  173 

Tapers,  or  Matches,  Art  of  making ibid. 

Phosphorus,  Curious  Experiments  with 172 

Origin  and  Nature  of. 170 

Pickled  Barberries,  Beautiful 154 

• - — ■ Beet  Root,  Admirable.. 142 

— ■ Bunches  of  Currants 155 

———*  Capsicums,  Green  or  Red..................  431 


Pickled  Cucumbers  and  Onions,  in  Slices 280 

Eggs,  Curious 543 

- - ■—  French  Beans,  &c 279 

Mushrooms,  White  .-. 425 

• Nasturtiums 403 

Onions,  Small'. 280 

Oysters,  Fine 154 

Samphire 162 

■■  - Sprats,  resembling  Anchovies,... 6 

Sturgeon 396 

Walnuts 279 

Pie  Crusts,  Ready-Made,  Curious  German  Me- 
thod of  Baking  and  Selling 45 

Pig,  Curious  Method  of  Roasting 20 

— ■ - Sucking,  French  Method  of  Roasting...  104 

Pig’s  Haslet 5 32 

Pigeons,  Roasted 43fi 

Pigment,  Permanent  Green,  both  for  Oil  and 

Water  Colours 35 

Piles,  Genuine  Lozenges  for,  as  used  in  the  West 

Indies... 23 

Pill  for  an  Aching  Hobow  Tooth 72 

Pills,  Dr.  Willoughby’s,  for  Palsy,  Convulsion 
Fits  affecting  the  Head,  Vapours,  Lu- 
nacy, &c 502 

Seely  Mahomet  Zeeke’s,  for  the  Plague  424 

Pine  Apple,  Culture  of 471 

■ — — Apples,  Mr.  Speechley’s  Method  of  rais- 
ing with  Oak  Leaves  instead  of  Tan- 
ners Bark 473 

Pink  Pancakes 63 

Pippin  Paste,  Red,  for  Ornamental  Knots,  &c...  277 

Pistachio  Prawlongs,  Filbert  Praw longs, & c.  Red 

and  White 191 

Plate,  Black  John’s  Famous  Preparation  for 

Cleaning 412 

Powder.. 413 

Plovers  and  Plovers  Eggs 433 

Plum  Buns 543 

Porridge,  Good,  for  Christmas 470 

• Pottage,  Rich. ibid. 

Pudding,  Good  Family 176 

Pudding,  Rich  175 

Pomade  Divine 507 

Pomatum  for  the  Lips 534 

Portable  Balls,  for  taking  out  Spots  from  Cloaths  35 
Plum  Pudding,  sometimes  called  Flus- 
ter’s or  Traveller’s  Pudding... 3 94 

— Soup  Cakes 106 

Portland  Powder,  Famous,  for  the  Gout 114 

d 


GENERAL  INDEX. 

283  Pyrmont  Water. 


198 


Portugal  Cakes 

Decoction,  the  Famous,  or  Diet  Drink 

in  Fevers 

Portuguese  Method  of  Dressing  Soal 

Posset,  the  Pope’s 

Potarga,  or  Buttarga 

Potatoe  Apples,  Swedish  Method  of  Pickling... 

• ■ - — Cakes 

■ Cheese,  Excellent,  as  made  in  Germany 

- — — Cheesecakes,  Good 

— Liquid,  Wonderful  Effects  of,  in  Clean- 
ing Silk,  Woollen  and  Colton  Furni- 
ture or  Apparel,  &c.  without  Injury  to 


the  Texture  or  Colour 293 

• Yeast,  Dr.  Hunter’s  Instructions  for 

making 86 

Potatoes,  Curious  Experimental  Hint  for  Im- 
proving the  Culture  of,  by  Planting...  32 
- - Important  New  Discovery  of  a Method 


of  Granulating,  or  Art  of  Preparing 
Potatoes  in  the  Form  of  a Grain  re- 


sembling Rice,  & c 209 

■  Method  of  raising  them  in  Winter 451 

Potted  Beef,  Fine 15 

■  Charr 21 

Cheshire  Cheese 5 

Lobsters,  Fine 72 

Mackarel 223 

> Salmon,  Newcastle 250 

Swan  416 

Pound  Cake,  Rich 313 

Prawlongs,  or  Red  and  White  Burnt  Almonds, 

Art  of  making..... 190 

Preserved  Strawberries 254 

Primrose  Vinegar 546 

Proof  Spirit,  Brandy,  Rum,  Arrac,  &c.  Distil- 
lation ofMalt  Wash  for 373 

■ Spirit,  Dr.  Hunter’s  Experimental  Hints 

for  the  Distillation  of,  from  Carrots,  &c.  454 

Provence  Recuites,  Celebrated 316 

Prussian  Blue,  the  Celebrated,  Genuine  Process 

for  making  281 

Flummery 356 

Pudding,  Elegant  and  Unexpensive 536 

Puff  Paste,  for  Tarts,  Cheesecakes,  &c 44 

Purple  Dye,  Light,  for  Silk 525 

Putrid  Diseases,  Reverend  Mr.  Cartwright’s  Ac- 
count of  the  Wonderful  Efficacy  of 
Yeast  in  the  Cure  of 238 


Q 

QUAILS,  Lapwings,  Fieldfares,  &c.  Roasted...  433 

Queen  Cakes 53 

Elizabeth’s  Cordial  Electuary 4 

Quin’s  Excellent  Fish  Sauces 100 

—  Pocket  Sauce 510 

Quinces,  Marmalade  of 356 

Quinsy,  Dr.  Fuller’s  Vapour  for 1 1 

Quoffties,  CuriousTurkisu  Dish  so  called 212 

R 

RAGOUT  of  Mushrooms 357 

Powder 330 

Raisin  Cyder 5,50 

Marmalade,  Fine,  for  a Cough  or  Cold  61 

—  Vinegar 553 

Raspberry  Cakes 59 

Jam 194 

« — — Posti'.la,  an  Elegant  Confection,  as  made 

in  Russia 205 

•  — • Syrup  495 

Vinegar,  Fine 59 

•  Wine,  Rich,  and  Raspberry  Brandy....  421 

Ratafia,  a Delicate  White,  Paris  Method  of  mak- 
ing  40 

Fine  Red,  as  made  at  Paris ibid. 

Ratafias,  English  Common  and  Red 41 

Rats,  Dr.  Taylor’s  Cheap  and  Efficacious  Me- 
thod of  Destroying 546 

Singular  Contrivance  for  Catching,  as 

practised  in  Germany 108 

Rectification,  Simple,  or  Distillation  of  Low 
Wines  into  Alcohol,  or  Spirit  of  Wine, 

and  what  are  called  Proof  Goods 373 

Rectifying,  Flavouring,  and  Colouring  Proof 
Spirit,  Art  of,  for  the  successful  Imita- 
tion of  French  Brandy,  &c..... 374 

Red  Cabbage,  Dressed  by  the  Dutch  as  their 

Remedy  for  a Cold  in  the  Breast 130 

—  Ink,  Fine 13 

■ Lake,  Fine,  Art  of  preparing,  from 

Dutch  Madder 244 

Water........ 503 

Reverend  Mr.  Hagget's  (Economical  Wheaten 

Bread 107 

Rheum  anrl  Specks  in  the  Eyes,  Invaluable  Re- 
medy for  Curing 23 

Rheumatism,  Famous  American  Receipt  for.....  313 


45 
117 

Pippins. 52] 

40 
219 
60 
543 
347 
112 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Rheumatism,  Infallible  Negro  Remedy  for 314 

Palsy,  See.  French  Embrocation  for 155 

Rhubarb  Tarts 152 

Rice  Cake,  Fine 313 

— — — — Cheesecakes,  Delicate . 21 

Fritters,  or  Fried  Balls 423 

Jelly 218 

■ ■ ■ Pancakes 32 

Soup 3 1 1 

Ricket ty  Diet  Drink 26 

Ripe  Grapes,  and  other  delicate  Fruits,  Excel- 
lent and  Simple  Russian  Method  of 
Safely  Packing  for  Distant  Carriage...  404 

Roast  Beef,  English  175 

Beef,  with  Oysters 422 

Rocambole 417 

Rolled  Beef  made  to  eat  like  Hare 62 

Rolls,  Good  and  Easy  Method  of  making 509 

Roman  Purl,  Best 553 

Roofs  of  Houses,  Curious  Composition  for,  as 
communicated  by  the  Royal  Society  of 

Sweden  314 

Rose  Drops 418 

Water 300 

■■  — Water,  a Superior  Process  for  Distilling, 

as  practised  in  France,  Italy,  and  Ger- 
many   348 

Roses,  the  Finest  Ottar  of.  Genuine  Bassora  Art 

of  obtaining  ..T. 409 

Rosemary  Pematum 507 

Rossolis,  Ambre,  or  Amber  Sun  Dew,  a Deli- 
cate French  Liqueur 131 

— or  Sun  Dew,  French,  Perfumed  with 

Flowers ibid. 

Rouge,  Turkish,  or  Secret  of  the  Seraglio  for 

making  an  Admirable  Carmine 227 

Ruffs  and  Rees 432 

Rum,  Brandy,  and  Hollands  Gin,  Genuine  Man- 
ner of  making  up 380 

Rusks,  Freuch 406 

■ ■ ■ . Method  of  making 356 

Russian  Cold  Soups 419 

Dish  of  Fried  Calf’s  Liver 457 

- ■ — - Fish  Pi§s  or  Pasties,  &c 459 

■ — Remedy  against  Bugs,  Gnats,  Book 

Worms,  &c. 489 

Rye  Flour  Cakes,  Rich  456 

Rusty  Steel,  Method  of  Cleaning  and  Polishing  14 


S 

SAGE  Cheese,  Best  Method  of  making 


Sa8° 411 

Pudding,  Baked 412 

Pudding,  Boiled ibid. 

Sal  Ammoniac,  Mr.  Lynam’s  Curious  and  Sim- 
ple Method  of  Dissolving  it  in  Vinegar 

with  Fixed  Air 4§o 

Sallad  Oils,  Fine,  German  Method  of  making', 
from  Cole  Seed,  Rape,  Poppy,  Beech 

Mast,  Nuts,  Walnuts,  &c 360 

Salmagundi g 

Salmis  in  General,  with  the  Genuine  Receipt 

for  the  Celebrated  Bernardine  Salmi...  333 

Salmon,  Aberdeen  Method  of  Pickling 55 

Dutch  Method  of  Di  •essing 'MM  9 

Good  Family  Method  of  Pickling 483 

Salt  Fish,  Curious  French  Method  of  Dressing  467 

Herrings  a la  Bruxelloise 312 

— — — Lancashire  Manner  of  making,  with 

Sea  Sand 543 

Preserved  Cucumbers,  for  Sauces,  Soups, 


277 

Sand  Reed,  Useful  Hint  for  Cultivating  the  Sea 
Coasts,  and  even  Sandy  Desarts,  ex- 
emplified in  it’s  Growth 28-4 

Sattins,  White,  and  all  Sorts  of  Flowered  Silks, 
with  Gold  or  Silver,  & c.  Art  of  Clean- 


ing  491 

Savoloys,  Baked 503 

Savoy  Biscuits,  Best 54 

Sauce  a l’ltalienne  136 

a la  Poivrade ibid. 

a la  Ravigote ibid. 

a la  Reine 440 

Liquid  of  Colour 309 

Saxon  Blue,  Best 282 

Scab,  &c.  in  Sheep,  Infallible  Ointment  for...  94 

Scald,  Singular  Case  of  Cure  for 439 

Scald  Head,  &c.  Cure  for... 512 

Scalded  Cream 285 

Oranges 541 

Scarlet  Beef  without  Saltpetre,  so  called  by  the 

French,  Strange  Method  of  preparing  1SI 

Scorched  Linen,  Composition  for  Restoring 251 

Scotch  Barley,  &c.  Easy  Method  of  preparing  369 

Broth 4 ; 2 

— ■ 1 1 - Burgoo 204 

Cake,  or  Short  Bread 533 

Comfits 122 

Daffy’s  Elixir 534 

Flummery  531 

■ ■■■  - Haggess,  Excellent,,.,,,', 311 


120 


•GENERAL  INDEX. 


Scotch  Mutton  533  I 

Scots  or  Scotch  Collops,  White 534' 

Sea  Green  Dye  for  Silk 525 

Kale 222 

Venison 4-92 

Sealing  Wax,  Art  of  making  the  Best  Red 34 

. Wax,  Black,  Blue,  Green,  &c ibid. 

Wax,  Soft,  for  Seals  of  Office,  &c ibid. 

Seltzer  Water,  Artificial  195 

Semolina,  English  180 

Scurvy  Grass  Ale 544 

Sheep’s  Trotter  Jelly,  for  Infants,  &c 543 

Sherbet,  Persian  and  Turkish 399 

Shining  German  Blacking 320 

Shoes,  Boots,  &c.  Various  Modes  of  rendering 

them  Water-Proof 103 

Shortness  of  Breath,  Infallible  Powder  for........  75 

Shoulder  of  Lamb,  &c.  in  Aspect 284 

of  Mutton,  Boiled,  Dressed  a la  Saucis- 

son,  or  Collared  to  Eat  Hot 1 1 1 

of  Mutton,  French  Method  of  Baking  155 

Shrewsbury  Cakes,  Real 78 

Shrimp  Pie 2S 

Shrimps  for  Sauce,  Simple  but  Useful  Method 

of  Preserving 15 

Shropshire  Pie 398 

Sick  Head  Ache,  Long’s  Pills  for 508 

Silk,  Fine  Red  Dye  for 523 

Silvering,  Art  of 457 

Mallowitz’s  Curious  and  Newly  Invent- 
ed Method  of,  so  as  to  Penetrate  or 

Sink  into  the  Metal 196 

Simple  Waters  in  General,  Distillation  of,  from 

Herbs,  Flowers,  &c 385 

Singing  Birds,  Paste  or  Food  for,  superior  to  the 

German  Paste  in  common  Use 557 

Sir  Hans  Sloane’s  Famous  Liniment  for  Sore 

Eyes 320 

— Francis  Eden’s  Cheap  Soup,  or  Broth, 

for  the  Poor 37 

Skaite,  or  Thornback,  Excellent  Dutch  Method 

of  Dressing 466 

Skirret  Pie 533 

Skirrets,  or  Parsnips,  White  Fricassee  of ibid. 

French  Method  of  Dressing., 522 


Smelts  Pickled  after  the  Mannerof  Anchovies...  121 
Smoke  of  Wood  Fires,  Easy  Substitute  for,  in 
Drying  Hams,  Bacon,  Tongues,  Hung 


Beef,  Bologna  Sausages,  &c 143 

Snow  Cheese 3 03 


Snuff,  Dr.  Fuller’s  Chemical,  for  the  Head  _ 

Ache,  Palsy,  and  Drowsy  Distempers  4S 
Soap,  Easy  Method  of  Detecting  the  Fraudu- 
lently Increased  Weight  of. 246 

■ Excellent,  for  Medicinal  Purposes 247 

in  General 246 

Soda 5 15 

Somersetshire  Bacon 236 

Sore  Throat,  an  Incomparable  Fumigation  or  Va- 
pour for ii 

Soup  au  Bourgeois,  or  French  Citizen’s  Soup....  24 
Jardiniere,  or  Gardener’s  Wife’s  Soup...  423 


Soups  in  General,  with  the  Genuine  Paris  Re- 
ceipt for  making  the  Famous  Camerani 


Soup 3i5 

Souse  for  Brawn,  and  for  Pig’s  Head,  Feet,  &c.  118 

Soused  Mackarel... 222 

or  Marinaded  Lombardy  Eels,  &e 233 

Soy,  commonly  called  Indian  Soy,  Method  of 
Preparing,  as  practised  in  Japan  and 

China 227 

Spanish  Cardoons,  as  Dressed  in  France 522 

Liquorice 514 

or  Portugal  Onion  Sauce 157 

Pap..... 78 

— - Patties 431 

Syllabub 252 

Spice  Gingerbread  Nuts  or  Small  Cakes 424 

Spirit  of  Wine,  a Pure  and  most  Incomparable, 

French  Secret  for  Preparing 391 

• of  Wine,  Art  of  Preparing  from  Brandy, 

without  Fire 392 

of  Wine,  Art  of  Rectifying,  or  Prepar- 
ing Alcohol 377 

. ■ ■■  of  Soap,  for  Shaving 320 


Spirituous  Distilled  Waters  in  General,  or  Dis- 
tillation of  Herbs,  Seeds,  &c.  by  Means 
of  Spirit,  commonly  denominated  Cor- 


dial Waters  and  Compounds 388 

. Waters,  Cordial  and  Aromatic,  Curious 

Method  of  giving  them,  in  a few  Hours, 

all  the  meliorating  Effects  of  Age 217 

Spitchcocked  Eels < 437 

Sponge  Biscuits,  Delicate 36 

■ ■ — Cake,  Best 545 

Spots  of  Grease,  Pitch,  or  Oil,  Liquid  fof  re- 
moving from  Woollen  Cloth 64 


of  Grease,  Tallow,  Oil,  &c.  Art  of  Ex- 
tracting from  Valuable  Books,  Prints, 
and  Paper  of  all  Sorts,  without  the 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


smallest  Injury  to  the  Printing  or  Writ- 
ing  20S 

Spots  or  Stains  of  Ink,  Red  Wine,  Ironmoulds, 
Mildew,  &c.  in  Linen  or  Cotton,  Li- 
quid to  take  out.... 491 

Sprain,  Cure  for 304 

- — Speedy  Cure  for 77 

Spring  Vinegar  of  Herbs,  as  made  in  France 89 

Spruce  Beer,  Excellent.... 185 

— B.eer,  White 367 

Wine  ibid. 

St.  Anthony’s  Fire,  Expeditious  and  Effectual 

Remedy  for  47 

Staffordshire  Syllabub)  Good  and  Cheap 152 

Staining  Wood  the  Colour  of  Mahogany,  Admi- 
rable Liquid  Mixture  for 529 

Stains,  or  Grease  Spots,  Excellent  Composition 
to  take  out,  from  Silk,  Cotton,  or  Wool- 
len..... 566 

Starch  from  Horse  Chesnuts,  Specification  of 

Lord  William  Murray’s  Patent  for 174 

Steeple  Cream 397 

Stewed  Cucumbers,  or  Plain  Cucumber  Sauce  541 
Cucumbers,  or  Rich  and  Savoury  Cu- 
cumber Sauce 251 

■ Olive  Sauce 187 

Stilton  Cheese,  Genuine 158 

Stomachic  Elixir,  Dr.  Stoughton’s  Celebrated...  31 
Stone  and  Gravel,  Mrs.  Stephens’s  Medicines 
for,  the  Discovery  of  which  obtained 
that  Lady  a Parliamentary  Reward  of 


Five  Thousand  Pounds 571 

Artificial  Floors  and  Coverings  for 
Houses,  as  made  in  some  Parts  of  Russia  463 
Stairs,  Hall  Pavements,  &c.  Mixture 


for  Cleaning 431 

Strain  in  the  Back,  Cure  for 507 

Straw  Colour  Dye  for  Silk 525 

Strawberry  Ice  Cream „ 257 

— Water  Ice _ , ibid. 

Strong  Beer,  Superlative,  for  Bottling 197 

Sturgeon,  Boiled 397 

Broiled. ibid. 

Incomparable  Cossack  Method  of  Pick- 
ling, in  Marinato  or  Vinegar  Jelly 410 

Roasted 397 

Styptic  Powder,  German 516 

Safe  and  Powerful,  for  all  Inward  Bleed- 
ings, &c 574. 

Sugar  Paste,  Delicate,  for  Tarts  or  Rich  Cheese- 


cakes, made  of  Sweetmeats,  Rich  Fruits, 


&c 4 5 

Sugar  Vinegar,  Capital 65 

Wine 546 

Cake  467 

Dr.  Maggraf’s  Curious  Chemical  Pro- 
cess for  obtaining  it  from  Beet  Roots, 

&c 452 

Sugared  Almonds,  White 191 

Surtout  of  Snipes 465 

Swan,  or  Cygnet,  Roasted 415 

Pie 416 

Sweet  Wort,  Syrup  of 182 

Sweetmeat  Cakes,  French 440 

- — ■■  Biscuits,  Rich  .'...V... 120 

Sweetmeats,  Anatolian,  without  Sugar...., 405 

Swelled  Faces,  Simple  French  Remedy  for 25S 

■-  Legs,  and  a Relaxed  Stomach,  Excel- 
lent Remedy  for 54 

Syllabub,  Royal  London 152 

Sympathetic  Ink,  Curious,  Art  of  making 22 

Syracuse  Wine  541 

Syrup,  Admirable,  for  the  Scurvy,  King’s  Evil,  ■ 
Leprosy,  and  all  other  Impurities  of 

the  Blood  and  Juices..... 557 

and  Oxvmel  of  Garlic,  for  Old  and  Asth- 
matic Coughs 95 

Common,  or  Simple,  Best  Method  of 

making  for  General  Use 38 

Genuine,  of  Clove  Gilliflowers,  Violets, 

and  other  Odoriferous  Flowers,  Best 

and  Easiest  Method  of  making SQ 

of  Cloves,  Cinnamon,  or  Mace 199 

of  Cowslips  252 

of  Damask  Roses..... 300 

of  Ginger j oQ 

of  Nutmegs,  with  Brandy 198 

of  Red  Cabbage,  as  prepared  in  France  70 

of  Red  Roses  300 

T 

TABLETTES  deGuimauve,  or  French  Lozenges 
of  Marshmallows,  being  the  French 


Grand  Remedy  for  all  Sorts  of  Coughs  226 
Tape  Worm,  Infallible  Method  of  Killing  and 


Expelling 20) 

I'apioca- 39  4 

Je!|v ' 396 

Pudding,  Excellent 395 

Tarragon  Vinegar,  Fine  213 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Tartar  Method  of  Preserving  Meat 

Remedy  for  a Dry  Cough  and  Difficulty 

of  Breathing 

Tartarized  Spirit  of  Wine .' 

Tea  Cream 

Hot  Cakes  for.  Excellent 

for  the  Gout 

Teeth  and  Gums,  Tincture  for 

■■■  Easy  and  Effectual  Method  of  Scaling 

and  Cleansing  the  Foulest,  without 
the  Pain  or  Danger  of  using  Instru- 
ments   

Tench,  Art  of  Dressing,  without  Breaking  the 

Skin 

Test  for  Detecting  the  Presence  of  Lead  in  Oil 

Thirst  Balls  for  Travellers 

Tin  Plate,  &c.  Manner  of  Manufacturing.. 

Tincture  of  Rhubarb,  Admiral  Gascoigne’s 

Toast  and  Water  for  Valetudinarians 

Tonquin  Remedy  for  the  Bite  of  a Mad  Dog..,., 

Tourons  

Transparent  Tarts 

Treacle  Beer,  Dr.  Stonehouse’s  Easy  Instructions 

for  making  

■ Carimel,  or  Pop-Lolly 

Trifle,  Grand 

Tripe,  Roasted 

Trotter  Jelly  for  the  Consumptive  

Trout,  Dace,  Roach,  Perch,  &.c.  Yorkshire  Me- 
thod of  Dressing 

Tunbridge  Wells  Cakes 

Turbot,  Baked 

. '■  ■ Boiled 

Turkey  and  Chesnuts 

. — - and  Sausages 

. — and  Truffles.... 

. or  Turkey  Poults,  Boiled 

Roasted 

Turkish  and  Grecian  Ladies  Method  of  Preserv- 
ing their  Teeth 

. Dolmas 

- Glue,  or  Armenian  Cement,  Wonderful 

Power  of,  with  the  Art  of  making  it... 

. Pilau *. 

Turlington’s  Balsam,  Genuine 

Turnip  Wine  

Turtle,  Capital  English  Method  of  Dressing 

Genuine  West  IndiaMethod  of  Dressing 

Plain  and  Easy  Method  of  Dressing 

Twelfth  Cake,  very  Rich 


V 

VAMIERM AN’S  Incorporated  Oil 305 

Method  of  Preparing  Matchless  Cheap 

and  Impenetrable  Green  Paints,  Lead 
Colour,  Stone  Colour,  Brown,  Red, 
Chocolate,  Light  Brown,  Yellow', 
Black,  & c.  as  well  for  Internal  as  Ex- 


ternal Works 30Q 

White  Paint 305 

Vapours  occasioned  by  Wind,  Powder  for 503 

Veal  and  Vermicelli  Soup 545 

Cake 485 

Florendine 01 

Ham  533 

Olives 186 

Vechioni,  or  Preserved  Chesnuts  for  Culinary 

Purposes 278 

Vegetable  Syrup,  Genuine 539 

Vegetables,  Curious  Prussian  Method  of  Drying, 

and  it’s  Wonderful  Effect 254 

Vegetative  Liquid,  Ingenious  French,  for  mak- 


ing Bulbous  Roots  Beautifully  Flower 
in  Ornamental  Glasses,  without  Earth, 

during  the  Winter  Season..... 89 

Venetian  Fritters 522 

Venison,  Haunch  of  Mutton  dressed  to  resemble  57 

Old  Sauce  for ibid. 

Verdigrease,  Substitute  for,  in  producing  a Fine 
Black  Dye,  without  Injury  totheCloth, 

&c 95 

Verjuice,  Distilled 557 

Method  of  making 465 

Vermicelli  Soups,  Browm  and  White 337 

1 Vertigo,  Russian  Remedy  for 555 

Vespetro,  Genuine  Receipt  for  making  the  In- 
valuable Cordial  Liqueur  so  called,  re- 
commended by  the  late  Kingof  France’s 


Physician  at  Montpelier 105' 

Vinegar,  Curious  Method  of  making,  in  a few 

Days,  with  any  Malt  Liquor 551 

of  Roses 214 

of  the  Four  Thieves 555 

« Red  or  White  Wine,  Singular  French 

Method  of  keeping  a constant  Supply 

of  88 

Vinegars,  French,  of  Orange  Flowers,  Elder 
Flowers,  Clove  Gilliflowers,  Musk 

Roses,  Tairagon,  &c., 521 

Virginia  Trouts 506 


459 

426 

378 

151 

497 

73 

555 

76 

543 

99 

558 

365 

17 

466 

18 

408 

63 

38 

495 

ISO 

5S2 

61 

441 

541 

179 

ibid. 

439 

ibid. 

ibid. 

438 

ibid. 

462 

216 

127 

353 

25 

551 

164 

162 

166 

9 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Vitriolic  Ether,  Astonishing  Effects  of,  in  Cur- 
ing Colics  of  Cattle  as  well  as  of  the 

Human  Species......... 548 

Volevents 399 

U 

UMBRELLAS,  See.  Excellent  Varnish  for 458 

Unadulterated  English  Wheaten  Bread,  Best 

and  Readiest  Method  of  Making,, ......  144 

Universal  Powder,  Dr.  Radcliffe’s 501 

Usquebaugh,  Choicest  Green  and  Yellow 90 

■ - ■ — Irish,  as  made  at  Paris... G 

W 

WAFERS,  Art  of  making..... 417 

Walls,  Lime  or  Plastered,  Russian  Method  of. 

Painting  on,  with  Oil  Colours 224 

Walnut  Ketchup,  Best 541 

- ■ Tree  Wine  513 

Walnuts,  Mr.  Forsyth’s  Method  of  Preserving  445 
Ward’s  Art  of  Preparing  Glass  of  Antimony  for 

his  Pill  and  Drop  323 

■■  ■■■  — Celebrated  Liquid  Sweat 33 0 

Celebrated  Pill  and  Drop,  Genuine  Re- 
ceipts for  Preparing..... 322 

■ — Essence  for  the  Head-Ache,  and  other 

violent  Pains 330 

—■  Famous  Dropsy  Purging  Powder ibid. 


— Famous  Paste  for  the  Fistula,  Piles,  &c.  329 

■■  - Genuine  White  Drop, fortheScurvy,&c.  325 

Sweating  Powders,  for  the  Rheumatism, 

&c 327 

Wash,  Admirable,  for  the  Hair,  said  to  Thicken 

it’s  Growth  better'  than  Bear’s  Grease  53 

• — " and  Fomentation  for  an  Old  Wound 502 

Wassel , 418 

Water  Birdlime  235 

■ ■■■■■  — ■ Ice,  Bunch  of  Grapes.'. 257 

■ - — Souchy 62 

- the  Foulest,  Mr.  Peacock’s  Patent  Ma- 
chine for  Purifying  and  Filtering 141 

■ — Turkish  Method  of  Filtering  it  by  As- 
cension  140 

Wax  Baskets,  Method  of  making,  for  Confec- 
tionary, &c 360 

Weaknesses  of  Constitution,  Admirable  Beve- 
rage for 567 

Weather  Boarding,  Paling,  and  ail  other  Works 
liable  to  be  Injured  by  the  Weather, 
Cheap  and  Excellent  Composition  for  29 


Wens,  Easy  and  Effectual  Cure  for.. 21 

West  Country  Flummery 531 

India  Bitters,  or  Anti  bilious  Drops 190 

India  Coffee,  Hint  for  making  it  nearly 

equal  that  of  Turkey 135 

India  Remedy  for  the  Gout 542 

Westphalia  Bacon,  Salted  and  Dried  Tongues, 

Beef,  &c 143 

Hams,  Genuine....! 142 

Wet  Sugar  Preserved  Fruits  in  Brandy 39 

Whetstone  Cakes  531 

Whey  Butter 268 

Whigs,  Good,  to  Eat  with  Ale,  & c 41 

Whipped  or  Whisked  Syllabub,  Fine  198 


White  Blackbirds,  White  Mice,  &c.  Art  of 
Breeding,  on  the  Principles  that  pro- 
duce those  Varieties  of  Colour  which 
distinguish  all  Domesticated  Animals  81 

. ■ - — Cherry  Beer,  or  Barley  Wine  237 

. . ....  Currant  Wine,  called  English  Cham- 
paign   250 

Ebulum,  or  White  Elder  Berry  Beer...  553 

Porter,  or  Beer  called  Old  Hock. 579 

- ■ . . Paint,  Vanherman’s  Incomparable  and 
Durable,  for  Inside  Work  only,  which 
will  Dry,  and  cease  to  Smell,  within 

Six  Hours 307 

Whitloe,  Remedy  for 7 505 

Whooping  Cough,  Dr.  Radcliffe’s  Celebrated 

Remedy  for 320 

Cough,  Excellent  Embrocation  for 75 

Wild  Water  Fowl,  such  as  Wild  Geese,  Ducks, 
Flappers,  Dun  Birds,  Teal,  Widgeons, 

&c 435 

Wind  in  the  Veins,  Remedy  for....i 119 

Wine,  Art  of  Discovering  whether  any  Brandy 

has  been  mixed  in  it 322 

Red  and  White  Currant  and  Raspber- 
ry, Excellent .*. 30  4 

Wines,  Foreign,  General  Process  of  making 273 

of  all  Sorts,  Moldavian  Method  of  mak- 
ing them  Sparkle,  &c 453 

Windsor  Ale ^gp 

Soap,  Genuine itii 

Wonderful  but  Easy  and  Effectual  Method  of 

rendering  all  Sorts  of  Paper  Fire  Proof  95 

Wood,  Curious  French  Method  of  rendering  it 

FireProof 435 

of  all  Sorts,  either  Unwrought,  or  in 

Furniture,  &c.  Patent  Powder,  Stain, 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


and  Varnish,  for  Beautifying  and  Pre- 
serving...  189 

Wood  Strawberry  Brandy,  for  the  Stone  and 

Gravel  /. 542 

Woodcocks,  or  Snipes,  Roasted 431 

Woollen  Cloths  or  Stuff's,  &c.  Beautiful  Crimson 

Dye  for... 523 

Worm  Powder,  Excellent. 542 

Writing  Ink,  Black,  Durable  Approved 553 

Ink,  Red,  Good 566 


V 

YAPRAK,  Excellent  Turkish  Dish  so  called...  460 
Yeast,  Patent  Potatoe  Composition  to  be  used 

instead  of...... 181 


I 


1 


A 


Yellow  Dye,  for  Silk,  &c.,,., 526 

— - Ink 510 

• Jaundice,  &.c.  Saponaceous  Draught  for  46 

Water,  Famous 55 

York  Cakes 532 

Yorkshire  Ale  and  Beer,  Admirable,  without 

Boiling  either  the  Wort  or  the  Hops,,,  187 

— - > — Cakes,  Fine  74 

— Hung  Beef,  Finest SO 


Z 

ZINCj  French  Method  of  Tinning  Hammered 

Iron  Vessels,  &c,  with 304 


p 


r 


■ ■ . 


: • ' • ■ • . 

•Y  - • 

' 


••  !.  • % . . ; 

■ 

~ 1 1 ■ '■  ’ 

' " ?<•'  ‘ 

, ' . /£-  ••  • 


' 

M-  \f 


*■ 

- - 

* 


'•  (.  ■’  • 


♦ 


\ 


■ • 


m 


* 


I